tihxaxy  of  t:he  t:heolo0ical  ^mimvy 

PRINCETON  •  NEW  JERSEY 


Donation  of 
Samuel  Agnew 
of 

Philadelphia,  Pa, 
BX  8495   .W5  W44  1844 
Whitehead,  John,  17407-1804 
The  life  of  the  Rev.  John 
Wesley,  M.A. ,  some  time 


tnjTT/ivai  ly  J.  Folseltthuc' 


WES  ILEX. 


Tiiiln-  llir-  .Siipi'iintr-iirL-mcp  of  rhe  Soa>ty  for  th.f  ISEfusicni.  (if  f.spfiil  J^mrlf^dfr'- 


THE 

LIFE 

OF  THE 


REV.  JOHN  WESLEY,  M.  A. 

SOME  TIME  FELLOW  OF  LINCOLN  COLLEGE,  OXFORD. 

COLLECTED  FKOM  HIS  PRIVATE  PAPERS  AND  PRINTED  WORKS;  AND  WRITTEN  AT  THE 
REQUEST  OF  HIS  EXECUTORS. 

TO  WHICH  IS  PREFIXED 

SOME  ACCOUNT  OF  HIS  ANCESTORS  AND  RELATIONS; 

WITH 

THE  LIFE  OF  THE 

REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY,  M.A. 

COLLECTED  FROM  HIS  PRIVATE  JOURNAL,  AND  NEVER  BEFORE  PUBLISHED. 

THE  WHOLE  FORMING  A  HISTORY  OF  METHODISM,  IN  WHICH  THE 
PRINCIPLES  AND  ECONOMY  OF  THE  METHODISTS  ARE  UNFOLDED. 


BY 

john'whitehead,  m.d. 

AUTHOR  OF  THE  DISCOURSE  DELIVERED  AT  MR.  WESLEY's  FUUERAL. 


 In  labors  more  abundant  

A  workman  that  neede^  not  to  be  ashamed,  rightly  dividing  the  word  of  Truth. — Paut,. 

VOL.  I. 


LONDON: 

PRINTED  BY  STEPHEN  COUCHMAN. 
M  D  C  C  X  C  II I . 


BOSTON: 
PUBLISHED    BY    J.  MCLEISH. 
1844. 


I  hereby  certify  that  this  edition  of  Whitehead's  Life  of  Weslkv, 
stereotjrped  by  me,  is  as  accurate  a  copy  of  the  original,  as  it  was  possible 
to  execute.  Geo.  A.  Curtis. 

Boston,  June  20,  1844. 


BOSTON: 
DOW  AND  JACKSON'S  POWER  PRESS, 
No.  14  Devonshire  Street. 


AMERICAN  PUBLISHER'S  PREFACE. 


Having  had  in  my  possession,  for  many  years,  a  genuine  copy  of  the 
London  edition  of  Whitehead's  Life  of  Wesley,  which,  with  a  single 
exception,  was  the  only  copy  known  to  be  in  existence,  I  considered  it  too 
valuable  longer  to  slumber  in  obscurity,  and  about  a  year  since,  I  announced 
my  intention  to  republish  it.  Through  causes  unlocked  for,  and  beyond  my 
control,  the  execution  of  my  plan  has  been  considerably  delayed ;  but  at  length, 
I  have  the  very  great  pleasure  of  presenting  to  the  public,  in  a  neat  and 
substantial  form,  an  American  edition  of  this  inestimable  work,  without  the 
least  variation  in  the  language  or  arrangement  of  the  copy,  and  without  notes 
or  comments.  As  this  was  the  first  written  Life  of  the  Wesleys,  prepared 
from  authentic  documents,  and  as  it  is  the  only  one  which  has  been  written 
which  can  rightfully  claim  the  merit  of  impartiality,  I  thought  it  best,  in 
republishing  it,  to  conform  as  nearly  as  possible  to  the  original  text,  and  leave 
the  reader  free  to  draw  his  own  conclusions  of  the  contents  of  the  work. 

It  is  next  to  superfluous  to  speak  of  the  importance  of  this  re-publication ; 
the  fact  is  more  than  admitted  by  those  who  are  conversant  with  its  historical 
merits.  Methodism  has  attained  so  prominent  a  position  in  the  affairs  of  the 
religious  world,  that  every  thing  connected  with  its  origin,  its  principles  and 
its  history  becomes  a  matter  of  public  interest.  When,  therefore,  an  authen- 
tic record  of  the  chief  events  connected  with  the  first  half  century  of  the 
existence  of  this  institution  is  brought  forth  in  an  accessible  form,  shall  it  not 
be  regarded  as  an  affair  deserving  something  better  than  a  mere  passing  no- 
tice ?  Considering  the  partial  statements  and  false  colorings  in  reference  to 
important  matters,  which  prejudiced  and  selfish  biographers  and  historians 
have  embodied  in  nearly  all  the  books  extant  purporting  to  be  the  lives  of 
Wesley,  and  the  histories  of  Methodism,  this  truthful  sketch  of  Whitehead 
shines  out  from  among  the  mass  of  error,  like  a  sparkling  diamond  from  the 
unseemly  rubbish  of  its  native  bed. 

The  life  of  Wesley  and  the  early  history  of  Methodism  are  so  intimately 
associated  as  to  be  almost  one  and  the  same  thing.  The  chief  incidents  of 
the  former  become  the  elements  of  the  latter.  As  Abraham  is  the  ac- 
knowledged father  of  the  faithful,  so  in  a  similar  senae,  is  Wesley  the  father 
of  Methodism ;  and  as  in  either  case,  the  characteristic  traits  of  the  parents 


vi 


publisher's  preface. 


are  transmitted  to  their  offspring,  there  may  be  seen  in  the  developments  of 
Methodism  the  impress  of  the  expansive  intellect  and  boundless  benevolence 
of  him  who  was  the  heaven-chosen  instrument  of  projecting  this  great  moral 
enterprise,  whose  infancy  he  nursed  with  more  than  parental  solicitude. — 
From  the  commencement  to  the  close  of  Mr.  Wesley's  protracted  public  ca- 
reer, one  object  alone  seemed  to  have  predominated  in  his  mind,  and  to  that, 
were  devoted,  unreservedly,  all  his  masterly  intellectual  and  physical  energies. 
That  object  was,  to  rear  in  the  world  a  spiritual  church,  a  holy  temple  unto 
God,  whose  walls  should  tower  aloft  in  the  majesty  of  strength  divine,  in 
bright  and  glorious  contrast  with  the  tottering  edifices  of  a  formal  religion, 
and  the  crumbling  wrecks  of  blind  superstition !  In  this  holy  enterprise,  he 
received  important  assistance  from  his  brother,  the  Rev.  Charles  Wesley, 
M.  A.,  whose  life  is  also  sketched  by  the  same  able  biographer,  and  is  con- 
tained in  this  work. 

The  careful  reader  will  at  once  perceive  that  Dr.  Whitehead  is  no  ordinary 
writer.  The  elegance,  strength  and  perspicuity  of  his  language,  the  facility 
and  faithfulness  of  his  delineations  amply  qualify  him  for  the  acceptable  per- 
formance of  the  task  which  Mr.  Wesley,  in  confidence,  intrusted  to  him. 

With  the  hope  that  the  efforts  which  I  have  made  to  republish  this  valua- 
ble work,  and  which  have  been  attended  with  great  expense,  will  be  duly  ap- 
preciated, and  that  the  work  itself  may  be  the  means  of  further  extending  the 
public  acquaintance  with  the  founders,  doctrines  and  early  usages  of  a 
dearly  cherished  religious  institution,  I  remain  the  Public's  humble  and 
obedient  servant  in  the  bonds  of  the  Gospel, 

JOHN  M^LEISH. 

Boston,  June,  1844. 


\ 

ADVERTISEMENT. 


AN  EXTRACT  FROM  MR.  WESLEY'S  WILL. 

"  I  GIVE  all  my  manuscripts  to  Thomas  Coke,  Doctor  Whitehead,  and  Henry  Moore,  to 
be  burnt  or  published,  as  they  see  good."* 

As  the  dispute  between  Dr.  Coke,  Mr.  Moore,  the  Methodist  Conference,  and  me,  respect- 
ing the  publication  of  Mr.  J.  Wesley's  Life,  has  been  very  generally  made  known  through 
the  three  kingdoms,  it  seems  necessary  to  state  to  the  public,  what  has  been  done  on  my 
part,  and  on  the  part  of  the  committee  united  with  me,  to  put  an  end  to  that  dispute.  Af- 
ter the  Manchester  Conference,  in  1791,  Mr.  Rogers,  Dr.  Coke,  Mr.  Whitefield,  &c.  began 
the  dispute,  on  the  subject  of  money,  or  the  division  of  the  profits  arising  from  the  sale  of 
the  Life :  they  afterwards  required,  that  I  should  publish  nothing  in  the  Life  of  Mr.  J. 
Wesley,  but  what  should  be  approved  by  a  committee  of  the  preachers.  With  respect  to 
the  first,  I  ofiered  to  give  them  the  whole  profits  of  the  work,  if  they  desired  it,  in  order  to 
put  an  end  to  the  difference,  as  my  printed  letter  of  November  of  that  year,  will  testify.  With 
respect  to  the  requisition,  I  could  not  in  conscience  submit  to  it.  I  offered  to  read  the 
manuscript  to  them  as  friends,  and  to  consult  them  on  particular  parts  of  Mr.  Wesley's  life ; 
but  insisted  on  the  right  of  using  my  own  judgment,  if  on  any  point  we  could  not  agree. 
Here  then  we  differed,  and  in  the  printed  letter  above  mentioned,  I  addressed  the  preach- 
ers on  this  subject,  in  the  following  words :  "I  therefore  entreat  you,  for  God's  sake,  for 
the  sake  of  peace  among  the  people,  for  the  honor  of  religion  in  general,  to  desist  from 
this  arbitrary  and  illiberal  requisition.  If  you  still  insist  upon  it,  and  make  a  breach  on 
this  account,  I  call  the  living  God  to  witness  between  me  and  you  this  day,  that  I  am 
clear ;  the  mischief  that  may  follow,  will  lie  at  your  door,  not  mine ;  and  you  shall  an- 
swer for  it,  at  the  awfiil  tribunal  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ." 

In  August,  1792,  when  the  Methodist  preachers  were  assembled  in  conference,  at  Lon- 
don, the  committee  above  mentioned,  met,  and  resolved. 

That,  "When  the  members  of  the  committee  united  themselves  together,  to  support 
Dr.  Whitehead  in  writing  the  life  of  Mr.  Wesley,  the  following  were  the  leading  princi- 
ples of  their  union :  1.  That  Dr.  Whitehead  having  been  solicited  to  write  the  life,  by  the 
executors,  preachers,  and  others,  had  pledged  himself  to  the  public  to  execute  the  work ; 
and  his  printed  proposals  had  been  signed  by  the  executors,  and  admitted  by  the  Confer- 
ence. 2.  That  Dr.  Whitehead  had  an  undoubted  right  to  use  his  own  judgment  without 
control,  in  writing  a  book  to  which  his  name  must  be  prefixed,  and  for  the  contents  of 


*  See  Arminian  Magazine  for  January,  1792,  page  29. 


viii 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


•which  he  only  was  responsible  to  the  Methodist  connection  at  large,  and  to  the  public. 
3.  That  the  three  persons  to  whom  Mr.  Wesley  had  bequeathed  his  manuscripts,  of  whom 
Dr.  Whitehead  was  one,  having  deliberately  agreed  that  the  doctor  should  have  the  use  of 
them  to  assist  him  in  executing  the  work,  and  they  having  been  delivered  unconditionally 
to  him  for  that  end,  he  had  a  right  to  the  discretional  use  of  them,  notwithstanding  that 
two  of  those  persons  afterwards  changed  their  mind  on  that  subject.  4.  WTien  some  of 
the  preachers  opposed  Dr.  "WTiitehead  in  the  performance  of  his  engagements  to  the  pub- 
lic, the  steps  they  took  to  injure  his  reputation,  appeared  to  this  committee  unjustifiable, 
and  if  tolerated  would  take  away  all  security  for  the  character  of  ever}^  member  of  the 
Methodist  society ;  the  members  of  the  coromittee,  therefore,  thought  it  their  duty  to  op- 
pose such  proceedings,  and  to  support  an  injured  man  who  bore  a  public  and  respectable 
character,  from  the  violent  and  unjust  attacks  made  upon  him.  The  committee  are  still 
persuaded  of  the  justice  and  equity  of  these  principles :  but  to  show  the  disinterestedness 
of  Dr.  Whitehead  and  of  this  committee,  and  their  desire  of  peace,  they  are  willing  to 
make  some  sacrifices  for  the  sake  thereof;  and  therefore,  with  the  consent  of  Dr.  White- 
head, make  the  following  propositions  : 

First.  "  That  all  the  Manuscripts  of  IMr.  Wesley  shall  be  fairly  and  impartially  exam- 
ined, by  Dr.  Coke,  Mr.  Moore,  and  Dr.  Whitehead.  Such  papers  as  they  shall  unani- 
mously deem  unfit  for  publication,  shall  be  burnt  immediately :  out  of  the  remainder  Dr. 
Whitehead  shall  be  at  liberty  to  select  such  as  he  thinks  necessary  for  his  work ;  and  the 
residue*  to  be  given  into  the  hands  of  Dr.  Coke  and  3Ir.  Moore. 

Secoxi).  ''That  the  Life  of  Mr  Wesley,  written  by  Dr.  "\Miitehead,  shall  be  given  up  by 
the  committee  to  the  Conference,  and  become  their  entire  property. 

Third.  "  That  one  hundred  and  twenty-eight  pages  of  the  Life  being  already  printed 
oflf.  Dr.  Whitehead  will  read  them  to  a  committee  of  the  preachers,  if  desired,  that  they 
may  judge  of  the  spirit  and  manner,  in  which  the  Life  \^-ill  be  written,  before  they  come  w 
any  conclusion. 

FoTTRTH.  "  That  Dr.  Whitehead  will  read  his  manuscript  as  the  work  goes  on,  to  any 
person  or  persons  the  conference  shall  appoint ;  he  will  be  glad  of  their  opinion  and  ad- 
vice, which  he  will  follow  in  all  cases,  as  far  as  he  shall  judge  it  consistent  with  the  use- 
fulness and  reputation  of  his  work. 

Fifth.  "  That  the  Conference  shall  defray  all  the  expenses  which  the  committee  has 
been  at  up  to  the  present  time  (the  account  to  be  made  up  by  the  treasurers  of  the  com- 
mittee) and  take  the  expense  of  the  work  upon  themselves :  any  consideration  to  be  given 
Dr.  Whitehead  for  his  trouble,  &:c.,  in  -wTiting  the  Life,  shall  be  wholly  left  to  the 
determination  of  Conference  m  1794,  and  if  he  never  receives  one  shilling,  he  will  not 
complain. 

Sixth.  ''  The  Life  of  Mr.  Wesley,  written  by  Dr.  Whitehead,  shall  never  be  printed,  in 
any  form,  without  Dr.  Whitehead's  name,  nor  altered  in  any  part  of  it  without  hi.s 
consent. 

Seventh.  Dr.  Whitehead  shall  immediately  take  his  place,  as  a  preacher  in  the  new 
chapel,  if  the  trustees  approve  thereof,  as  he  did  before  this  dispute  happened ;  and  let  all 
past  differences  be  buried  and  forgotten. 

Eighth.  "  The  fifty  copies  of  the  Life  which  are  primed  on  large  fine  paper,  shall  bo 
finished  in  the  same  manner  as  the  eight  sheets  of  them  which  are  already  printed  off ; 
and  these  fifty  copies  shall  then  be  hot-pressed,  and  be  delivered  to  Dr.  Whitehead  in 

*  It  was  intended,  and  I  believe  sufficiently  understood  on  both  sides,  that  all  the  papers  would 
be  delivered  up  without  reserve,  as  soon  as  the  Life  should  be  published. 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


ix 


boards  at  the  common  selling  price  of  the  book,  to  be  distributed  by  him  according  to  his 
original  intention  in  printing  them. 

"In  case  these  propositions  are  rejected,  the  committee  will  consider  Dr.  Whitehead 
and  themselves,  and  the  whole  of  this  dispute,  to  be  remaining  in  the  same  state  as  previ- 
ous to  the  making  these  proposals. 

"  The  committee  consider  as  first  principles,  from  which  they  can  never  recede ;  first, 
that  Dr.  Whitehead  shall  write  the  Life,  subject  to  proposition  No.  1.  Secondly,  That 
he  use  his  own  judgment  therein  without  control.  These  two  principles  being  admitted, 
the  committee  will,  if  the  Conference  prefer  it,  submit  every  other  part  of  the  difference  to 
the  decision  of  two  persons,  one  to  be  chosen  by  the  Conference,  and  the  other  by  the  com- 
mittee ;  which  two  persons,  in  case  of  a  difference  in  opinion,  shall  nominate  a  third  per- 
son to  decide  by  a  majority. — If  the  Conference  adopt  either  of  these  proposals,  the  parties 
to  enter  into  satisfactory  engagements  for  the  fulfilment  of  them. 

"  That  a  copy  of  the  proceedings  of  this  meeting,  signed  by  the  secretary,  be  sent  to  Mr. 
Alexander  Mather,  the  president  of  the  Conference." — It  must  be  observed,  that  Dr.  Coke 
was  secretary  to  the  Conference,  and  Mr.  Moore  a  member  of  it,  and  present  at  it.  Our 
proposals  were  rejected. 

Dr.  Coke  and  Mr.  Moore  have  published  a  Life  of  Mr.  Wesley ;  and  they  inform  the  pub- 
lic, in  their  Preface,  that,  there  is  nothing  material  respecting  him,  that  is  not  given  in  their 
volume.  They  assign,  as  an  evidence  of  this,  that,  all  his  private  papers  were  open  to  their 
inspection,  for 'several  years.  According  to  their  own  declaration,  therefore,  they  have  suf- 
fered no  loss  or  injury,  on  account  of  the  papers  being  in  my  hands. 


B 


PREFACE. 


The  publication  of  this  first  volume  of  Mr.  Wesley's  Life,  having 
been  delayed  much  beyond  the  general  expectation,  the  members  of 
the  committee,  who  so  generously  united  to  encourage  and  assist  me 
in  carrying  on  the  work,  the  subscribers  to  it,  and  the  public  at  large, 
have  a  right  to  expect  some  explanation  of  the  causes  which  have 
occasioned  the  delay.  I  shall  mention  two  principal  causes,  though 
others  have  concurred  in  a  less  degree.  The  first  is,  the  cruel  and 
persevering  opposition  of  some  of  the  Methodist  preachers,  against 
the  execution  of  the  work.  I  had  determined  to  write,  not  only  the 
Life  of  Mr.  Wesley,  but  a  history  of  Methodism,  with  the  utmost 
impartiality ;  to  describe  things  as  they  have  been,  and  as  they  are, 
without  the  false  coloring  that  the  spirit  of  a  party  will  always  give 
to  history :  but  it  was  impossible  to  see  with  indifference  the  conduct 
of  these  preachers.  Mr.  Wesley  never  met  Avith  a  more  malignant 
opposition  in  the  whole  course  of  his  labors,  than  I  have  experienced 
for  attempting  to  describe  them.  Nor  was  I  alone  the  object  of  their 
abuse ;  my  friends  also,  shared  it  with  me.  It  sometimes  appeared  to 
me,  that  they  carried  their  opposition  to  such  outrageous  and  indecent 
lengths,  on  purpose  to  excite  an  opposition  to  them,  in  the  Life  itself; 
that  they  might  have  a  fairer  pretext  to  advise  the  people  not  to  read 
it.  I  determined  to  disappoint  them ;  and  to  take  no  further  notice 
of  them,  than  the  connection  of  the  history  required,  and  without 
any  particular  reference  to  the  present  dispute.  Whenever,  therefore, 
i  found  my  mind  affected  by  their  conduct,  so  that  I  could  not  write 
yrriih.  that  calmness  and  ease  that  I  wished,  I  laid  the  work  wholly 
I  aside,  which  has  been  no  small  cause  of  the  delay.  This  may  be 
called  a  weakness:  be  it  so;  I  never  pretended  to  be  free  from  the 
common  feelings  of  human  nature ;  or  to  be  insensible  of  the  improper 


xu 


PREFACE. 


conduct  of  others,  towards  my  friends.  My  business  has  been,  to 
guard  my  mind  against  any  improper  mfiuence  it  might  have  on  my 
judgment,  in  describing  facts  that  have  taken  place  in  the  estabhsh- 
ment  of  Methodism,  and  to  distinguish  between  the  rational  and 
hberal  principles  of  Mr.  Wesley,  on  which  the  Methodist  societies 
were  founded,  and  the  narrow  and  arbitrary  conduct  of  a  few  indi- 
viduals :  and  this,  by  the  grace  of  God,  I  hope  has  been  carefully 
done. 

The  second  cause  of  delay  has  been  the  bankruptcy  of  the  printer 
1  first  employed.  This  has  occasioned  a  considerable  loss,  a  part  of 
the  printed  sheets  being  damaged,  and  a  delay  of  several  months.  I 
am  persuaded,  however,  that  the  work  has  received  some  improve- 
ments from  the  length  of  time  it  has  been  in  hand.  It  may  have 
defects  at  present,  but  they  would  have  been  greater  and  more 
numerous,  had  it  been  written  in  a  hurry,  immediately  after  the 
death  of  Mr.  Wesley. 

When  I  began  to  write  the  Life  of  Mr.  Charles  Wesley,  I  did  not 
expect  it  would  have  been  so  long  as  it  is.  But  the  materials 
increased  so  fast  upon  me,  as  I  proceeded,  that  I  could  easily  have 
filled  the  whole  volume  with  them.  As  they  were  new,  and 
appeared  to  me  important,  I  could  not  prevail  on  myself  to  abridge 
them,  more  than  I  have  done.  I  thought  it  a  pity  that  a  man  of  so 
excellent  a  character  should  lie  hid  under  a  heap  of  rubbish,  which 
envy  had  thrown  upon  him.  A  part  of  this  rubbish,  at  least,  I  have 
removed,  and  he  will  again  stand  forward  to  the  view  of  the  public. 
I  doubt  not  but  his  friends  will  recognize  him  in  the  following  sheets; 
and  I  hope  will  be  introduced  to  his  company  with  pleasure  and 
profit. 

As  the  Life  of  Mr.  John  Wesley  comprehends  a  great  variety  of 
subjects,  on  which  men  think  very  differently,  it  cannot  be  expected 
that  it  should  be  so  Avritten,  as  to  obtain  universal  approbation.  But 
my  leading  object  in  writing  this  Life,  has  not  been,  either  general 
approbation  or  profit ;  but  truly  and  fairly  to  delineate  Mr.  Wesley's 
character,  in  doing  which,  I  hoped  to  promote  religion  and  virtue. 

I  return  my  warmest  thanks  to  those  persons  who  have  communi- 
cated to  me  any  private  papers  or  letters,  that  were  in  their  posses- 
sion ;  and  also  to  those  who  have  assisted  me  in  the  present  work,  by 
their  advice.  In  the  early  part  of  Mr.  John  Wesley's  Life,  I  have 
made  use  of  the  original  papers  relating  to  him,  published  by  Dr. 


PREFACE.  Xiii 

Priestley.  His  collection  alone  is  defective ;  and  so  was  that  in  my 
possession,  without  his.  Dr.  Priestley  tells  us  in  his  preface,  The 
following  letters  were  given  to  me  by  the  late  Mr.  Badcock,  as  great 
curiosities  of  their  kind,  with  a  view  to  their  publication  after  the  death 
of  Mr.  John  Wesley.  They  were  given  to  him  by  the  grand-daugh- 
ter of  Mr.  Samuel  Wesley,  the  eldest  brother  of  John,  and  I  believe 
with  the  same  view.  Mr.  John  Wesley,  as  I  learned  from  Mr.  Bad- 
cock,  was  very  desirous  of  getting  these  letters  into  his  possession, 
but  the  daughter  and  grand-daughter  of  Mr.  Samuel,  being  offended 
at  his  conduct,  would  never  deliver  them  to  him."  Thus  far  Dr. 
Priestley.  I  am  not  at  all  disposed  to  call  Dr.  Priestley's  veracity  in 
question,  but  it  appears  to  me  there  is  some  mystery  in  the  affair, 
which  I  wish  to  see  removed,  and  which  is  the  reason  of  bringing 
the  matter  forward.  Mr.  Badcock  wrote  to  Mr.  Wesley,  on  the  sub- 
ject of  his  brother  Samuel's  manuscripts,  and  at  the  same  time  sent 
him  one,  which  he  had  obtained.  His  letter  is  dated  South-Moulton, 
Devonshire,  April  22,  1780;  and  the  part  of  it  that  relates  to  the 
manuscripts,  is  as  follows : 

"  Rev.  Sir, 

"  The  M.S.  which  accompanies  this  address,  will,  I  doubt  not, 
carry  its  own  authenticity  with  it,  to  you.  It  fell  into  my  hands 
some  time  since,  by  means  of  the  departure  of  Mr.  Mansell,  for  Ire- 
land, on  account  of  debts  contracted  at  Barnstaple.  This  person 
married  a  daughter  of  your  niece  Mrs.  Earle.  They  both  died  soon  after 
he  absconded.  Of  these  particulars,  it  is  likely  you  are  not  ignorant. 
A  gentleman  of  Barnstaple,  was  for  some  time  in  possession  of  the 
books  and  M.SS.  Many  of  them  were  sold :  and  others,  together 
with  some  papers  of  a  family  nature,  were  sent  to  Mansell ;  who,  if  I 
mistake  not,  lives  with  his  mother,  at  or  near  Dublin. 

"  I  have  seen  some  other  M.SS.  of  your  mother's ;  and  wish  I  could 
have  secured  them  for  you.  I  think  they  have  much  intrinsic  excel- 
lence :  and  to  a  son,  they  must  be  doubly  acceptable.  If  I  should 
have  it  in  my  power  to  get  more  of  these  papers,  I  will  take  care  to 
send  them  to  you." 

The  attentive  reader  will  perceive,  that  these  two  accounts,  not 
only  differ,  but  in  one  instance  flatly  contradict  each  other.  After 
Mr.  Badcock's  letter,  there  certainly  was  a  fault  somewhere  in  Dr. 
Pries tley^s  obtaining  possession  of  the  manuscripts :  but  where  the 
fault  lay,  I  do  not  pretend  to  determine. 

B 


CONTENTS 
OF    THE    FIRST  VOLUME. 


BOOK  THE  FIRST. 
GIVING  SOME  ACCOUNT  OF  MR.  WESLEY'S  RELATIONS. 

CHAPTER  I.  Page. 
Of  his  Great-Grandfather,  and  Grandfathefr  Wesley,  17 

CHAPTSU  n. 

Of  his  Grandfather  Annesley,   22 

CHAPTER  III. 
Of  his  Father,  Mr.  Samuel  Wesley,  25 

CHAPTER  IV. 
Section  I.    Of  his  Mother,  36 

Sect.il    Of  his  Sister,  Mrs.  Wright,  51 

CHAPTER  V. 

Of  his  Brother,  Samuel  Wesley,  junior,  59 

CHAPTER  VI. 
SOME  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  LIFE  OF  HIS  BROTHER,  MR.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 

Sect.  I.    Of  his  Birth  and  Education,  till  his  Ordination  in  1735,  .    .  71 

Sect.  II.  Of  his  Voyage  to  Georgia,  his  Situation  there,  and  Return 

to  England  in  1736,   77 


X71  CONTENTS. 

Page. 

Sect.  III.  Of  Mr.  Charles  Wesley,  from  the  3d  of  December,  1736, 

till  the  End  of  June,  1738,   98 

Sect.  IV.  Contaming  some  Account  of  Mr.  Charles  Wesley's  Public 

Ministry,  until  he  became  an  Itinerant,  116 

Sect.  V.    Containing  some  Account  of  his  Labors  as  an  Itinerant 

Preacher,  134 

Sect.  VI.    Stating  some  further  Particulars  concerning  Mr.  Charles 

Wesley  ;  with  an  Account  of  his  Death  in  1778,    .    .  206 


BOOK  THE  SECOND. 

CHAPTER  I. 
Giving  some  Account  of  Mr.  John  Wesley,  from  his  Birth  to  the 

Year  1729,   231 

CHAPTER  II. 

Of  Mr.  Wesley's  Residence  at  Oxford  from  November,  1729,  to 
October,  1735;  with  an  Account  of  the  Proceedings  of  the  first 
Methodist  Society,  during  that  Period,  257 


THE 

LIFE  OF  THE  llEV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


BOOK  FIRST. 

CONTAINING  AN  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  FAMILY. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Of  his  Great  Grandfather^  and  Grandfather  Wesley. 

So  far  as  we  can  trace  back  any  account  of  the  family,  Mr.  Wes- 
ley's ancestors  appear  respectable  for  learning,  conspicuous  for  piety, 
and  firmly  attached  to  those  views  of  Christianity  which  they  had 
formed  from  the  sacred  Scriptures.  Bartholomew  Wesley,  his  great 
grandfather,  was  educated  in  one  of  our  universities,  and  afterwards 
held  the  living  of  Allington  in  Dorsetshire.  When  the  act  of  uni- 
formity took  place  in  1662,  he  was  ejected  from  his  living,  and 
enrolled  on  the  list  of  fame  with  those  illustrious  names,  who  chose 
rather  to  suffer  the  loss  of  all  things  than  violate  conscience.  If  we 
judge  from  the  circumstances  of  the  nation,  and  the  temper  of  the 
people  at  this  time,  we  shall  be  led  to  conclude,  that  the  act  of  uni- 
formity originated  with  a  party ;  that  it  was  founded  in  revenge,  and 
had  cruelty  and  oppression  for  its  object.  It  was  however,  the  means 
under  God,  of  raising  up  a  cloud  of  witnesses,  who  testified  to  the 
world  by  their  sufferings,  that  religion  is  not  a  mere  engine  of  the 
state,  but  something  real,  in  comparison  of  which  those  who  feel  its 
influence  count  all  other  things  but  dung  and  dross.  While  in  the 
university,  Mr.  Wesley  had  applied  himself  to  the  study  of  physic  as 
well  as  divinity ;  a  practice  which  had  been  frequent,  and  not  then 
fallen  wholly  into  disuse.  He  was  often  consulted  as  a  physician 
while  he  held  his  living,  and  after  his  ejectment  applied  himself 
chiefly  to  the  practice  of  physic,  though  he  still  preached  occasion- 
ally. It  is  said  that  he  used  a  peculiar  plainness  of  speech,  which 
hindered  him  from  becoming  a  popular  preacher.  He  lived  several 
years  after  he  was  silenced ;  but  the  death  of  his  son,  John  Wesley,  of 
whom  I  shall  next  speak,  affected  him  so  much,  that  he  afterwards 
declined  apace,  and  did  not  long  survive  him.* 


*  See  Nonconformist's  Memorial,  vol.  i.  p.  442. 
2*  3 


18 


MR.  Wesley's  ancestors. 


John  Wesley,  M.  A.,  of  New-Inn  Hall  Oxford,  son  of  the  above 
mentioned  gentleman,  was  grandfather  of  the  late  Rev.  John  Wesley. 
We  have  no  certain  account  of  the  time  of  his  birth,  nor  of  the  year 
when  he  died.  It  pleased  God  to  incline  him  to  remember  his  Creator 
in  the  days  of  his  youth,  a  circumstance  which  always  affords  com- 
fort in  the  future  part  of  life.  He  had  a  very  humbling  sense  of  sin, 
and  a  serious  concern  for  his  salvation  when  a  school-boy  ;  and  soon 
after  began  to  keep  a  diary,  in  which  he  recorded  the  remarkable 
instances  of  providential  care  over  him,  the  method  of  God's  dealings 
with  his  soul,  and  how  he  found  his  heart  affected  under  the  means 
of  grace,  and  the  occurrences  of  providence,  whether  prosperous  and 
pleasing,  or  afflictive.  This  method  he  continued,  with  very  little 
intermission,  to  the  end  of  his  life.=^ 

During  his  stay  at  Oxford,  he  was  taken  notice  of  for  his  serious- 
ness and  diligence.  He  applied  himself  particularly  to  the  study  of 
the  oriental  languages,  in  which  he  made  great  progress.  Dr.  John 
Owen,  who  was  at  that  time  vice-chancellor,  had  a  great  regard  for 
him,  which  affords  strong  evidence  both  of  his  abilities  and  piety  at 
this  early  period  of  life.  He  began  to  preach  occasionally  at  the  age 
of  twenty-two,  and  in  May,  1658,  was  sent  to  preach  at  Whitchurch 
in  Dorsetshire.  Soon  after  the  restoration,  some  of  his  neighbors 
gave  him  a  great  deal  of  trouble,  because  he  would  not  read  the  com- 
mon prayer.  They  complained  of  him  to  the  Bishop  of  Bristol,  and 
laid  many  heavy  things  to  his  charge.  Mr.  Wesley  being  informed 
that  the  bishop  desired  to  speak  with  him,  he  waited  on  his  lord- 
ship, and  has  recorded  in  his  diary  the  conversation  that  took  place 
on  this  occasion. 

Mr.  Wesley's  defence  of  himself  turns  chiefly  on  two  points,  his 
allegiance  to  the  king;  and,  his  right  to  preach  the  Gospel  without 
being  ordained  according  to  the  rites  of  the  established  church. 
With  respect  to  the  first,  he  solemnly  assures  the  bishop,  that  the 
things  alleged  against  him  were  either  invented  or  mistaken :  that, 
whatever  his  bitter  enemies  might  say  against  him,  there  were  others 
who  would  give  a  different  character  of  him;  that  Mr.  Glisson  had 
done  it;  and  that  Sir  Francis  Fulford,  being  his  hearer,  Avould 
acquaint  his  lordship  concerning  him  :  that  he  did  not  think  the  old 
Nonconformists  were  his  Majesty's  enemies ;  and  that  he  had  con- 
scientiously taken  the  oath  of  allegiance,  and  had  faithfully  kept  it. 

With  respect  to  the  second  point,  the  bishop  informs  Mr.  Wesley, 
that  if  he  preached,  it  must  be  upon  ordination,  according  to  the 
order  of  the  church  of  England.  Mr.  Wesley  answers,  that,  if  he 
meant  by  ordination  the  sending  spoken  of  Rom.  x.,  he  had  it;  that 
he  had  a  mxission  from  God  and  man  ;  but  he  was  not  satisfied  in  his 

*  I  have  taken  some  pains  to  discover  whether  this  manuscript  be  anywhere  preserved ; 
but  I  have  not  obtained  any  satisfactory  information  concerning  it.  The  extracts  from 
it  have  been  preserved  by  Calamy. 


MR.  Wesley's  ancestors. 


19 


conscience  concerning  the  ordination  in  the  church  of  England.  As 
to  his  abiUties,  he  oflcrs  to  submit  to  any  examination  his  lordship 
would  appoint ;  to  give  him  a  confession  of  his  faith,  or  to  take  any- 
other  method  that  might  be  required.  He  then  states  the  reasons 
which  satisfied  him,  that  he  ought  to  preach.  These  are,  1.  That 
he  was  devoted  to  the  service  from  his  infancy.  2.  That  he  was 
educated  for  it,  at  school  and  in  the  university.  3.  That,  as  a  son  of 
the  prophets,  after  having  taken  his  degrees,  he  preached  in  the 
country,  being  approved  of  by  judicious,  able  Christians,  ministers  and 
others.  4.  That  it  pleased  GJod  to  seal  his  labors  with  success  in  the 
conversion  of  several  souls  from  ignorance  and  profaneness,  to  the 
power  of  godliness ;  that  such  conversions  had  taken  place  wherever 
he  had  been  called  to  preach;  at  Radpole,  Melcomb,  Turnwood, 
Whitchurch,  and  at  sea.  He  declares,  that  if  this  was  not  found  to 
be  the  case  upon  examination,  he  was  willing  to  be  discharged  from 
his  ministry.  "I  will  stand  or  fall,  says  he,  on  the  issue  thereof" 
He  adds,  5.  That  the  church  seeing  the  presence  of  God  going  along 
with  him,  they  did,  by  fasting  and  prayer,  in  a  day  set  apart  for  that 
end,  seek  an  abundant  blessing  on  his  endeavors.  "A  particular 
church  I  exclaims  the  bishop :  yes,  my  lord,  says  Mr.  Wesley,  I  am 
not  ashamed  to  own  myself  a  member  of  one.  Bishop.  You  have  no 
warrant  for  your  particular  churches.  Wesley.  We  have  a  plain, 
full,  and  sufficient  rule  for  gospel  worship  in  the  New  Testament, 
recorded  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  and  the  Epistles.  B.  We  have 
not.  W.  The  practice  of  the  apostles  is  a  standing  rule  in  those 
cases  which  were  not  extraordinary.  B.  Not  their  practice,  but  their 
precepts.  W.  Both  precepts  and  practice.  Our  duty  is  not  delivered 
to  us  in  Scripture  only  by  precepts,  but  by  precedents,  by  promises, 
by  threatenings  mixed,  not  common-place  wise.  May  it  please  your 
lordship,  we  believe  that  cultus  non  instiiutus  est  indebitus.  B.  It  is 
false.  W.  The  second  commandment  speaks  the  same  ;  Thou  shalt 
not  make  unto  thyself  any  graven  image.  B.  That  is  forms  of  your 
own  invention.  W.  Bishop  Andrews  taking  notice  of  non  fades 
iibi,  satisfied  me,  that  we  may  not  worship  God  but  as  commanded. 
B.  You  take  discipline,  church  government,  and  circumstances,  for 
worship.  W.  You  account  ceremonies  parts  of  worship.  B.  Well 
then,  you  will  justify  your  preaching,  will  you,  without  ordination 
according  to  law  ?  W.  All  these  things  laid  together  are  satisfac- 
tory to  me  for  my  procedure  therein.  B.  They  are  not  enough. 
W.  There  has  been  more  written  in  proof  of  the  preaching  of  gifted 
persons,  with  such  approbation,  than  has  been  answered  by  any  one 
yet.  B.  I  am  glad  I  heard  this  from  your  own  mouth.  You  will 
stand  to  your  principles,  you  say  ?  W.  I  intend  it,  through  the  grace 
of  God ;  and  to  be  faithful  to  the  King's  Majesty,  however  you  may 
deal  with  me.  B.  I  will  not  meddle  with  you.  W.  Farewell  to  you, 
sir.    B.  Farewell,  good  Mr.  Wesley." 


20 


MR.  Wesley's  ancestors. 


It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  bishop  was  as  good  as  his  word.  But 
there  were  some  persons  of  influence  in  his  neighborhood  who  were 
too  much  his  enemies  to  permit  him  to  continue  quietly  at  Whit- 
church, till  the  act  of  uniformity  ejected  him.  For  in  the  begmning 
of  1662,  he  was  seized  on  the  Lord's  day  as  he  was  coming  out  of 
church,  carried  to  Blandford,  and  committed  to  prison.  Sir  Gerrard 
Napper  was  one  of  the  most  furious  of  his  enemies,  and  the  most  for- 
ward in  committing  him ;  but  meeting  with  an  accident  by  which  he 
broke  his  collar-bone,  he  was  so  far  softened,  that  he  sent  some  per- 
sons to  bail  Mr.  Wesley,  and  told  them  if  they  would  not,  he  would 
do  it  himself.  How  various  are  the  ways  by  which  God  brings  men 
to  a  consciousness  of  their  guilt !  Mr.  Wesley,  however,  was  set  at 
liberty,  though  bound  over  to  appear  at  the  next  assizes.  He 
appeared  accordingly,  and  came  off*  much  better  than  he  expected. 
On  this  occasion  the  good  man  recorded  in  his  diary  the  mercy  of 
God  to  him,  in  raising  up  several  friends  to  own  him ;  inclining  a 
solicitor  to  plead  for  him,  and  restraining  the  wrath  of  man,  so  that 
the  judge,  though  a  very  passionate  man,  spoke  not  an  angry  word. 

Mr.  Wesley  came  joyfully  home  from  the  assizes,  and  preached 
constantly  every  Lord's  day  till  August  17th,  when  he  delivered  his 
farewell  sermon  to  a  weeping  audience,  from  Acts  xx.  32,  "  And  now, 
brethren,  I  commend  you  to  God,  and  to  the  word  of  his  grace,  which 
is  able  to  build  you  up,  and  to  give  you  an  inheritance  among  all  them 
which  are  sanctified."  October  the  26th,  the  place  was  declared 
vacant  by  an  apparitor,  and  orders  given  to  sequester  the  profits  ^  but 
his  people  had  given  him  Avhat  was  due.  On  the  22d  of  February, 
1663,  he  quitted  Whitchurch,  and  removed  with  his  family  to  Mel- 
comb  :  upon  which  the  corporation  made  an  order  against  his  settle- 
ment there,  imposing  a  fine  of  £20  upon  his  landlady,  and  5s.  per 
week  upon  him,  to  be  levied  by  distress.  These  violent  proceedings 
forced  him  to  leave  the  town,  and  he  went  to  Bridgev/ater,  Uminster, 
and  Taunton,  in  which  places  he  met  with  great  kindness  and  friend- 
ship from  all  the  three  denominations  of  Dissenters,  and  was  almost 
every  day  employed  in  preaching  in  the  several  places  to  which  he 
went :  and  got  many  good  acquaintance,  and  friends,  who  were  after- 
wards very  kind  to  him  and  his  numerous  family.  At  length  a  gentle- 
man who  had  a  very  good  house  at  Preston,  two  or  three  miles  from 
Melcomb,  gave  him  free  liberty  to  live  in  it  without  paying  any  rent. 
Thither  he  removed  his  family  in  the  beginning  of  May,  and  there  he 
continued  as  long  as  he  lived.  He  records  his  coming  to  Preston 
with  great  wonder  and  thankfulness. 

Soon  after  this  he  had  some  debates  in  his  mind  whether  he  ought 
not  to  remove  beyond  sea,  to  Surinam  or  Maryland ;  but  after  much 
consideration  and  advice,  he  determined  to  take  his  lot  in  his  native 
country.  He  had  some  scruples  also  about  attending  public  worship 
in  the  established  church ;  but  by  several  arguments  in  Mr.  Nye's 


MR.  Wesley's  ancestors. 


21 


papers,  he  was  determined  to  do  it.  After  some  time  he  was  called 
by  a  number  of  serious  Christians  at  Pool  to  be  their  pastor;  and  in 
that  relation  he  continued  to  the  day  of  his  death,  administering  all 
ordinances  to  them  as  opportunity  offered.  By  the  Oxford  Act  he 
was  obliged  for  a  while  to  withdraw  from  Preston,  and  leave  his 
family  and  people.  But  he  preached  wherever  he  came,  if  he  could 
but  have  an  audience.  Upon  his  coming  to  the  place  of  his  retire- 
ment in  March,  1666,  he  put  this  question  to  himself,  "  What  dost 
thou  here,  at  such  a  distance  from  church,  wife,  children,  <fcc.  ?" 
And  in  his  answer,  sets  down  the  oath  required  by  government,  and 
tlien  adds  the  reasons  why  he  could  not  take  it,  as  several  ministers 
had  done ;  and  particularly,  that  to  do  it  in  his  own  private  sense, 
would  be  but  juggling  with  God,  with  the  king,  and  with  conscience. 
But  after  all  this  and  a  good  deal  more  against  taking  the  oath,  he 
thankfully  mentions  the  goodness  of  God  in  so  overruling  the  law- 
makers, that  they  did  not  send  the  ministers  farther  from  their  friends 
and  flocks;  and  that  they  had  so  much  time  to  prepare  for  their 
removal,  and  had  liberty  to  pass  on  the  road  to  any  place.  After  he 
had  lain  hid  for  some  time,  he  ventured  home  again,  and  returned  to 
his  labor  among  his  people  and  among  others  occasionally.  But  not- 
withstanding all  his  prudence  in  managing  his  meetings,  he  was  often 
disturbed ;  several  times  apprehended,  and  four  times  imprisoned ; 
once  at  Pool  for  half  a  year,  and  once  at  Dorchester  for  three  months  : 
the  other  confinements  were  shorter.  He  was  in  many  straits  and 
ditficulties,  but  wonderfully  supported  and  comforted,  and  many  times 
very  seasonably  and  surprisingly  delivered.  The  removal  of  many 
eminent  Christians  into  another  world,  who  were  his  intimate 
acquaintance  and  kind  friends ;  the  great  decay  of  serious  religion 
among  many  that  made  a  profession,  and  the  increasing  rage  of  the 
enemies  of  real  godliness,  manifestly  sunk  his  spirits.  "  And  having 
filled  up  his  part  of  what  is  behind  of  the  afflictions  of  Christ  in  his 
"  flesh,  for  his  body's  sake,  which  is  the  church,  and  finished  the 
"  work  given  him  to  do,  he  was  taken  ^  out  of  this  vale  of  tears  to 
that  world  where  the  wicked  cease  from  troubling,  and  the  weary 
are  at  rest,  when  he  had  not  been  much  longer  an  inhabitant  here 
below  than  his  blessed  Master,  whom  he  served  with  his  whole 
heart,  according  to  the  best  light  he  had.  The  vicar  of  Preston 
*•  would  not  suffer  him  to  be  buried  in  the  church."! 

There  are  several  things  in  this  account  of  Mr.  Wesley  which 
deserve  the  reader's  notice.  1.  He  appears  to  have  made  himself 
master  of  the  controverted  points  in  which  he  dififered  from  those  of 
the  established  church,  and  to  have  taken  up  his  opinions  from  a 
conviction  of  their  truth.  2.  He  showed  an  ingenuous  mind,  free 
from  low  cunning,  in  an  open  avowal  of  his  sentiments  to  the  bishop., 

*  I  conjecture  that  he  died  about  the  year  1670. 

t  See  the  Nonconformist's  Memorial,  vol.  i.  p.  478  to  486. 


m 


MR.  Wesley's  ancestors. 


3.  He  appears  to  have  been  remarkably  conscientious  in  all  his  con- 
duct, and  a  zealous  promoter  of  genuine  piety  both  in  himself  and 
others.  4.  He  discovered  great  firmness  of  mind  and  an  unshaken 
attachment  to  his  principles  in  the  midst  of  the  most  unchristian  per- 
secution, and  a  train  of  accumulated  evils  which  he  suffered  on  that 
account.  These  are  prominent  features  in  his  character,  and  which 
we  cannot  but  admire,  however  we  may  differ  from  him  in  opinion ; 
they  show  a  mind  elevated  far  above  the  common  level,  even  of  those 
who  have  had  the  advantages  of  an  academical  education. 


CHAPTER  II. 

Of  his  Grandfather,  Dr.  Annesley. 

Samuel  Annesley,  LL.  D.,  grandfather  of  the  late  Mr.  Wesley  by 
the  mother's  side,  was  born  of  rehgious  parents  at  Killingworth  near 
Warwick,  in  the  year  1620,  and  was  their  only  child.  It  has  been 
said,  that  he  was  first  cousin  to  the  Earl  of  Anglesey.  His  grand- 
mother, an  eminently  pious  woman,  dying  before  his  birth,  desired 
the  child,  if  a  boy,  might  be  called  Samuel :  assigning  as  the  reason 
of  her  request,  "/  can  say  I  have  asked  him  of  the  Lord.''^  In  his 
infancy  he  was  strongly  impressed  with  the  thoughts  of  being  a 
minister,  for  which  indeed  his  parents  intended  him  from  his  birth ; 
and  such  was  the  ardor  of  his  mind  in  pursuing  his  design,  that 
when  about  five  or  six  years  old,  he  began  a  practice,  which  he  after- 
wards continued,  of  reading  twenty  chapters  every  day  in  the  Bible. 
The  continuance  of  this  practice  laid  an  excellent  foundation  of  use- 
ful knowledge,  for  the  future  exercise  of  his  ministry.  He  who 
studies  the  Scriptures  well,  and  believes  them  to  be,  not  merely  a 
sufficient,  but  the  only  safe  rule  of  faith  and  practice,  will  generally 
exhibit  a  more  uniform  character  as  a  minister  of  the  gospel,  than  he 
who  takes  his  religious  opinions  from  the  subtle  reasonings  and  sys- 
tems of  men.  This  observation  was  admirably  illustrated  and 
confirmed  by  the  steady,  uniform  conduct  of  Dr.  Annesley,  through 
some  of  the  most  trying  situations  in  which  his  principles  were  put  t6 
the  test. 

He  lost  his  father  when  four  years  old  ;  but  his  pious  mother  took 
great  care  of  his  education ;  nor  did  he  want  the  means  of  obtaining 
the  best  instruction,  as  the  paternal  estate  was  considerable.  Though 
a  child  when  he  first  formed  his  resolution  concerning  the  ministry, 
yet  he  never  varied  from  his  purpose  :  nor  was  he  discouraged  by  an 
affecting  dream,  in  which  he  thought  that  he  was  a  minister,  and  sent 
for  by  the  Bishop  of  London,  to  be  burnt  as  a  martyr.  At  the  age  of 
fifteen  he  went  to  the  university  of  Oxford,  and  took  his  degrees  in 


MR.  Wesley's  ancestors, 


the  usual  course.  His  piety  and  diligence  at  Oxford,  were  so  much 
out  of  the  common  way  of  the  place,  that  he  attracted  considerable 
notice.  In  1644  he  was  ordained  as  chaplain  in  the  ship  called  the 
Globe,  under  the  Earl  of  Warwick,  then  Lord  High  Admiral  of  Eng- 
land. He  went  to  sea  with  the  fleet,  and  kept  a  diary  of  their 
voyage.  But  having  no  great  liking  to  a  sea-faring  life,  he  soon 
quitted  it,  and  settled  at  Cliff  in  Kent,  where  at  first  he  met  with  a 
storm  more  violent  than  any  he  had  experienced  at  sea.  The  min- 
ister of  this  place  had  been  turned  out  for  his  barefaced  encourage- 
ment of  licentiousness,  as  Dr.  Williams  reports,  by  attending  the 
meetings  of  the  people  for  dancing,  drinking,  and  merriment  on  the 
Lord's  day.  The  people  on  this  account  were  exceedingly  fond  of 
him,  and  greatly  prejudiced  against  his  successor,  Dr.  Annesley,  who 
was  a  man  of  a  very  different  character.  When  he  first  went  among 
them,  they  rose  upon  him  with  spits,  forks,  and  stones,  threatening  to 
destroy  him.  This  was  no  small  trial  to  a  young  man  of  about  twenty- 
five  years  of  age.  But  he  remained  firm  as  a  rock  in  his  Master's 
cause,  and  as  the  people  were  not  hardened  against  the  evidence  of 
gospel  truth,  he  had  some  hopes  of  doing  them  good,  notwithstanding 
their  profaneness  and  violence.  He  therefore  told  them,  that,  "  Let 
them  use  him  as  they  would,  he  was  resolved  to  continue  with  them, 
till  God  had  prepared  them  by  his  ministry  to  entertain  a  better,  who 
should  succeed  him  :  but  solemnly  declared,  that  when  they  became 
so  prepared,  he  would  leave  the  place."  His  labors  were  incessant, 
and  the  success  of  his  preaching  and  engaging  behavior  was  sur- 
prising ;  so  that  in  a  few  years  the  people  were  greatly  reformed,  and 
became  exceedingly  fond  of  him.  Though  he  enjoyed  here  an  income 
of  four  hundred  pounds  per  annum,  yet  he  paid  so  conscientious  a  regard 
to  his  first  declaration,  that  he  thought  himself  bound  to  leave  them ; 
which  he  accordingly  did,  and  the  people,  who  at  his  coming  threat- 
ened to  stone  him,  now  parted  with  him  with  cries  and  tears,  testify- 
ing their  affection  for  him. 

A  very  signal  providence  directed  him  to  a  settlement  in  London  in 
1652,  by  the  unanimous  choice  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  parish  of 
St.  John  the  Apostle.  Soon  after  he  was  made  lecturer  of  St.  Paul's, 
and  in  1658  Cripplegate  was  made  happy  by  his  settlement  there. 

He  was  a  man  of  great  uprightness,  never  regulating  his  religious 
profession  by  his  secular  interests.  He  was  turned  out  of  his  lecture 
because  he  would  not  comply  with  some  things  which  he  deemed 
extravagant  and  wrong  ;  he  thought  conformity  in  him  would  be  a 
sin,  and  he  chose  to  quit  a  full  maintenance  rather  than  injure  his 
conscience.  He  was  acknowledged  by  all  parties  to  be  an  Israelite 
indeed,  and  yet  he  suffered  much  for  Nonconformity  ;  but  such  was 
the  spirit  of  party,  that  an  angel  from  heaven  would  have  been  per- 
secuted and  abused,  if  he  had  been  a  Dissenter.  In  his  sufferings 
God  often  appeared  remarkably  for  him;  one  person  died  while 


24 


MR.  Wesley's  ancestors. 


signing  a  warrant  to  apprehend  him.  He  afterwards  suffered, 
because  he  thought  it  his  duty  to  bear  witness  for  the  old  truth 
against  Antinomianism.  His  integrity  made  him  a  stranger  to  all 
tricks  or  little  artifices  to  serve  his  temporal  interest ;  and  his  char- 
itable and  unsuspecting  temper,  sometimes  gave  those  who  practised 
them,  an  opportunity  to  impose  upon  him. 

In  ministerial  labors  he  was  abundant.  Before  he  was  silenced, 
he  often  preached  three  times  a  day ;  during  the  troubles  almost 
every  day  ;  afterwards  twice  every  Lord's  day.  His  sermons  were 
not  raw  and  uninteresting,  but  instructive  and  affecting  :  and  his 
manner  of  delivery  very  peculiarly  expressed  his  heartiness  in  the 
things  he  spoke. 

His  care  and  labor  extended  to  every  place  where  he  might  be 
useful.  In  some  measure  the  care  of  all  the  churches  was  upon  him. 
When  any  place  wanted  a  minister,  he  used  his  endeavors  to  pro- 
cure one  for  them  ;  when  any  minister  was  oppressed  by  poverty,  he 
soon  employed  himself  for  his  relief  "  O  !  how  many  places,  says  Dr. 
Williams,  had  sat  in  darkness,  how  many  ministers  had  been  starved, 
if  Dr.  Annesley  had  died  thirty  years  since  ! "  He  was  the  chief, 
often  the  sole  instrument  in  the  education  as  well  as  the  subsistence 
of  several  ministers.  The  sick,  the  widows,  the  orphans,  whom  he 
relieved  were  innumerable.  As  a  minister,  his  usefulness  was  exten- 
sive, and  God  kept  him  faithful  in  his  work  to  the  last,  for  which  he 
thus  thanked  God  on  his  death-bed :  "  Blessed  be  God,  I  can  say,  I 
have  been  faithful  in  the  ministry  above  fifty-five  years."  Many 
called  him  father,  as  the  instrument  of  their  conversion ;  and  many 
called  him  a  comforter. 

He  had  uninterrupted  peace,  and  assurance  of  God's  love  and 
favor,  for  above  thirty  years  of  the  latter  part  of  his  life.  This 
assurance  had  not  one  cloud  in  all  his  last  sickness.  A  little  before 
his  departure,  his  desire  of  death  appeared  strong,  and  his  soul  was 
filled  with  the  foretaste  of  glory.  He  often  said,  "  Come  my  dearest 
Jesus,  the  nearer  the  more  precious,  the  more  welcome."  Another 
time  his  joy  was  so  great,  that  in  ecstasy  he  cried  out,  "  I  cannot 
contain  it  :  what  manner  of  love  is  this  to  a  poor  worm  ?  I  cannot 
express  the  thousandth  part  of  what  praise  is  due  to  Thee  !  We 
know  not  what  we  do  when  we  offer  at  praising  God  for  his  mercies. 
It  is  but  little  I  can  give  thee,  but.  Lord  help  me  to  give  thee  my  all. 
I  will  die  praising  thee,  and  rejoice  that  others  can  praise  thee  better. 
I  shall  be  satisfied  with  thy  likeness ;  satisfied !  satisfied !  Oh  !  my 
dearest  Jesus,  I  come !  "  Thus  died  this  excellent  man,  December 
31,  1696,  in  the  77th  year  of  his  age,  and  left  us  an  example  how  to 
live  and  how  to  die. 

Dr.  Annesley  had  naturally  a  strong,  robust  constitution,  which 
enabled  him  to  undergo  great  labor  and  fatigue.  He  was  seldom 
sick,  and  could  endure  the  coldest  weather  without  hat,  gloves,  or 


THE  REV.  SAMUEL  WESLEY  SENIOR. 


25 


fire.  For  many  years  he  scarcely  ever  drank  anything  but  water, 
and  even  to  his  last  sickness,  his  sight  continued  so  strong,  that  he 
could  read  the  smallest  print  without  spectacles.  His  piety,  diligence, 
and  zeal,  made  him  highly  esteemed  by  the  Dissenters.  He  assisted 
at  the  first  public  ordination  they  had,  after  the  act  of  uniformity, 
when  Dr.  Calamy  and  six  others  were  ordained  in  the  Dissenting 
place  of  worship  in  Little  St.  Hellen's,  in  1694.=^ 


CHAPTER  III. 

Of  Samuel  Wesley  Senior. 

Mr.  John  Wesley,  of  whom  I  have  spoken  above,  left  two  sons, 
Matthew  and  Samuel ;  of  the  rest  of  the  children  we  know  nothing. 
As  the  family  had  been  greatly  reduced  by  persecution,  these  two 
brothers  must  have  experienced  some  difficulties  in  their  education. 
Their  mother  was  a  niece  of  Dr.  Thomas  Fuller ;-]-  but  it  does  not 
appear  that  they  received  any  assistance  from  this  branch  of  the 
family.  By  industry  tliey  surmounted  every  difiiculty  that  lay  be- 
fore them,  and  rose  to  very  respectable  and  useful  situations  in  life. 
Matthew  Wesley,  following  the  example  of  his  grandfather,  studied 
physic,  and  afterwards  made  a  fortune  by  his  practice.^  Samuel,  the 
father  of  the  late  Mr.  John  Wesley,  was  born  about  the  year  1662, 
or  perhaps  a  little  earher ;  but  he  could  not,  I  think,  have  been  more 
than  eight  or  nine  years  old  when  his  father  died.  The  first  thing 
that  shook  his  attachment  to  the  Dissenters  Avas,  a  defence  of  the 
death  of  King  Charles  the  First,  and  the  proceedings  of  the  Calve's 
Head  club.^  These  things  shocked  him ;  and  though  it  is  certain 
that  the  Dissenters  in  general  disapproved  of  the  king's  death,  and 
that  the  proceedings  of  a  club  ought  not  to  be  attributed  to  a  large 
body  of  men,  who  had  no  connection,  with  the  members  of  it,  and 

*  See  Nonconformist's  Memorial,  vol.  ii.  p.  238.  For  the  Account  of  Dr.  Annesley,  see 
the  Funeral  Sermon  Dr.  Williams  preached  for  him ;  and  Nonconformist's  Memorial, 
vol.  i.  p.  104. 

f  Nonconformist's  Memorial,  vol.  i.  p.  478.  Dr.  Thomas  Fuller  was  born  in  1608.  At 
twenty-three  years  of  age  his  merit  procured  him  the  fellowship  of  Sidney  College  Cam- 
bridge, and  a  prebend  in  the  Caihedral  of  Salisbury.  During  the  Protectorate,  he  held  the 
living  of  Waltham  Abbey,  and  the  lecture  of  St.  Bride's  Fleet  Street.  After  the  restorar 
lion  he  recovered  his  prebend,  and  was  made  chaplain  extraordinary  to  his  Majesty.  It 
is  said  that  he  had  a  most  uncommon  memory.  He  wrote  the  Church  History  of  Britain 
in  folio ;  A  Pisgah-sight  of  Palestine,  and  several  other  works.  He  died  in  1661,  and  his 
funeral  was  attended  by  200  of  his  brethren  of  the  ministry. 

X  We  shall  afterwards  see  some  verses  on  the  death  of  this  gentleman  by  his  niece, 
Mrs.  Wright. 

§  Notes  of  Samuel  Wesley  to  his  elegy  on  his  father.  For  this,  and  some  other  ori- 
ginal papers,  of  great  use  in  this  work,  I  am  obliged  to  a  private  friend. 

3  4 


26 


THE  REV.  SAMUEL  WESLEY  SENIOR. 


diflered  greatly  in  opinion  from  them ;  yet  they  had  such  an  effect  on 
his  mind,  that  he  separated  himself  from  the  dissenting  interest  while 
yet  a  boy,  as  appears  from  the  following  lines  in  his  son's  elegy  upon 
him : 

"  With  op'ning  life  his  early  worth  began, 
The  boy  misleads  not,  but  foreshows  the  man. 
Directed  wrong,  tho'  first  he  miss'd  the  way, 
Trained  to  mistake,  and  disciplin'd  to  stray  : 
Not  long — for  reason  gilded  error's  night, 
And  doubts  well  founded  shot  a  gleam  of  hght." 

He  spent  some  time  at  a  private  academy  before  he  went  to  the 
university ;  but  where,  it  is  not  said.  About  the  age  of  sixteen  he 
walked  to  Oxford,  and  entered  himself  of  Exeter  College.  He  had 
now  only  two  pounds  sixteen  shillings ;  and  no  prospect  of  future 
supplies,  but  from  his  own  exertions.  By  industry,  I  suppose  by 
assisting  the  younger  students,  and  instructing  any  who  chose  to 
employ  him,  he  supported  himself  till  he  took  his  Bachelor's  degree ; 
without  any  preferment  or  assistance  from  his  friends,  except  five 
shillings.  This  circumstance  does  him  great  honor,  and  shows  him 
to  have  been  a  young  man  of  wonderful  diligence  and  resolution. 
Many  feel  his  difficulties,  but  few  are  capable  of  his  vigorous  and 
continued  exertions  to  overcome  them  in  so  honorable  a  way,  and 
with  such  success.  He  now  came  to  London,  having  increased  his 
little  stock  to  ten  pounds  fifteen  shillings.  He  Avas  ordained  deacon, 
and  obtained  a  curacy,  which  he  held  one  3^ear,  when  he  was  ap- 
pointed chaplain  on  board  the  fleet.  This  situation  he  held  one  year 
only,  and  then  returned  to  London,  and  served  a  cure  for  two  years. 
During  this  time  he  married,  and  his  wife  brought  him  a  son.  In 
this  period  he  wrote  several  pieces,  which  brought  him  into  notice 
and  esteem,  and  a  small  living  was  given  him  in  the  country.  I  am 
not  certain  whether  it  was  during  his  residence  here,  or  while  he  was 
chaplain  on  board  the  fleet,  that  the  following  circumstance  happened, 
but  I  suppose  the  latter.  He  was  strongly  solicited  by  the  friends  of 
King  James  H.  to  support  the  measures  of  the  court  in  favor  of 
popery,  with  promises  of  preferment  if  he  would  comply  with  the 
king's  desire.  But  he  absolutely  refused  to  read  the  king's  declara- 
tion ;  and  though  surrounded  with  courtiers,  soldiers,  and  informers, 
he  preached  a  bold  and  pointed  discourse  against  it,  from  Daniel  iii. 
17,  18.  "If  it  be  so,  our  God  whom  we  serve  is  able  to  deliver  us 
from  the  burning  fiery  furnace,  and  he  will  deliver  us  out  of  thine 
hand,  O  king.  But  if  not,  be  it  known  unto  thee,  O  king,  that  we 
will  not  serve  thy  gods,  nor  worship  the  golden  image  which  thou 
hast  set  up."  His  son  Samuel  describes  this  circumstance  in  the  fol- 
lowing lines 

*  In  the  poem  entitled  the  Parish  Priest,  intended  as  a  description  of  his  father's  char- 
acter. 


THE  REV.  SAMUEL  WESLEY  SENIOR. 


27 


"  When  zealous  James  unhappy  sought  the  way 
T'  establish  Rome  by  arbitrary  sway  j 
In  vain  were  bribes  shower' d  by  the  guilty  crown, 
He  sought  no  favor,  as  he  fear'd  no  frown. 
Secure  in  faith,  exempt  from  worldly  views, 
He  dar'd  the  declaration  to  refuse  ; 
Then  from  the  sacred  pulpit  boldly  show'd 
The  dauntless  Hebrews,  true  to  Israel's  God, 
Who  spake  regardless  of  their  king's  commands, 
'  The  God  we  serve  can  save  us  from  thy  hands  ; 
If  not,  0  monarch,  know  we  choose  to  die, 
Thy  gods  alike,  and  threatenings  we  defy  ; 
No  power  on  earth  our  faith  has  e'er  controll'd, 
We  scorn  to  worship  idols,  tho'  of  gold.' 
Resistless  truth  damp'd  all  the  audience  round, 
The  base  informer  sicken'd  at  the  sound  ; 
Attentive  courtiers  conscious  stood  amaz'd. 
And  soldiers  silent  trembled  as  they  gaz'd. 
No  smallest  murmur  of  distaste  arose, 
Abash'd  and  vanquish'd  seem'd  the  church's  foes. 
So  when  like  zeal  their  bosoms  did  inspire. 
The  Jewish  martyrs  walk'd  unhurt  in  fire." 

In  this  noble  instance  of  integrity  and  firmness  of  mind,  Mr.  Wesley- 
has  given  us  an  unequivocal  proof  that  a  person  of  high  church  prin- 
ciples may  be  a  true  friend  to  the  protestant  cause,  and  the  liberty  of 
the  subject.  It  is  evident  that  he  as  much  disliked  the  arbitrary 
proceedings  of  King  James,  as  the  religion  which  he  endeavored  to 
introduce.  When  the  glorious  Revolution  took  place  in  1688,  Mr. 
Wesley  most  cordially  approved  of  it,  and  was  the  first  who  wrote 
in  defence  of  it.  This  work  he  dedicated  to  Queen  Mary,=^  who  in 
consequence  of  it,  gave  him  the  living  of  Epworth  in  Lincolnshire, 
about  the  year  1693 ;  and  in  1723  he  was  presented  to  the  living  of 
Wroote  in  the  same  county,  in  addition  to  Epworth. 

Mr.  Wesley  held  the  living  of  Epworth  upwards  of  forty  years. 
His  abilities  would  have  done  him  credit  in  a  more  conspicuous  situa- 
tion ;  and  liad  Queen  Mary  lived  much  longer,  it  is  probable  that  he 
would  not  have  spent  so  great  a  part  of  his  life  in  such  an  obscure 
corner  of  the  kingdom.  In  the  beginning  of  the  year  1705,  he  print- 
ed a  poem  on  the  battle  of  Blenheim,  which  happened  the  year  before, 
with  which  the  Duke  of  Marlborough  was  so  well  pleased,  that  he 
made  him  chaplain  to  Colonel  Lepelle's  regiment,  which  was  to  stay 
in  England  some  time.  In  consequence  of  the  same  poem,  a  noble 
lord  sent  for  him  to  London,  promising  to  procure  him  a  prebend. 
But  unhappily  he  was  at  this  time  engaged  in  a  controversy  with  the 
Dissenters :  several  things  had  been  published  on  each  side,  and  the 
controversy  was  carried  on  in  the  usual  way,  in  which  the  disputants 
on  both  sides  are  generally  more  remarkable  for  showing  the  violence 
of  their  passions  than  the  goodness  of  their  cause.    In  the  first  part 


MSS.  papers. 


28 


THE  REV.  SAMUEL  WESLEY  SENIOR. 


of  Queen  Ann's  reign,  the  Dissenters  had  a  very  powerful  influence 
in  both  houses  of  parhament,  and  at  court ;  and  were  now  prepar- 
ing to  present  a  petition  to  the  House  of  Lords,  praying  for  justice 
against  the  authors  of  several  pamphlets  written  in  opposition  to  them, 
and  against  Mr.  Wesley  in  particular  ;  but  were  dissuaded  from  taking 
this  step  by  two  members  of  that  house.  They  had  however  interest 
enough  to  hinder  Mr.  Wesley  from  obtaining  a  prebend ;  they  soon 
also  worked  him  out  of  the  chaplainship  of  the  regiment,  and  brought 
several  other  very  severe  sufferings  upon  him  and  his  family.^ 

As  a  pastor,  he  was  indefatigable  in  the  duties  of  his  office :  a  con- 
stant preacher,  feeding  the  flock  with  the  pure  doctrines  of  the  gos- 
pel, according  to  his  ability;  diligent  in  visiting  the  sick,  and  admin- 
istering such  advice  as  their  situations  required:  and  attentive  to  the 
conduct  of  all  who  were  under  his  care,  so  that  every  one  in  his 
parish  became  an  object  of  his  attention  and  concern.  No  strangers 
could  settle  in  his  parish  but  he  presently  knew  it,  and  made  himself 
acquainted  with  them.  We  have  a  proof  of  this  from  a  letter  he 
wrote  to  the  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  after  being  absent  from  home  a  very 
short  time.  '-After  my  return  to  Epworth,  says  he,  and  looking  a 
little  among  my  people,  I  found  there  were  two  strangers  come  hither, 
both  of  whom  I  have  discovered  to  be  papists,  though  they  come  to 
church ;  and  I  have  hopes  of  making  one  or  both  of  them  good  mem- 
bers of  the  church  of  England." 

But  this  conscientious  regard  to  parochial  duties,  did  not  divert  him 
from  literary  pursuits.  A  man  who  spends  all  his  time  in  the  most 
useful  manner  he  can,  may  diversify  his  employments,  and  accom- 
plish by  diligence  what  appears  to  others  impracticable.  His  favorite 
study  seems  to  have  been  the  original  Scriptures,  in  which  he  was 
indefatigable :  a  practice  which  can  never  be  too  much  commended 
in  a  minister  of  the  gospel,  when  joined  with  a  proper  attention  to 
practical  duties. 

The  following  extracts  from  two  of  his  letters  to  his  son,  the  late 
Mr.  John  Wesley,  will  give  some  idea  of  his  diligence  in  this  respect; 
and  the  second  of  them  will  show  us  his  opinion  of  a  subject  on 
which  learned  men  have  been  much  divided. 

"Jan.  26,  172.5. 

"  I  have  some  time  since  designed  an  edition  of  the  holy  Bible  in 
octavo,  in  the  Hebrew,  Chaldee,  Septuagint,  and  the  Vulgate;  and 
have  made  some  progress  in  it.  What  I  desire  of  you  on  this  article 
is,  1.  That  you  Vv^ould  immediately  fall  to  work,  and  read  dihgently 
the  Hebrew  text  in  the  Polyglott,  and  collate  it  exactly  with  the  Vul- 
gate, writing  all,  even  the  least  variations  or  diflerences  between 
them.  2.  To  these  I  would  have  you  add  the  Samaritan  text  in  the 
last  column  but  one ;  which  is  the  very  same  with  the  Hebrew, 


♦  Mr.  C.  Wesley's  papers. 


THE  REV.  SAMUEL  WESLEY  SENIOR. 


29 


except  in  some  very  few  places,  differing  only  in  the  Samaritan  char- 
acter, which  I  think  is  the  true  old  Hebrew.  In  twelve  months'  time, 
you  will  get  through  the  Pentateuch ;  for  I  have  done  it  four  times 
the  last  year,  and  am  going  over  it  the  fifth,  and  collating  the  two 
Greek  versions,  the  Alexandrian  and  the  Vatican,  with  what  I  can 
get  of  Symachus  and  Theodotion,"  &c. 

Mr.  John  Wesley  was  in  the  twenty-second  year  of  his  age,  not 
yet  ordained,  nor  had  he  attained  any  preferment  in  the  university, 
when  he  received  this  letter  from  his  father.  It  gives  a  pleasing  view 
of  his  progress  in  biblical  learning  at  this  early  period  of  life,  and 
shows  his  father's  confidence  in  his  critical  knowledge  of  the  Hebrew 
Scriptures.  The  following  letter  was  written  in  1731,  and  very  clearly 
states  the  old  gentleman's  opinion  of  the  translation  of  the  Seventy, 
after  a  most  laborious  examination  of  it. 

*'I  find  in  your  letter  an  account  of  a  learned  friend  you  have,  who 
has  a  great  veneration  for  the  Septuagint,  and  thinks  that  in  some 
instances  it  corrects  the  present  Hebrew.  I  do  not  wonder  that  he  is 
of  that  mind;  as  it  is  likely  he  has  read  Vossius  and  other  learned 
men,  who  magnify  this  translation  so  as  to  depreciate  the  original. 
When  I  first  began  to  study  the  Scriptures  in  earnest,  and  had  read 
it  over  several  times,  I  was  inclined  to  the  same  opinion.  What  then 
increased  my  respect  for  it  was,  1.  That  I  thought  I  found  many 
texts  in  the  Scriptures  more  happily  explained  than  in  our  own  or  other 
versions.  2.  That  many  words  and  phrases  in  the  New  Testament, 
can  hardly  be  so  well  understood  without  having  recourse  to  this 
translation.  3.  That  both  our  Saviour  and  his  apostles  so  frequently 
quote  it.  These  considerations  held  me  in  a  blind  admiration  of  the 
Septuagint ;  and  though  I  did  not  esteem  them  absolutely  infallible, 
yet  I  hardly  dared  to  trust  my  own  eyes,  or  think  they  were  fre- 
quently mistaken.  But  upon  reading  this  translation  over  very  often, 
and  comparing  it  verbatim  with  the  Hebrew,  I  was  forced  by  plain 
evidence  of  fact  to  be  of  another  mind.  That  which  led  me  to  it 
was,  some  mistakes  (I  think  not  less  than  a  thousand)  in  places  indif- 
ferent, either  occasioned  by  the  ambiguous  sense  of  some  Hebrew 
words,  or  by  the  mistake  of  some  letters,  as  daleth  for  resh^  and  vice 
versa;  which  every  one  knows  are  very  much  alike  in  the  old  He- 
brew character.  But  what  fully  determined  my  judgment  was,  that 
I  found,  or  thought  I  found,  very  many  places  which  appeared  pur- 
posely altered  for  no  very  justifiable  reason.  These  at  last  came  so 
thick  upon  me,  in  my  daily  reading,  that  I  began  to  note  them  down ; 
not  a  few  instances  of  which  you  will  see  in  the  dissertation  I  shall 
send  you  in  my  next  packet.  I  would  have  you  communicate  it  to 
your  learned  friend,  with  my  compliments,  earnestly  desiring  him,  as 
well  as  you,  to  peruse  it  with  the  greatest  prejudice  you  can ;  and 
after  you  have  thoroughly  weighed  the  whole,  as  I  think  the  subject 
3* 


30 


THE  REV.  SAMUEL  WESLEY  SENIOR. 


deserves,  to  make  the  strongest  objections  you  are  able  against  any 
article  of  it,  where  you  are  not  convinced  by  my  observations.  For 
I  should  not  deserve  a  friend  if  I  did  not  esteem  those  my  best  friends 
who  do  their  endeavors  to  set  me  right,  where  I  may  possibly  be  mis- 
taken, especially  in  a  matter  of  great  moment." 

These  two  extracts  give  an  interesting  view  of  this  gentleman's 
learning,  diligent  study  of  the  Scriptures,  and  candor,  in  each  of 
which  he  holds  forth  to  us  an  example  highly  deserving  of  imitation. 

Mr.  Wesley  was  a  voluminous  writer,  which  in  most  cases  is  a 
disadvantage  to  an  author,  whatever  his  abilities  may  be.  His  Latin 
commentary  on  the  book  of  Job  is  a  most  elaborate  performance  ;  but 
the  subject  of  this  book,  and  the  language  in  which  the  commentary 
is  written,  are  but  ill  adapted  to  the  generality  of  modern  readers. 
As  a  poet  he  has  been  censured  by  Garth  and  others;  though  when 
he  failed,  it  was  perhaps  as  much  owing  to  the  difficulty  of  the  sub- 
ject, as  to  want  of  poetical  abilities.  In  an  early  edition  of  the  Dun- 
ciad,  he  and  Dr.  Watts  were  associated  together,  and  involved  in  the 
same  censure.  But  it  is  well  known  that  the  earlier  editions  of  this 
poem  were  all  surreptitious,  in  which  the  blanks  were  filled  up  by  the 
mere  caprice  or  envy  of  the  editors,  without  any  regard  to  the  inten- 
tion of  the  author.  Thus,  in  a  surreptitious  edition  printed  in  Ireland, 
the  blank  in  the  104th  verse  of  the  first  book  was  filled  up  with  Dry- 
den  instead  of  Dennis,  which,  no  doubt,  was  far  enough  from  the 
intention  of  Mr.  Pope.  With  the  same  propriety  and  good  judgment, 
in  the  surreptitious  editions,  the  names  Wesley  and  Watts  were 

inserted  thus,  W  ly,  W  s,  in  the  126th  line  of  the  same  book, 

but  they  never  appeared  in  any  edition  publislied  by  Mr.  Pope.  The 
lines  originally  stood  thus  : 

"  A  Gothic  Vatican !  of  Greece  and  Rome, 
Well  purg'd,  and  worthy  Withers,  Quarles,  and  Blome." 

In  a  London  edition  of  the  Dunciad,  printed  in  1729,  there  is  the 
following  note  on  the  last  of  these  lines,  "  It  was  printed  in  the  sur- 
reptitious editions  W  ly,  W  s.  who  were  persons  eminent  for 

good  life;  the  one  writ  the  life  of  Christ  in  verse,  the  other  some 
valuable  pieces  of  the  lyric  kind  on  pious  subjects.  The  line  is  here 
restored  according  to  its  original." 

Of  Mr.  Wesley's  larger  poetical  performances,  his  son  Samuel 
passes  the  following  candid  but  impartial  judgment,  in  the  elegy 
above  mentioned. 

"  Whate'er  his  strains,  still  glorious  was  his  end. 
Faith  to  assert  and  virtue  to  defend. 
He  sung  hoAv  God  the  Saviour  deign'd  t'  expire, 
With  Vida's  piety  though  not  his  fire  ; 
Deduc'd  his  Maker's  praise  from  age  to  age, 
Through  the  long  annals  of  the  sacred  page." 


THE  REV.   SAMUEL  WESLEY  SENIOR. 


31 


Most  of  his  smaller  pieces  are  excellent.  I  shall  insert  the  follow- 
ing, both  for  its  intrinsic  beauty,  and  as  a  specimen  of  his  poetical 
talents. 

EUPOLIS'S  HYMN  TO  THE  CREATOR. 

THE  OCCASION. 

Part  of  a  (riew)  dialogue  between  Plato  and  Eupolis*  the  Poet — the  nst  not  extant. 

Eupolis.  But  is  it  not  a  little  hard,  that  you  should  banish  all  our 
fraternity  from  your  new  commonwealth?  What  hurt  has  father 
Homer  done  that  you  dismiss  him  among  the  rest? 

Plato.  Certainly  the  blind  old  gentleman  lies  with  the  best  grace 
in  the  world.  But  a  lie  handsomely  told,  debauches  the  taste  and 
morals  of  a  people.  Besides,  his  tales  of  the  gods  are  intolerable, 
and  derogate  in  the  highest  degree  from  the  dignity  of  the  Divine 
Nature. 

Eupolis.  But  do  you  really  think  that  those  faults  are  insepa- 
rable from  poetry?  May  not  the  One  Supreme  be  sung,  without  any 
intermixture  of  them? 

Plato.  I  must  own  I  hardly  ever  saw  any  thing  of  that  nature. 
But  I  shall  be  glad  to  see  you,  or  any  other,  attempt  and  succeed  in 
it.  On  that  condition,  I  will  gladly  exempt  you  from  the  fate  of  your 
brother  poets. 

Eupolis.  I  am  far  from  pretending  to  be  a  standard.  But  I  will 
do  the  best  I  can.  \ 

THE  HYMN. 

Author  of  Being,  source  of  light, 
With  unfading  beauties  bright, 
Fulness,  goodness,  rolling  round 
Thy  own  fair  orb  without  a  bound : 
Whether  thee  thy  suppliants  call 
Truth  or  good,  or  one  or  all, 
Ei,  or  Jaa ;  thee  we  hail 
Essence  that  can  never  fail, 
Grecian  or  Barbaric  name. 
Thy  steadfast  being  still  the  same. 

Thee  when  morning  greets  the  skies 
With  rosy  cheeks  and  humid  eyes  j 
Thee  when  sweet  declining  day 
Sinks  in  purple  waves  away  ; 
Thee  m^U  I  sing,  0  parent  Jove, 
And  teach  the  world  to  praise  and  love. 

*  Eupolis  was  an  Athenian.  He  is  mentioned  several  times  by  Horace,  and  once  by 
Persius  ;  and  was  in  high  estimation  at  Athens  for  his  poetical  compositions,  though  he 
severely  lashed  the  vices  of  the  age  he  lived  in.  He  was  killed  in  an  engagement  at  sea 
between  the  Athenians  and  Lacedemonians,  and  his  death  was  so  much  lamented  at  Ath- 
ens, that  they  made  a  law,  that  no  poet  should  go  to  battle.  He  lived  about  four  hun- 
dred years  before  Christ. 


32 


THE  REV.  SAMUEL  WESLEY  SEINOR. 


Yonder  azure  vault  on  high, 
Yonder  blue,  low,  liquid  sky, 
Earth,  on  its  firm  basis  plac'd. 
And  with  circling  waves  embrac'd, 
All  creating  pow'r  confess. 
All  their  mighty  Maker  bless. 
Thou  shak'st  all  nature  with  thy  nod, 
Sea,  earth  and  air  confess  the  God  : 
Yet  does  thy  pow'rful  hand  sustain 
Both  earth  and  heav'n,  both  firm  and  main. 
Scarce  can  our  daring  thought  arise 
To  thy  pavilion  in  the  skies ; 
Nor  can  Plato's  self  declare 
The  bliss,  the  joy,  the  rapture  there. 
Barren  above  thou  dost  not  reign, 
But  circled  with  a  glorious  train  : 
The  sons  of  God,  the  sons  of  light 
Ever  joying  in  thy  sight ; 
(For  thee  their  silver  harps  are  strung) 
Ever  beauteous,  ever  young. 
Angelic  forms  their  voices  raise 
And  through  heav'n' s  arch  resound  thy  praise. 

The  feather'd  souls  that  swim  the  air, 
And  bathe  in  liquid  ether  there. 
The  lark,  precentor  of  the  choir. 
Leading  them  higher  still  and  higher, 
Listen  and  learn  ;  th'  angelic  notes 
Repeating  in  their  warbling  throats  : 
And  ere  to  soft  repose  they  go 
Teach  them  to  their  lords  below : 
On  the  gi-een  turf  their  mossy  nest, 
The  ev'ning  anthem  swells  their  breast. 
Thus  like  thy  golden  chain  from  high 
Thy  praise  unites  the  earth  and  sky. 

Source  of  light,  thou  bid'st  the  sun 
On  his  burning  axles  run  ; 
The  stars  like  dust  around  him  fly 
And  strew  the  area  of  the  sky. 
He  drives  so  swift  his  race  above 
Mortals  can't  perceive  him  move. 
So  smooth  his  course,  oblique  or  straight, 
Olympus  shakes  not  with  his  weight. 
As  the  queen  of  solemn  night 
Fills  at  his  vase  her  orbs  of  light, 
Imparted  lustre  ;  thus  we  see 
The  solar  virtue  shines  by  thee. 

Eiresione,*  we  '11  no  more 
Imaginary  pow'r  adore  ; 
Since  oil,  and  wool,  and  cheeiful  wine, 
And  life-sustaining  bread  are  thine. 


*  This  word  signifies  a  kind  of  garland  composed  of  a  branch  of  olive,  wrapt  about 
with  wool,  and  loaded  with  all  kinds  of  fruits  of  the  earth,  as  a  token  of  peace  and  plenty. 
The  poet  says  he  will  no  more  worship  the  imaginary  power,  supposed  to  be  the  giver  of 
these  things ;  but  the  great  Paw,  the  creator  from  whom  they  all  proceed. 


THE  REV.  SAMUEL  WESLEY  SENIOR. 


Thy  herbage,  0  great  Pan,  sustains 
The  flocks  that  graze  our  Attic  plains  ; 
The  olive  with  fresh  verdure  crown'd, 
Rises  pregnant  from  the  ground ; 
At  thy  command  it  shoots  and  springs, 
And  a  thousand  bleasings  brings. 
Minerva  only  is  thy  mind, 
Wisdom  and  bounty  to  mankind. 
The  fragrant  thyme,  the  bloomy  rose, 
Herb  and  flow'r,  and  shrub  that  grows 
On  Thessalian  Tempe's  plain 
Or  where  the  rich  Sabeans  reign, 
That  treat  the  taste  or  smell  or  sight, 
For  food  or  med'cine,  or  delight ; 
Planted  by  thy  parent  care, 
Spring  and  smile  and  flourish  there. 

0  ye  nurses  of  soft  dreams. 
Reedy  brooks  and  winding  streams, 
Or  murmuring  o'er  the  pebbles  sheen 
Or  sliding  through  the  meadows  green. 
Or  where  through  matted  sedge  you  creep, 
Trav'lling  to  your  parent  deep  : 
Sound  his  praise  by  whom  you  rose. 
That  sea  which  neither  ebbs  nor  flows. 

O  ye  immortal  woods  and  groves, 
Which  th'  enamor'd  student  loves  j 
Beneath  whose  venerable  shade, 
For  thought  and  friendly  converse  made, 
Fam'd  Hecadem,  old  hero  lies, 
Whose  shrine  is  shaded  from  the  skies, 
And  through  the  gloom  of  silent  night 
Projects  from  far  its  trembling  light ; 
You,  whose  roots  descend  as  low. 
As  high  in  air  your  branches  grow  ; 
Your  leafy  arms  to  heav'n  extend. 
Bend  your  heads,  in  homage  bend  : 
Cedars  and  pines  that  wave  above, 
And  the  oak  belov'd  of  Jove. 

Omen,  monster,  prodigy. 
Or  nothing  are,  or  Jove  from  thee ! 
Whether  varied  nature  play. 
Or  re-invers'd  thy  will  obey. 
And  to  rebel  man  declare 
Famine,  plague,  or  wasteful  war. 
Laugh  ye  profane,  who  dare  despise 
The  threat'ning  vengeance  of  the  skies, 
Whilst  the  pious  on  his  guard, 
Undismay'd  is  still  prepar'd : 
Life  or  death  his  mind 's  at  rest, 
Since  what  thou  send'st  must  needs  be  best. 

No  evil  can  from  thee  proceed  ! 
'T  is  only  sufler'd,  not  decreed. 
Darkness  is  not  from  the  sun. 
Nor  mount  the  shades  till  he  is  gone  : 


34 


THE  REV.  SAMUEL  WESLEY  SENIOR. 


Then  does  night  obscene  arise 
From  Erebus,  and  fill  the  skies, 
Fantastic  forms  the  air  invade. 
Daughters  of  nothing  and  of  shade. 

Can  we  forget  thy  guardian  care. 
Slow  to  punish,  prone  to  spare  ; 
Thou  brak'st  the  haughty  Persian's  pride. 
That  dar'd  old  ocean's  pow'r  deride  ; 
Their  shipwrecks  strew'd  the  Eubean  wave, 
At  Marathon  they  found  a  grave. 
0  ye  blest  Greeks  who  there  expir'd, 
For  Greece  with  pious  ardor  fir'd, 
"What  shrines  or  altars  shall  we  raise 
To  secure  your  endless  praise  ? 
Or  need  we  monuments  supply. 
To  rescue  what  can  never  die ! 

And  yet  a  greater  hero  far 
(Unless  great  Socrates  could  err) 
Shall  rise  to  bless  some  future  day, 
And  teach  to  live,  and  teach  to  pray. 
Come,  unknown  instructor,  come ! 
Our  leaping  hearts  shall  make  thee  room ; 
Thou  with  Jove  our  vows  shalt  share, 
Of  Jove  and  thee  we  are  the  care, 

0  Father,  King,  whose  heav'nly  face 
Shines  serene  on  all  thy  race, 
^  We  thy  magnificence  adore, 

And  thy  well-kno\\Ti  aid  implore ; 
Nor  vainly  for  thy  help  we  call ; 
Nor  can  we  want — for  thou  art  all. 

Every  good  judge,  I  apprehend,  will  readily  allow  that  the  author 
of  these  verses  did  not  want  talents  for  poetry.  But  wherever  we  fix 
his  standing  in  the  scale  of  learning  and  abilities,  he  still  rises  higher 
in  our  view  of  genuine  piety,  and  a  firm  attachment  to  justice,  mercy 
and  truth,  in  various  trying  situations  of  life.  His  integrity  was  con- 
spicuous, and  his  conduct  uniform.  As  he  had  chosen  God  and  his 
service  for  his  own  portion,  he  chose  the  same  for  his  children  also. 
When  two  of  his  sons  were  pursuing  a  course  of  piety  at  Oxford, 
which  threw  their  future  prospects  of  preferment  into  a  cloud  not 
likely  to  be  dissipated,  he  encouraged  them  in  it,  choosing  rather  that 
he  and  his  children  should  suffer  affliction  with  the  people  of  God. 
than  enjoy  the  pleasures  of  sin  for  a  season.  Few  men  have  been  so 
diligent  in  the  pastoral  office  as  he  was ;  none  perhaps  more  so. 
Though  his  income  may  be  called  small,  and  his  family  large,  he  had 
always  something  to  give  to  those  in  distress.  In  conversation  he 
was  grave,  yet  instructive,  lively,  and  full  of  anecdote;  and  this 
talent  the  late  Mr.  Wesley  possessed  in  a  high  degree.  His  last 
moments  were  as  conspicuous  for  resignation  and  christian  fortitude, 
as  his  life  had  been  for  zeal  and  diligence.    His  two  sons,  Mr.  John 


THE  REV.  SAMUEL  WESLEY  SENIOR. 


and  Charles  Wesley,  were  both  with  him  when  he  died,  and  Mr. 
Charles  has  given  the  following  interesting  account  of  his  death,  in  a 
letter  to  his  brother  Samuel,  dated  April  30,  1735. 

Dear  Brother, 

After  all  your  desire  of  seeing  my  father  alive,  you  are  at  last 
assured  you  must  see  his  face  no  more  till  he  is  raised  in  incorruption. 
You  have  reason  to  envy  us  who  could  attend  him  in  the  last  stage 
of  his  illness.  The  few  words  he  could  utter  I  saved,  and  hope  never 
to  forget.  Some  of  them  were,  "  Nothing  is  too  much  to  suffer  for 
Heaven.  The  weaker  I  am  in  body,  the  stronger  and  more  sensible 
support  I  feel  from  God.  There  is  but  a  step  between  me  and  death ; 
to-morrow  I  would  see  you  all  with  me  round  this  table,  that  we  may 
once  more  drink  of  the  cup  of  blessing,  before  we  drink  it  new  in  the 
kingdom  of  God.  With  desire  have  I  desired  to  eat  this  passover 
with  you  before  I  die."  The  morning  he  was  to  communicate,  he 
was  so  exceeding  weak  and  full  of  pain,  that  he  could  not  without 
the  utmost  difficulty  receive  the  elements,  often  repeating,  "  Thou 
shakest  me,  thou  shakest  me  ;"  but  immediately  after  receiving,  there 
followed  the  most  visible  alteration.  He  appeared  full  of  faith  and 
peace,  which  extended  even  to  his  body  ;  for  he  was  so  much  better, 
that  we  almost  hoped  he  would  have  recovered.  The  fear  of  death 
he  entirely  conquered,  and  at  last  gave  up  his  latest  human  desires  of 
finishing  Job,  paying  his  debts,  and  seeing  you.  He  often  laid  his 
hand  upon  my  head,  and  said,  "  Be  steady  !  The  christian  faith  will 
surely  revive  in  this  kingdom  ;  you  shall  see  it,  though  I  shall  not." 
To  my  sister  Emily  he  said,  "  Do  not  be  concerned  at  my  death, 
God  will  then  begin  to  manifest  himself  to  my  family."  When  we 
were  met  about  him,  his  usual  expression  was,  "  Now  let  me  hear 
you  talk  of  heaven."  On  my  asking  him  whether  he  did  not  find 
himself  worse,  he  replied,  "  O  my  Charles,  I  feel  a  great  deal ;  God 
chastens  me  with  strong  pain,  but  I  praise  him  for  it,  I  thank  him  for 
it,  I  love  him  for  it."  On  the  25th  his  voice  failed  him,  and  nature 
seemed  entirely  spent,  when,  on  my  brother's  asking,  whether  he  was 
not  near  heaven,  he  answered  distinctly,  and  with  the  most  of  hope  and 
triumph  that  could  be  expressed  in  sounds,  "  Yes,  I  am."  He  spoke 
once  more,  just  after  my  brother  had  used  the  commendatory  prayer ; 
his  last  words  were,  "Now  you  have  done  all !  "  This  was  about 
half  an  hour  after  six,  from  which  time  till  sunset,  he  made  signs  of 
offering  up  himself,  till  my  brother  again  having  used  the  commen- 
datory prayer,  the  very  moment  it  was  finished  he  expired.  His  pas- 
sage was  so  smooth  and  insensible,  that  notwithstanding  the  stopping 
of  his  pulse,  and  ceasing  of  all  sign  of  life  and  motion,  we  continued 
over  him  a  considerable  time,  in  doubt  whether  the  soul  was  departed 
or  no.  My  mother,  who  for  several  days  before  he  died,  hardly  ever 
went  into  his  chamber  but  she  was  carried  out  again  in  a  fit,  was 


36 


MRS.  SUSANNAH  WESLEY. 


far  less  shocked  at  the  news  than  we  expected,  and  told  us  that  now 
she  was  heard,  in  his  having  so  easy  a  death,  and  her  being 
strengthened  so  to  bear  it." 

In  going  through  this  work,  let  the  reader  consider  himself  as 
travelling  slowly  on  a  pleasant  road  where  a  variety  of  objects,  highly 
worthy  of  his  attention  and  regard,  present  themselves  to  his  view. 
In  passing  along  this  little  distance,  we  have  as  it  were  stood  by,  and 
seen  two  ministers  of  the  gospel  die  ;  the  one  a  Nonconformist,  and 
the  other  an  High  Churchman.  As  we  see  them  approach  the  en- 
trance on  eternity,  the  scene  becomes  interesting,  and  will  suggest  to 
the  reader  many  important  reflections.  Dropping  their  singularities 
of  opinion,  and  all  party  distinctions,  we  now  view  them  coalescing, 
and  becoming  one  in  Christ  Jesus.  Animated  with  the  same  spirit  of 
devotion,  they  look  up  to  God  as  their  common  Father  through  the 
same  Mediator  and  Saviour ;  they  praise  him  for  the  same  mercies, 
and  looking  forward  to  his  khigdom  and  glory  with  the  same  humble 
confidence,  both  triumph  over  death  as  he  draws  nigh  to  them :  they 
giv.e  satisfactory  evidence,  that  they  were  united  to  Christ,  belonged 
to  the  same  family,  and  were  heirs  of  the  same  heavenly  inheritance, 
notwithstanding  the  external  differences  in  their  mode  of  worship. 
These  considerations  should  teach  us  to  be  careful,  not  to  over-value 
the  external  differences  among  Christians,  nor  to  exalt  the  discrim- 
inating distinctions  of  parties  into  the  rank  of  fundamental  articles  of 
Christianity.  As  long  as  we  lay  the  same  foundation,  and  endeavor 
to  build  upon  it  gold,  silver,  and  precious  stones,  we  ought  to  have 
fellowship  with  each  other  as  brethren,  notwithstanding  the  different 
manner  in  which  we  manage  the  materials,  and  give  a  varied  appear- 
ance to  the  building. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Of  Mrs.  Susannah  Wesley. 

Mrs.  Susannah  Wesley,  the  mother  of  the  late  Mr.  John  Wesley, 
was  the  youngest  daughter  of  Dr.  Samuel  Annesley,  and  a  few  years 
younger  than  her  husband.  Being  educated  in  a  very  religious 
family,  she  early  imbibed  a  reverence  for  religion ;  but  having  strong 
understanding,  and  a  great  thirst  for  knowledge,  she  soon  found  her- 
self dissatisfied  with  believing  on  the  aiithority  of  her  teachers,  and 
was  determined,  as  far  as  possible,  to  see  what  evidence  there  was  for 
the  truth  of  those  things  she  was  required  to  believe.  Before  she  was 
thirteen  years  old,  she  had  examined  the  whole  controversy  between 
the  Dissenters  and  the  established  church,  and  from  that  time  became 
a  member  of  the  church  of  England.    And  though  different  men  may, 


MRS.  SUSANNAH  WESLEY. 


37 


and  will,  judge  variously  of  the  choice  she  made,  yet  all  must  ac- 
knowledge that  this  effort  to  judge  for  herself  at  so  early  an  age,  and 
in  so  complicated  a  subject,  was  singularly  great,  and  showed  uncom- 
mon resolution  and  strength  of  mind.  She  afterwards  examined  the 
evidences  of  natural  and  revealed  religion  with  scrupulous  attention, 
and  under  every  article  set  down  the  reasons  which  determined  her 
to  believe  it.  Of  these  things  she  speaks  thus,  in  a  letter  to  her  son, 
Samuel  Wesley,  dated  October  Uth,  1709. 

"  There  is  nothing  1  now  desire  to  live  for,  but  to  do  some  small 
service  to  my  children  ;  that,  as  1  have  brought  them  into  the  world, 
1  may,  if  it  please  God,  be  an  instrument  of  doing  good  to  their  souls. 
I  had  been  several  years  collecting  from  my  little  reading,  but  chiefly 
from  my  own  observation  and  experience,  some  things  which  I  hoped 
might  be  useful  to  you  all.  I  had  begun  to  correct  and  form  all  into 
a  little  manual :  wherein  I  designed  you  should  have  seen  what  were 
the  particular  reasons  which  prevailed  on  me  to  believe  the  Being  of 
a  God,  and  the  grounds  of  natural  religion,  together  with  the  motives 
that  induced  me  to  embrace  the  faith  of  Jesus  Christ ;  under  which 
Avas  comprehended  my  own  private  reasons  for  the  truth  of  revealed 
religion.  And  because  I  was  educated  among  the  Dissenters,  and 
there  was  something  remarkable  in  my  leaving  them  at  so  early  an 
.  age,  not  being  full  thirteen,  I  had  drawn  up  an  account  of  the  whole 
transaction,  under  which  I  had  included  the  main  of  the  controversy 
between  them  and  the  established  church,  as  far  as  it  had  come  to  my 
knowledge  ;  and  then  followed  the  reasons  which  had  determined  my 
judgment  to  the  preference  of  the  church  of  England.  1  had  fairly 
transcribed  a  great  part  of  it,  when,  you  writing  to  me  for  some  direc- 
tions about  receiving  the  sacrament,  I  began  a  short  discourse  on  that 
subject,  intending  to  send  them  all  together  ;  but  before  I  could  finish 
my  design,  the  flames  consumed  both  this  and  all  my  other  writings.^ 
I  would  have  you,  at  your  leisure,  begin  to  do  something  like  this  for 
yourself,  and  write  down  what  are  the  principles  on  which  you  build 
your  faith  ;  and  though  I  cannot  possibly  recover  all  I  formerly  wrote, 
yet  I  will  gladly  assist  you  what  I  can,  in  explaining  any  difliculty 
that  may  occur." 

In  one  of  her  private  meditations  she  reckons  the  following  among 
the  signal  mercies  which  God  had  bestowed  upon  her.  "  Born  in  a 
christian  country :  early  initiated  and  instructed  in  the  first  principles 
of  the  christian  religion  :  good  examples  in  parents  and  several  of  the 
family :  good  books  and  ingenious  conversation :  preserved  from  ill 
accidents,  once  from  violent  death  :  married  to  a  religious  orthodox 
man :  by  him  first  drawn  off"  from  the  Socinian  heresy,  and  after- 
wards confirmed  and  strengthened  by  Bishop  Bull."t 

About  the  year  1700,  she  made  a  resolution  to  spend  one  hour 

t  "When  (heir  bouse  was  burnt  down  in  February,  1709. 

f  In  the  manuscript  it  stands  thus,  B.  B.,  which  I  believe  is  intended  fbr  Bishop  Bull. 

4 


38 


MRS.  SUSANNAH  WESLEY. 


morning  and  evefting  in  private  devotion,  in  prayer  and  meditation  ; 
and  she  religiously  kept  it  ever  after,  unless  sickness  hindered,  or 
some  absolutely  necessary  business  of  her  family  obliged  her  to  shorten 
the  time.  If  opportunity  offered,  she  spent  some  time  at  noon  in  this 
religious  and  profitable  employment.  She  generally  wrote  down  her 
thoughts  on  different  subjects  at  these  times  ;  and  great  numbers  of 
her  meditations  have  been  preserved  in  her  own  hand-writing.  I  shall 
select  a  few,  and  make  some  extracts  from  others ;  because  they  show 
us  this  excellent  woman  in  her  most  private  retirement,  conversing 
without  disguise  with  him  who  knows  the  heart. 

Noon.  "  To  know  God  only  as  a  philosopher ;  to  have  the  most 
sublime  and  curious  speculations  concerning  his  essence,  attributes 
and  providence  ;  to  be  able  to  demonstrate  his  Being  from  all  or  any 
of  the  works  of  nature,  and  to  discourse  with  the  greatest  propriety 
and  eloquence  of  his  existence  and  operations ;  will  avail  us  nothing, 
unless  at  the  same  time  we  know  him  experimentally ;  unless  the 
heart  know  him  to  be  its  supreme  good,  its  only  happiness ;  unless 
a  man  feel  and  acknowledge  that  he  can  find  no  repose,  no  peace,  no 
joy,  but  in  loving  and  being  beloved  by  him,  and  does  accordingly 
rest  in  him  as  the  centre  of  his  being,  the  fountain  of  his  pleasures, 
the  origin  of  all  virtue  and  goodness,  his  light,  his  life,  his  strength, 
his  all  :  in  a  word,  his  Lord,  his  God.  Thus  let  me  ever  know  thee, 
O  God!" 

Evening.  The  mind  of  man  is  naturally  so  corrupt,  and  all 
the  powers  thereof  so  weakened,  that  we  cannot  possibly  aspire 
vigorously  towards  God,  or  have  any  clear  perception  of  spiritual 
things,  without  his  assistance.  Nothing  less  than  the  same  Almighty 
power  that  raised  Jesus  Christ  from  the  dead,  can  raise  our  souls 
from  the  death  of  sin  to  a  life  of  holiness. — To  know  God  experimen- 
tally is  altogether  supernatural,  and  what  we  can  never  attain  to.  but 
by  the  merits  and  intercession  of  Jesus  Christ.  By  virtue  of  Avhathe 
has  done  and  suffered,  and  is  now  doing  in  heaven  for  us,  we  obtain 
the  Holy  Spirit,  who  is  the  best  instructor,  the  most  powerful  teacher 
we  can  possibly  have ;  without  whose  agency,  all  other  means  of 
grace  would  be  ineffectual.  How  evidently  does  the  Holy  Spirit  con- 
cur with  the  means  of  grace?  and  how  certainly  does  he  assist  and 
strengthen  the  soul,  if  it  be  but  sincere  and  hearty  in  its  endeavors 
to  avoid  any  evil,  or  perform  any  good.  To  have  a  good  desire,  a 
fervent  aspiration  towards  God  shall  not  pass  unregarded.  I  have 
found  by  long  experience,  that  it  is  of  great  use  to  accustom  one's  self 
to  enter  into  solemn  engagements  with  God  against  any  particular 
sin ;  but  then  I  would  have  them  never  made  for  a  longer  time  than 
from  morning  till  night,  and  from  night  till  morning,  that  so  the  im- 
pression they  make  on  the  mind  may  be  always  fresh  and  lively. 

This  was  many  years  tried  with  good  success  in  the  case  of  . 

Glory  be  to  thee,  O  Lord." 


MRS.  SUSANNAH  WESLEY. 


Evening.  "  Give  God  the  praise  for  any  well  spent  day.  But  I 
am  yet  unsatisfied,  because  I  do  not  enjoy  enough  of  God  ;  I  appre- 
hend myself  at  too  great  a  distance  from  him ;  1  would  have  my  soul 
united  more  closely  to  him  by  faith  and  love — I  can  appeal  to  his 
omniscience,  that  1  would  love  him  above  all  things.  He  that  made 
me,  knows  my  desires,  my  expectations,  my  joys  all  centre  in  him, 
and  that  it  is  he  himself  I  desire ;  it  is  his  favor,  his  acceptance,  the 
communications  of  his  grace,  that  I  earnestly  wish  for  more  than  any 
thing  in  the  world;  and  that  1  have  no  relish  or  delight  in  any  thing 
when  under  apprehensions  of  his  displeasure.  I  rejoice  in  his  essen- 
tial glory  and  blessedness  :  I  rejoice  in  my  relation  to  him,  that  he  is 
my  Father,  my  Lord,  and  my  God.  I  rejoice  that  he  has  power  over 
me,  and  desire  to  live  in  subjection  to  him  ;  that  he  condescends  to 
punish  me  when  I  transgress  his  laws,  as  a  father  chasteneth  the 
son  whom  he  loveth — I  thank  him  that  he  has  brought  me  so  far,  and 
will  beware  of  despairing  of  his  mercy  for  the  time  which  is  yet  to 
come  ;  but  will  give  God  the  glory  of  his  free  grace." 

Morning.  "  It  is  too  common  with  me  upon  receiving  any  light, 
or  new  supply  of  grace,  to  think,  now  I  have  gained  my  point,  and 
may  say,  '  Soul,  take  thine  ease ;'  by  which  means  I  think  not  of 
going  any  further  ;  or  else  fall  into  dejection  of  spirit,  upon  a  ground- 
less fear,  that  I  shall  soon  lose  what  I  have  gained,  and  in  a  little 
time  be  never  the  better  for  it.  Both  these  are  sins.  The  first  pro- 
ceeds from  immoderate  love  of  present  ease  and  spiritual  sloth ;  the 
other  from  want  of  faith  in  the  all-sufficiency  of  my  Saviour. 

"  We  must  never  take  up  our  rest  on  this  side  of  heaven  ;  nor 
think  we  have  enough  of  grace,  or  enjoy  enough  of  God  till  we  are 
perfectly  renewed  and  sanctified  in  body,  soul,  and  spirit ;  till  we  are 
admitted  into  that  blessed  region  of  pure  and  happy  spirits,  where  we 
shall  enjoy  the  beatific  vision  according  to  the  measure  of  our  capa- 
cities. Nor  must  we,  out  of  a  pretended  humility,  because  we  are  un- 
worth}r  of  the  least  mercy,  dare  to  dispute  or  question  the  sufl5.ciency 
of  the  merits  of  Jesus  Christ.  It  was  impossible  for  God  incarnate  to 
undertake  more  than  he  is  able  to  perform." 

Morning.  "  Though  man  is  born  to  trouble,  yet  I  believe  there  is 
scarce  a  man  to  be  found  upon  earth,  but,  take  the  whole  course  of 
his  life,  hath  more  mercies  than  afflictions,  and  much  more  pleasure 
than  pain.  I  am  sure  it  has  been  so  in  my  case.  I  have  many  years 
sufiered  much  pain,  and  great  bodily  infirmities ;  but  I  have  likewise 
enjoyed  great  intervals  of  rest  and  ease.  And  those  very  suflferings 
have,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  been  of  excellent  use,  and  proved  the 
most  proper  means  of  reclaiming  me  from  a  vain  and  sinful  conver- 
sation, insomuch,  that  I  cannot  say  I  had  better  have  been  without 
this  affliction,  this  disease,  loss,  want,  contempt,  or  reproach.  All  my 
sufferings,  by  the  admirable  management  of  Omnipotent  goodness, 
have  concurred  to  promote  my  spiritual  and  eternal  good.    And  if  I 


40 


MRS.  SUSANNAH  WESLEY. 


have  not  reaped  that  advantage  by  them  which  I  might  have  done,  it 
is  merely  owing  to  the  perverseness  of  my  own  will,  and  frequent 
lapses  into  present  things,  and  unfaithfulness  to  the  good  Spirit  of 
God;  who,  notwithstanding  all  my  prevarications,  all  the  stupid 
opposition  I  have  made,  has  never  totally  abandoned  me.  Eternal 
glory  be  to  thee,  O  Lord  !  " 

Evening.  "  If  to  esteem  and  to  have  the  highest  reverence  for  thee  1 
if  constantly  and  sincerely  to  acknowledge  thee,  the  supreme,  the 
only  desirable  good,  be  to  love  thee,  I  do  love  thee ! 

"  If  comparatively  to  despise  and  undervalue  all  the  world  con- 
tains, which  is  esteemed  great,  fair,  or  good ;  if  earnestly  and  con- 
stantly to  desire  thee,  thy  favor,  thy  acceptance,  thyself,  rather  than 
any  or  all  things  thou  hast  created,  be  to  love  thee,  I  do  love  thee  ! 

If  to  rejoice  in  thy  essential  majesty  and  glory  !  if  to  feel  a  vital 
joy  o'erspread  and  cheer  the  heart  at  each  perception  of  thy  blessed- 
ness, at  every  thought  that  thou  art  God ;  that  all  things  are  in  thy 
power  ;  that  there  is  none  superior  or  equal  to  thee — be  to  love  thee, 
I  do  love  thee  ! " 

Notwithstanding  Mrs.  Wesley  allotted  two  hours  in  the  day  for 
meditation  and  prayer  in  private,  no  woman  was  ever  more  dihgent 
in  business,  or  attentive  to  family  affairs  than  she  was.  Remarkable 
for  method  and  good  arrangement  both  in  her  studies  and  business, 
she  saved  much  time,  and  kept  her  mind  free  from  perplexity.  She 
jhad  nineteen  children,  ten  of  whom,  at  least,  grew  up  to  be  educated, 
.and  this  duty  fell  upon  her ;  and  it  was  almost  impossible  for  the 
children  to  have  had  a  better  instructor.  From  several  things  which 
I  find  in  her  papers,  it  appears  to  me  that  she  had  acquired  some 
-knowledge  of  the  Latin  and  Greek  languages  in  her  youth,  though 
she  never  makes  any  pretensions  to  it.  She  had  read  much  and 
thought  deeply,  and  in  general  very  accurately,  on  every  part  of 
natural  and  revealed  religion,  and  on  the  common  affairs  of  life.  She 
had  studied  human  nature  well,  and  knew  how  to  adapt  her  dis- 
course either  to  youth  or  age  ;  and  without  this  no  person  is  properly 
qualified  to  instruct  others.  She  had  set  out  in  life  with  a  determi- 
nation to  think  and  judge  for  herself ;  and  not  to  be  influenced  by 
custom  in  matters  of  importance,  unless  when  custom  appeared  to  be 
founded  in  reason  and  truth.  It  was  this  principle  which  governed 
her  in  the  education  of  her  children ;  for  disapprovmg  of  the  common 
methods  of  governing  and  instructing  youth,  she  adopted  those 
methods  which  appeared  to  her  the  most  rational  and  proper.  Their 
rising,  dressing,  eating,  exercise,  and  every  thing  that  related  to  them 
was  managed  by  rule,  unless  when  sickness  hindered.  They  were 
very  early  taught  obedience  to  their  parents,  and  to  wait  their 
decision  in  every  thing  they  were  to  have  or  do.  As  soon  as  they 
could  speak,  they  were  taught  the  Lord's  prayer,  and  made  to  repeat 
it  at  rising  and  bed  time  constantly.    As  they  grew  bigger,  they  were 


MRS.  SUSANNAH  WESLEY. 


taught  a  short  prayer  for  their  parents,  and  some  collects  ;  a  short 
catechism,  and  some  portion  of  scripture,  as  their  memories  could 
bear.  Tliey  were  early  made  to  distinguish  the  Sabbath  from,  other 
days  ;  and  were  soon  taught  to  be  still  at  family  prayers,  and  to  ask 
a  blessing  immediately  after,  which  they  used  to  do  by  signs  before 
they  could  kneel  or  speak.  Her  method  of  teaching  them  to  read 
was,  I  think,  peculiar  to  herself,  and  deserves  to  be  taken  notice  of; 
I  shall  give  it  in  her  own  words,  in  a  letter  to  Mr.  John  Wesley. 
"  None  of  them  were  taught  to  read  till  five  years  old,  except  Kezzy, 
in  whose  case  I  was  overruled  ;  and  she  was  more  years  in  learning 
than  any  of  the  rest  had  been  months.  The  way  of  teaching  was  this : 
the  day  before  a  child  began  to  learn,  the  house  was  set  in  order, 
every  one's  work  appointed  them,  and  a  charge  given  that  none 
should  come  into  the  room  from  nine  till  twelve,  or  from  two  till  five, 
which  were  our  school  hours.  One  day  was  allowed  the  child 
wherein  to  learn  its  letters,  and  each  of  them  did  in  that  time  know 
all  its  letters,  great  and  small,  except  Molly  and  Nancy,  who  were  a 
day  and  a  half  before  they  knew  them  perfectly  ;  for  which  I  then 
thought  them  very  dull :  but  the  reason  why  I  thought  them  so  was, 
because  the  rest  learned  them  so  readily,  and  your  brother  Samuel,  who 
was  the  first  child  I  ever  taught,  learnt  the  alphabet  in  a  few  hours. 
He  was  five  years  old  on  the  tenth  of  February  ;  the  next  day  he 
began  to  learn,  and  as  soon  as  he  knew  the  letters  began  at  the  first 
chapter  of  Genesis.  He  was  taught  to  spell  the  first  verse,  then  to 
read  it  over  and  over,  till  he  could  read  it  off  hand  without  any 
hesitation  ;  so  on  to  the  second,  &c.  till  he  took  ten  verses  for  a  les- 
son, which  he  quickly  did.  Easter  fell  low  that  year,  and  by  Whit- 
suntide he  could  read  a  chapter  very  well  ;  for  he  read  continually, 
and  had  such  a  prodigious  memory,  that  I  cannot  remember  ever  to 
have  told  him  the  same  word  twice.  What  was  yet  stranger,  any 
word  he  had  learnt  in  his  lesson,  he  knew  wherever  he  saw  it,  either 
in  his  Bible  or  any  other  book,  by  which  means  he  learnt  very  soon  to 
read  an  English  author  well. 

"  The  same  method  was  observed  with  them  all.  As  soon  as  they 
knew  the  letters  they  were  first  put  to  spell,  and  read  one  line,  then 
a  verse,  never  leaving  till  perfect  in  their  lesson,  were  it  shorter  or 
longer.  So  one  or  other  continued  reading  at  school  time  without 
any  intermission  ;  and  before  we  left  school,  each  child  read  what  he 
had  learnt  that  morning  ;  and  ere  we  parted  in  the  afternoon,  what 
they  had  learned  that  day." 

Mr.  Wesley  observes  of  his  mother,  that  even  she,  as  well  as  her 
father  and  grandfather,  her  husband  and  three  sons,  had  been  in  her 
measure,  a  preacher  of  righteousness.  As  this  is  a  remarkable  cir- 
cumstance in  her  life,  and  shows  her  zeal  and  steadiness  in  doing 
good,  I  shall  relate  it  a  little  more  at  large  than  Mr.  Wesley  has  done, 
as  the  original  letters  are  before  me. 

4=^*^  6 


42 


MRS.  SUSANNAH  WESLEY. 


Her  husband  usually  attended  the  sittings  of  conv^ocation ;  and  an 
these  occasions  was  obliged  to  reside  in  London  for  a  length  of  time 
that  was  often  injurious  to  his  parish  ;  and  at  an  expense  that  was 
inconvenient  to  himself  and  family.  It  was  on  this  business,  I  appre- 
hend, that  he  spent  so  much  time  in  London  in  the  beginning  of  the 
year  1712.  During  his  absence,  Mrs.  Wesley  formed  a  little  meeting 
at  her  house  on  a  Sunday  evening,  when  she  read  a  sermon,  prayed 
and  conversed  with  the  people  who  came  for  this  purpose.  She 
acquainted  her  husband  of  their  meeting,  who,  on  account  of  the  new- 
ness and  singularity  of  the  thing,  made  some  objections  against  it. 
Her  answer  is  dated  the  6th  of  February,  1712,  in  which  she  says, 

I  heartily  thank  you  for  dealing  so  plainly  and  faithfully  with  me 
in  a  matter  of  no  common  concern.  The  main  of  your  objections 
against  our  Sunday  evening  meetings,  are,  first,  that  it  will  look  par- 
ticular;  secondly,  my  sex;  and,  lastly,  your  being  at  present  in  a 
public  station  and  character  ;  to  all  which  I  shall  answer  briefly. 

"  As  to  its  looking  particular,  I  grant  it  does,  and  so  does  almost 
every  thing  that  is  serious,  or  that  may  any  way  advance  the  glory 
of  God  or  the  salvation  of  souls,  if  it  be  performed  out  of  the  pulpit  or 
in  the  way  of  common  conversation :  because,  in  our  corrupt  age,  the 
utmost  care  and  diligence  has  been  used  to  banish  all  discourse  of 
God  or  spiritual  concerns  out  of  society  ;  as  if  religion  were  never  to 
appear  out  of  the  closet,  and  we  were  to  be  ashamed  of  nothing  so 
much  as  of  professing  ourselves  to  be  Christians. 

"  To  your  second,  I  reply,  that,  as  I  am  a  woman,  so  I  am  also 
mistress  of  a  large  family.  And  though  the  superior  charge  of  the 
souls  contained  in  it  lies  upon  you,  as  the  head  of  the  family,  and  as 
their  minister,  yet  in  your  absence  I  cannot  but  look  upon  every  soul 
you  leave  under  my  care,  as  a  talent  committed  to  me  under  a  trust 
by  the  great  Lord  of  all  the  families  of  heaven  and  earth  ;  and  if  1  am 
unfaithful  to  him  or  to  you,  in  neglecting  to  improve  these  talents, 
how  shall  I  answ^er  unto  him,  when  he  shall  command  me  to  render 
an  account  of  my  stewardship  ? 

"  As  these  and  other  such  like  thoughts,  made  me  at  first  take 
a  more  than  ordinary  care  of  the  souls  of  my  children  and  servants  ; 
so,  knowing  that  our  most  holy  religion  requires  a  strict  observation 
of  the  Lord  s  day,  and  not  thinking  that  we  fully  answered  the  end 
of  the  institution  by  only  going  to  church  :  but  that  likewise  we  were 
obliged  to  fill  up  the  intermediate  spaces  of  that  sacred  time  by  other 
acts  of  piety  and  devotion  ;  I  thought  it  my  duty  to  spend  some  part 
of  the  day  in  reading  to,  and  instructing  my  family  ;  especially  in  your 
absence,  when,  having  no  afternoon  service,  we  have  so  much  leisure 
for  such  exercises  ;  and  such  time  I  esteemed  spent  in  a  way  more 
acceptable  to  God  than  if  I  had  retired  to  my  own  private  devotions. 

"  This  was  the  beginning  of  my  present  practice :  other  people's 
coming  in  and  joining  whh  us  was  purely  accidental.    Our  lad  told 


MRS.  SUSANNAH  WESLETf, 


m 


his  parents ;  they  first  desired  to  he  admitted  ;  then  others  who  heard 
of  it  begged  leave  also ;  so  our  company  increased  to  about  thirty, 
and  seldom  exceeded  forty  last  winter ;  and  why  it  increased  since,  I 
leave  you  to  judge  after  you  have  read  what  follows. 

"  Soon  after  you  went  to  London,  Emily  found  in  your  study  the 
account  of  the  Danish  Missionaries  ;  which,  having  never  seen,  I 
ordered  her  to  read  to  me.  I  was  never,  I  thmk,  more  affected  with 
any  thing  than  with  the  relation  of  their  travels ;  and  was  exceed- 
ingly pleased  with  the  noble  design  they  were  engaged  in.  Their 
labors  refreshed  my  soul  beyond  measure,  and  I  could  not  forbear 
spending  a  good  part  of  that  evening  in  praising  and  adoring  the 
Divine  goodness  for  inspiring  those  good  men  with  such  an  ardent 
zeal  for  his  glory:  that  they  were  willing  to  hazard  their  lives  and  all 
that  is  esteemed  dear  to  men  in  this  world,  to  advance  the  honor  of 
their  Master  Jesus  !  For  several  dcrys  I  could  think  or  speak  of  little 
else.  At  last  it  came  into  my  mind;  though  I  am  not  a  man,  nor  a 
minister  of  the  gospel,  and  so  cannot  be  engaged  in  such  a  worthy 
employment  as  they  were ;  yet,  if  my  heart  were  sincerely  devoted  to 
God,  and  if  I  were  inspired  with  a  true  zeal  for  his  glory,  and  did 
really  desire  the  salvation  of  souls,  I  might  do  somewhat  more  than  I 
do.  I  thought  I  might  live  in  a  more  exemplary  manner  in  some 
things ;  I  might  pray  more  for  the  people,  and  speak  with  more 
warmth  to  those  with  whom  I  have  an  opportunity  of  conversing. 
However,  I  resolved  to  begin  with  my  own  children ;  and  accordingly 
I  proposed  and  observed  the  following  method.  I  take  such  a 
proportion  of  time  as  I  can  best  spare  every  night,  to  discourse  with 
each  child  by  itself,  on  something  that  relates  to  its  principal  con- 
cerns. On  Monday  1  talk  with  Molly;  on  Tuesday  with  Hetty; 
Wednesday  with  Nancy ;  Thursday  with  Jacky ;  Friday  with  Patty ; 
Saturday  with  Charles;  and  with  Emily  and  Suky  together  on 
Sunday. 

"  With  those  few  neighbors  who  then  came  to  me,  I  discoursed  more 
freely  and  affectionately  than  before ;  I  chose  the  best  and  most 
awakening  sermons  we  had,  and  I  spent  more  time  with  them  in 
such  exercises.  Since  this  our  company  has  increased  every  night; 
for  I  dare  deny  none  who  ask  admittance.  Last  Sunday  I  believe  we 
had  above  200,  and  yet  many  went  away  for  want  of  room. 

"But  I  never  durst  positively  presume  to  hope  that  God  would 
make  use  of  me  as  an  instrument  in  doing  good ;  the  farthest  I  ever 
durst  go  was,  it  may  be,  who  can  tell  ?  With  God  all  things  are 
possible.  I  will  resign  myself  to  him :  Or,  as  Herbert  better 
expresses  it, 

"  Only,  since  God  doth  often  make 
Of  lowly  matter,  for  high  uses  meet, 

I  throw  me  at  his  feet ; 
There  will  I  lie,  until  my  Maker  seek 
For  some  mean  stuff,  whereon  to  show  his  skill, 

Then  is  my  time  " 


MRS.   SUSANNAH  WESLEY. 


And  thus  I  rested,  without  passing  any  reflection  on  myself,  or  form- 
ing any  judgment  about  the  success  or  event  of  this  undertaking. 

Your  third  objection  I  leave  to  be  answered  by  your  own  judg- 
ment. We  meet  not  upon  any  worldly  design.  We  banish  all 
temporal  concerns  from  our  society  ;  none  is  suffered  to  minde  any 
discourse  about  them  with  our  reading  or  singing.  We  keep  close  to 
the  business  of  the  day,  and  as  soon  as  it  is  over  they  all  go  home. 
And  where  is  the  harm  of  this  ?  If  I  and  my  children  went  a  visiting 
on  Sunday  nights,  or  if  we  admitted  of  impertinent  visits,  as  too  many 
do  who  think  themselves  good  Christians,  perhaps  it  would  be  thought 
no  scandalous  practice,  though  in  truth  it  would  be  so ;  therefore, 
why  any  should  reflect  upon  you,  let  your  station  be  what  it  will, 
because  your  wife  endeavors  to  draw  people  to  church,  and  to  restrain 
them,  by  reading  and  other  persuasions,  from  their  profanation  of 
God's  most  holy  day,  I  cannot  conceive.  But  if  any  should  be  so 
mad  as  to  do  it,  I  wish  you  would  not  regard  it.  For  my  part,  I 
value  no  censure  on  this  account;  I  have  long  since  shook  hands 
with  the  world,  and  I  heartily  wish  I  had  never  given  them  more 
reason  to  speak  against  me. 

As  for  your  proposal  of  letting  some  other  person  read,  alas  !  you 
do  not  consider  what  a  people  these  are.  I  do  not  think  one  man 
among  them  could  read  a  sermon  without  spelling  a  good  part  of  it: 
and  how  would  that  edify  the  rest?  Nor  has  any  of  our  family  a 
voice  strong  enough  to  be  heard  by  such  a  number  of  people. 

"  But  there  is  one  thing  about  which  I  am  much  dissatisfied;  that 
is,  their  being  present  at  family  prayers.  I  do  not  speak  of  any 
concern  I  am  under  barely  because  so  many  are  present.  For  those 
who  have  the  honor  of  speaking  to  the  great  and  holy  God,  need  not 
be  ashamed  to  speak  before  the  whole  world,  but  because  of  my  sex. 
I  doubt  if  it  be  proper  for  me  to  present  the  prayers  of  the  people  to 
God.  Last  Sunday  I  would  fain  have  dismissed  them  before  prayers ; 
but  they  begged  so  earnestly  to  stay,  I  durst  not  deny  them." 

In  this,  as  in  every  other  part  of  her  conduct,  Mrs.  Wesley  acted 
upon  principle,  and  from  mature  deliberation.  Xo  person,  perhaps, 
ever  had  a  greater  regard  for  the  established  order  of  the  church  of 
England,  than  she  had;  but  she  considered  her  conduct  in  this 
instance  as  coinciding  with  the  spirit  and  intention  of  that  order;  to 
reform  the  manners  of  the  people,  and  to  beget  in  them  a  reverence  for 
the  public  worship.  It  is  obvious  that  this  consideration  alone  silenced 
every  objection  in  her  mind,  concerning  her  present  proceedings.  But, 
though  she  was  satisfied  of  the  propriety  of  her  own  conduct,  she 
thought  it  her  duty  to  abide  by  the  decision  of  her  husband.  He  had 
already  written  to  her  on  the  subject,  and  though  he  made  some  objec- 
tions, yet  upon  the  whole  he  seemed  to  approve  of  the  meeting.  But 
Inman  the  Curate,  and  two  or  three  of  his  companions  highly  disap- 
proved of  itj  and  wrote  to  Mr.  Wesley,  complaining  heavily  of  it,  calling 


MRS.  SUSANNAH  WESLEY. 


it  a  conventicle,  6cc.  It  is  always  painful  to  see  a  clergyman  among 
the  foremost  to  oppose  every  thing  that  may  tend  to  diffuse  knowledge 
among  the  common  people,  and  impress  their  minds  with  a  serious 
sense  of  religion,  and  the  duties  it  enjoins.  This  was  evidently  the  case 
in  the  present  instance ;  and  the  representations  made  to  Mr.  Wesley 
had  such  an  effect  upon  his  mind,  that  he  wrote  to  his  wife  in  a  tone  of 
disapprohation  which  he  had  not  used  before.  Her  answer,  which  is 
dated  25th  of  February,  is  worthy  of  herself,  and  of  the  cause  in  which 
she  was  engaged.  "Some  few  days  since,"  says  she,  "I  received  a  letter 
from  you,  I  suppose  dated  the  16th  instant,  which  I  made  no  great 
haste  to  answer  ;  because  I  judged  it  necessary  for  both  of  us  to  take 
some  time  to  consider,  before  you  determine  in  a  matter  of  such  great 
importance.  I  shall  not  enquire  how  it  was  possible  that  you  should 
be  prevailed  on,  by  the  senseless  clamors  of  two  or  three  of  the  worst 
of  your  parish,  to  condemn  what  you  so  very  lately  approved;  but  I 
shall  tell  you  my  thoughts,  in  as  few  words  as  possible.  I  do  not  hear 
of  more  than  three  or  four  persons  who  are  against  our  meeting,  of 
whom  Inman  is  the  chief.  He  and  Whitely,  I  believe,  may  call  it  a 
conventicle ;  but  we  hear  no  outcry  here,  nor  has  any  one  said  a  word 
against  it  to  me.  And  what  does  their  calling  it  a  conventicle 
signify?  does  it  alter  the  nature  of  the  thing?  or  do  you  think  that 
what  they  say  is  a  sufficient  reason  to  forbear  a  thing  that  has  already 
done  much  good,  and  by  the  blessing  of  God  may  do  much  more?  If 
its  being  called  a  conventicle  by  those  who  know  in  their  conscience 
they  misrepresent  it,  did  really  make  it  one,  what  you  say  would  be 
somewhat  to  the  purpose  :  but  it  is  plain  in  fact,  that  this  one"  thing 
has  brought  more  people  to  church  than  ever  any  thing  did  in  so  short 
a  time.  We  used  not  to  have  above  twenty  or  twenty-five  at  evening 
service,  whereas  now  we  have  between  two  and  three  hundred; 
which  are  more  than  ever  came  before  to  hear  Inman  in  the  morning. 

"Besides  the  constant  attendance  on  the  public  worship  of  God, 
our  meeting  has  wonderfully  conciliated  the  minds  of  this  people 
towards  us,  so  that  we  now  live  in  the  greatest  amity  imaginable ;  and 
what  is  still  better,  they  are  very  much  reformed  in  their  behavior  on 
the  Lord's  day ;  and  those  who  used  to  be  playing  in  the  streets,  now 
come  to  hear  a  good  sermon  read,  which  is  surely  more  acceptable  to 
Almighty  God. 

"  Another  reason  for  what  I  do,  is,  that  I  have  no  other  way  of 
conversing  with  this  people,  and  therefore  have  no  other  way  of  doing 
them  good  ;  but  by  this  I  have  an  opportunity  of  exercising  the  greatest 
and  noblest  charity,  that  is,  charity  to  their  souls. 

"Some  families  who  seldom  went  to  church,  now  go  constantly; 
and  one  person  who  has  not  been  there  for  seven  years,  is  now  pre- 
vailed upon  to  go  with  the  rest. 

"  There  are  many  other  good  consequences  of  this  meeting  which 
I  have  not  time  to  mention.    Now  I  beseech  you  weigh  all  things  in 


46 


MRS.  SUSANNAH  WESLEY. 


an  impartial  balance :  on  the  one  side,  the  honor  of  Almighty  God, 
the  doing  much  good  to  many  souls,  and  the  friendship  of  the  best 
among  whom  we  live ;  on  the  other  (if  folly,  impiety,  and  vanity 
may  abide  in  the  scale  against  so  ponderous  a  weight)  the  senseless 
objections  of  a  few  scandalous  persons,  laughing  at  us,  and  censuring 
us  as  precise  and  hypocritical ;  and  when  you  have  duly  considered 
all  things,  let  me  know  your  positive  determination. 

"I  need  not  tell  you  the  consequences,  if  you  determine  to  put  an 
end  to  our  meeting.  You  may  easily  foresee  what  prejudices  it  may 
raise  in  the  minds  of  these  people  against  Inman  especially,  who  has 
had  so  little  wit  as  to  speak  publicly  against  it.  I  can  now  keep  them 
to  the  church,  but  if  it  be  laid  aside,  1  doubt  they  will  never  go  to  hear 
him  more,  at  least  those  who  come  from  the  lower  end  of  the  town : 
but  if  this  be  continued  till  you  return,  which  now  will  not  be  long, 
it  may  please  God  that  their  hearts  may  be  so  changed  by  that  time, 
that  they  may  love  and  delight  in  his  public  worship  so  as  never  to 
neglect  it  more. 

"  If  you  do,  after  all,  think  fit  to  dissolve  this  assembly,  do  not  tell 
me  that  you  desire  me  to  do  it,  for  that  will  not  satisfy  my  conscience : 
but  send  me  your  positive  command,  in  such  full  and  express  terms, 
as  may  absolve  me  from  all  guilt  and  punishment  for  neglecting  this 
opportunity  of  doing  good,  when  you  and  I  shall  appear  before  the 
great  and  awful  tribunal  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 

The  meeting,  I  believe,  was  continued  until  Mr.  Wesley  returned 
to  Epworth. 

Mrs.  Wesley  continued  to  discharge  the  duties  of  a  wife  and  pa- 
rent with  the  greatest  diligence  and  punctuality.  The  letters  she 
wrote  to  her  sons,  when  at  Oxford,  and  after  they  had  left  it,  show 
her  in  the  most  amiable  light,  both  for  knowledge  and  piety.  In  1735 
she  lost  her  husband,  and  afterwards  divided  her  time  between  her 
children,  till  about  the  year  1739;  after  which,  I  believe,  she  resided 
chiefly  in  London. 

It  appears  from  all  we  have  seen  of  Mrs.  Wesley,  that  she  was  a 
woman  of  real  experience  in  the  things  of  God.  But  it  does  not 
appear  that  she  had  a  clear  notion  of  justification  as  distinct  from 
sanctification ;  on  the  contrary,  she  seems  to  have  confounded  them 
together.  The  consequence  was,  that  her  knowledge  of  the  doctrine 
of  justification  by  faith  alone,  without  the  deeds  of  the  law,  was  not 
so  clear  as  it  might  have  been  ;  and  this  hindered  her  from  enjoying 
that  full  assurance  of  her  state,  and  the  peace  and  joy  consequent 
upon  it,  which  otherwise  she  would  have  had.  When  her  two  sons, 
Mr.  John  and  Charles  Wesley,  began  to  preach  the  doctrine  of  justi- 
fication by  faith  in  1738,  and  many  professed  to  be  so  justified,  and 
to  know  the  time  when  this  change  in  their  state  took  place,  she  men- 
tions their  notions  as  new,  in  a  letter  she  wrote  to  her  son  Samuel  in 


MRS.  SUSANNAH  WESLEY. 


November  this  year  ;^  though  it  must  be  acknowledged  that  she  had 
not  then  conversed  with  them  on  the  subject,  and  therefore  did  not 
know  what  doctrines  they  taught,  except  by  report.  It  has  indeed 
been  said  that  she  "  hved  long  enough  to  deplore  the  extravagance  of 
her  sons;"  and  this  assertion  was  founded  on  the  letter  above  men- 
tioned. But  what  she  says  on  this  subject  has  only  a  reference  to 
dreams,  visions,  or  some  extraordinary  revelation,  which  some  per- 
sons pretended  to  have  had,  and  in  which  they  had  received  the 
knowledge  of  their  justification,  at  least  this  was  reported  of  several ; 
but  she  no  where  charges  her  sons  with  teaching  this  as  the  way  of 
justification.  But  the  author  of  the  assertion  above  mentioned  has 
made  several  assertions  concerning  some  of  this  family,  which  have 
not  the  least  foundation  in  any  fact,  and  could  have  originated  no 
where  but  in  his  own  mistaken  fancy ;  so  little  credit  is  generally  due 
to  an  author,  even  of  character  and  ability,  when  he  speaks  of  reli- 
gious persons,  against  whom  he  has  imbibed  some  prejudice. 

The  following  extracts  from  three  of  her  letters  to  Mr.  Charles 
Wesley,t  will  show  us  her  opinion  of  the  doctrine  and  conduct  of 
her  sons,  more  clearly  than  any  thing  which  has  yet  appeared  in  print. 


''It  is  with  much  pleasure  I  find  your  mind  is  somewhat  easier 
than  formerly,  and  I  heartily  thank  God  for  it.  The  spirit  of  man 
may  sustain  his  infirmity,  but  a  wounded  spirit  who  can  bear.  If 
this  hath  been  your  case,  it  has  been  sad  indeed.  But  blessed  be 
God  who  gave  you  convictions  of  the  evil  of  sin,  as  contrary  to  the 
purity  of  the  divine  nature,  and  the  perfect  goodness  of  his  law. 
Blessed  be  God  who  showed  you  the  necessity  you  were  in  of  a  Sa- 
viour to  deliver  you  from  the  power  of  sin  and  Satan  (for  Christ  will 
be  no  Saviour  to  such  as  see  not  their  need  of  one)  and  directed  you 
by  faith  to  lay  hold  of  that  stupendous  mercy  offered  us  by  redeem- 
ing love !  Jesus  is  the  only  physician  of  souls ;  his  blood  the  only 
salve  which  can  heal  a  wounded  conscience.  It  is  not  in  wealth,  or 
honor,  or  sensual  pleasures,  to  relieve  a  spirit  heavy  laden  and  weary 
of  the  burden  of  sin ;  these  things  have  power  to  increase  our  guilt, 
by  alienating  our  hearts  from  God,  but  none  to  make  our  peace  with 
him;  to  reconcile  God  to  man,  and  man  to  God,  and  to  renew  the 
union  between  the  divine  and  human  nature.  No,  there  is  none  but 
Christ,  none  but  Christ,  who  is  sufficient  for  these  things — But  bless- 
ed be  God,  he  is  an  all-sufficient  Saviour !  and  blessed  be  his  holy 
name,  that  thou  hast  found  him  a  Saviour  to  thee,  my  son — O !  let 
us  love  him  much,  for  we  have  much  to  be  forgiven. 

''I  would  gladly  know  what  your  notion  is  of  justifying  faith; 
because  you  speak  of  it  as  a  thing  you  have  but  lately  obtained." 

*  Printed  in  Dr.  Priestley's  collection. 

t  For  these  letters,  and  some  other  papers  of  importance  in  this  'work,  I  am  under  great 
obligations  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  L  ^y. 


October  19,  1738. 


48 


MRS.  SUSANNAH  WESLEY. 


The  second  letter  is  dated  December  6th,  1738.  In  it  she  says, 
"  I  think  you  are  fallen  into  an  odd  way  of  thinking.  You  say,  that, 
till  within  a  few  months,  you  had  no  spiritual  life,  nor  any  jus- 
tifymg  faith.  Now  this  is,  as  if  a  man  should  affirm  he  was  not 
alive  in  his  infancy,  because  when  an  infant  he  did  not  know  he  was 
alive.  All  then  that  I  can  gather  from  your  letter  is,  that  till  a  little 
while  ago  you  were  not  so  well  satisfied  of  y6ur  being  a  Christian  as 
you  are  now.  I  heartily  rejoice  that  you  have  now  attained  to  a 
strong  and  lively  hope  in  God's  mercy  through  Christ.  Not  that  I 
can  think  you  were  totally  without  saving  faith  before ;  but  it  is  one 
thing  to  have  faith,  and  another  thing  to  be  sensible  we  have  it. 
Faith  is  the  fruit  of  the  spirit,  and  is  the  gift  of  God :  but  to  feel,  or 
be  inwardly  sensible  that  we  have  true  faith,  requires  a  further  opera- 
tion of  God's  Holy  Spirit.  You  say  you  have  peace,  but  not  joy,  in 
believing ;  blessed  be  God  for  peace ;  may  this  peace  rest  with  you. 
Joy  will  follow,  perhaps  not  very  closely,  but  it  will  follow  faith  and 
love.  God's  promises  are  sealed  to  us,  but  not  dated.  Therefore  pa- 
tiently attend  his  pleasure;  he  will  give  you  joy  in  believing.  Amen." 

From  these  letters  we  see,  that  Mrs.  Wesley  was  so  far  from  de- 
ploring the  extravagance  of  her  sons,"  that  she  rejoiced  in  their  chris- 
tian experience,  and  praised  God  for  it.  She  thought  them  mistaken 
in  judging  of  their  former  state,  but  not  in  their  notions  of  justifying 
faith  itself;  for  she  says  in  the  letter  last  mentioned,  "my  notion  of 
justifying  faith  is  the  same  with  yours;  for  that  trusting  in  Jesus 
Christ,  or  the  promises  made  in  him,  is  that  special  act  of  faith  to 
which  our  justification  or  acceptance  is  so  frequently  ascribed  in  the 
gospel.  This  faith  is  certainly  the  gift  of  God,  wrought  in  the  mind 
of  man  by  His  Holy  Spirit."  The  two  Mr.  Wesleys  professed  to 
know  the  time  when  they  received  justifying  faith,  and  they  taught 
that  others  might  know  the  time  of  their  justification  :  on  this  head 
she  observes,  I  do  not  judge  it  necessary  for  us  to  know  the  precise 
time  of  our  conversion  ;"  from  which  it  appears  that  she  did  not  think 
this  part  of  their  doctrine  erroneous  or  extravagant ;  she  was  only 
afraid  lest  this  circumstance  should  be  made  a  necessary  criterion  of 
conversion  which  she  thought  might  hurt  the  minds  of  weaker  Chris- 
tians. These  letters,  therefore,  are  a  full  confutation  of  Mr.  Badcock's 
assertion. 

The  third  letter  is  dated  December  27th,  1739,  after  she  had  come 
to  reside  chiefly  in  London.  Here  she  enjoyed  the  conversation  of 
her  sons  alternately,  the  one  being  always  in  town  while  the  other 
was  in  the  country.  She  now  attended  on  their  ministry,  conversed 
with  the  people  of  the  society,  and  became  more  perfectly  acquainted 
with  their  whole  doctrine,  and  seems  heartily  to  have  embraced  it. 
Charles  was  in  Bristol  when  she  wrote  this  letter  to  him.  She  ob- 
serves, "You  cannot  more  desire  to  see  me,  than  I  do  to  see  you. 
Your  brother,  whom  I  shall  henceforward  call  son  Wesley,  since  my 


MRS.  SUSANNAH  WESLEY. 


dear  Samuel  is  gone  home — has  just  been  with  me,  and  much  revived 
my  spirits.  Indeed  I  have  often  found  that  he  never  speaks  in  my 
hearing  without  my  receiving  some  spiritual  benefit.  But  his  visits 
are  seldom  and  short;  for  which  I  never  blame  him,  because  I  know 
he  is  well  employed ;  and  blessed  be  God,  hath  great  success  in  his 
ministry. 

"  But  my  dear  Charles,  still  I  want  either  him  or  you.  For  indeed, 
in  the  most  literal  sense,  I  am  become  a  little  child,  and  want  con- 
tinual succor.  'As  iron  sharpeneth  iron,  so  doth  the  countenance 
of  a  man  his  friend.'  I  feel  much  comfort  and  support  from  religious 
conversation  when  I  can  obtain  it.  Formerly  I  rejoiced  in  the  absence 
of  company,  and  found,  the  less  I  had  of  creature  comforts,  the  more 
I  had  from  God.  But  alas !  I  am  fallen  from  that  spiritual  converse 
I  once  enjoyed ;  and  why  is  it  so  ?  because  I  want  faith.  God  is  an 
omnipresent  unchangeable  good,  '  in  whom  is  no  variableness,  neither 
shadow  of  turning.'  The  fault  is  in  myself;  and  I  attribute  all 
mistakes  in  judgment,  all  errors  in  practice,  to  want  of  faith  in  the 
blessed  Jesus.  O  !  my  dear,  when  I  consider  the  dignity  of  his  per- 
son, the  perfection  of  his  purity,  the  greatness  of  his  sufferings ;  but 
above  all,  his  boundless  love,  I  am  astonished  and  utterly  confounded : 
I  am  lost  in  thought ;  I  fall  into  nothing  before  him  !  O  how  inex- 
cusable is  that  person  who  has  knowledge  of  these  things,  and  yet 
remains  poor  and  low  in  faith  and  love.  I  speak  as  one  guilty  in  this 
matter. 

''  I  have  been  prevented  from  finishing  my  letter.  I  complained  I 
had  none  to  converse  with  me  on  spiritual  things  ;  but  for  these  sev- 
eral days  I  have  had  the  conversation  of  many  good  Christians,  who 
have  refreshed  in  some  measure  my  fainting  spirits.  And  though  they 
hindered  my  writing,  yet  it  was  a  pleasing,  and  I  hope  not  an  unpro- 
fitable interruption  they  gave  me.  I  hope  we  shall  shortly  speak 
face  to  face,  and  I  shall  then,  if  God  permit,  impart  my  thoughts 
more  fully.  But  then,  alas  !  when  you  come,  your  brother  leaves 
me — yet  that  is  the  will  of  God,  in  whose  blessed  service  you  are 
engaged ;  who  hath  hitherto  blessed  your  labors,  and  preserved  your 
persons.  That  he  may  continue  so  to  prosper  your  work,  and  protect 
you  both  from  evil,  and  give  you  strength  and  courage  to  preach  the 
true  gospel,  in  opposition  to  the  united  powers  of  evil  men  and  evil 
angels,  is  the  hearty  prayer  of,  dear  Charles,  your  loving  mother, 

^'S.  W." 

This  letter  gives  full  evidence  that  Mrs.  Wesley  cordially  approved 
of  the  conduct  of  her  sons,  and  was  animated  with  zeal  for  the  suc- 
cess of  their  labors.  She  continued  in  the  most  perfect  harmony  with, 
them  till  her  death ;  attending  on  their  ministry,  and  walking  in  the 
light  of  God's  countenance,  she  rejoiced  in  the  happy  experience  of 
the  truths  she  heard  them  preach.  In  the  first  attempts  of  a  Layman. 
5  7 


50 


MRS.  SUSANNAH  WESLEY. 


to  preach,  it  is  said  she  heard  his  discourses.  Mr.  John  Wesley  was 
at  this  time  absent  from  London;  but  the  thing  being  quite  new, 
and  appearing  extraordinary,  he  was  immediately  acquainted  with 
it.  He  hasted  up  to  London,  with  a  full  determination  to  put  a  stop 
to  so  glaring  an  irregularity.  He  conversed  with  his  mother  on  the 
subject,  and  told  her  his  intention.  She  said,  "I  charge  you  before 
God,  take  care  what  you  do,  for  that  man  is  as  much  called  to  preach 
the  gospel  as  ever  you  were."  This  kept  him  from  a  hasty  execution 
of  his  purpose ;  and  it  being  found  upon  enquiry  that  good  was  done 
to  the  people,  the  practice  was  suffered  to  continue. 

Mr.  Wesley  gives  the  following  account  of  his  mother's  death 
''I  left  Bristol  in  the  evening  of  Sunday  the  18th  (July,  1742),  and 
on  Tuesday  came  to  London.    I  found  my  mother  on  the  borders  of 
eternity.    But  she  had  no  doubt  or  fear  ;  nor  any  desire,  but  as  soon 
as  God  should  call,  to  depart  and  be  with  Christ. 

"  Friday  the  23d,  about  three  in  the  afternoon,  I  went  to  my  mother, 
and  found  her  change  was  near.  She  was  in  her  last  conflict ;  una- 
ble to  speak,  but  I  believe  quite  sensible.  Her  look  was  calm  and 
serene,  and  her  eyes  fixed  upward,  while  we  commended  her  soul  to 
God.  From  three  to  four  the  silver  cord  was  loosing,  and  the  wheel 
breaking  at  the  cistern :  and  then,  without  any  struggle  or  sigh  or 
groan,  the  soul  was  set  at  liberty !  We  stood  round  the  bed,  and 
fulfilled  her  last  request,  uttered  a  little  before  she  lost  her  speech ; 
'Children,  as  soon  as  I  am  released,  sing  a  psalm  of  praise  to  God.' 

"Sunday,  August  1st.  Almost  an  innumerable  company  of  peo- 
ple being  gathered  together,  about  five  in  the  afternoon,  I  committed 
to  the  earth  the  body  of  my  mother,  to  sleep  with  her  fathers.  The 
portion  of  scripture  from  which  I  afterwards  spoke,  was,  '  I  saw  a 
great  white  throne  and  him  that  sat  on  it ;  from  whose  face  the  earth 
and  the  heaven  fled  away,  and  there  was  found  no  place  for  them. 
And  I  saw  the  dead,  small  and  great,  standing  before  God,  and  the 
books  were  opened — and  the  dead  were  judged  out  of  those  things 
which  were  written  in  the  books,  according  to  their  works.'  It  was 
one  of  the  most  solemn  assemblies  I  ever  saw,  or  expect  to  see,  on 
this  side  eternity. 

"  We  set  up  a  plain  stone  at  the  head  of  her  grave,  inscribed  with 
the  following  words : 

"  Here  lies  the  body  of  Mrs.  Susannah  Wesley,  the  youngest  and 
last  surviving  daughter  of  Dr.  Samuel  Annesley. 

« In  sure  and  steadfast  hope  to  rise, 
And  claim  her  mansion  in  the  skies, 
A  Christian  here  her  flesh  laid  down, 
The  cross  exchanging  for  a  crown,"  &c. 

♦  Wesley's  Works,  vol.  xxviii,  p.  83.   N.  B.  The  date  in  the  printed  jouraal  is  erroneous. 


MRS.  SUSANNAH  WESLEY. 


n 


Mrs.  Wesley  had  taken  great  pains  with  all  her  children,  to  furnish 
their  minds  with  useful  knowledge,  and  to  instil  into  them  the  prin- 
ciples of  religion  and  virtue.  The  daughters  were  by  no  means  neg- 
lected, they  shared  their  mother's  care  with  the  sons.  I  have  many 
of  their  letters  by  me,  in  which  there  is  much  strong  sense,  clean  wit, 
and  accurate  language ;  though  they  were  written  on  trifling  subjects, 
and  without  any  expectation  that  they  would  be  preserved.  Most  of 
them  had  a  fine  genius  for  poetry  ;  but  Mrs.  Wright  shone  the  bright- 
est in  this  walk  of  elegant  amusement,  and  to  her  I  shall  chiefly  con- 
fine my  observations  in  speaking  of  the  daughters  of  these  venerable 
parents. 

Mrs.  Wright  was  her  mother's  tenth  or  eleventh  child  ;  and  it  has 
been  said,  that  when  she  was  eight  years  old,  she  could  read  the 
Greek  Testament.  From  her  infancy  she  was  gay  and  sprightly ; 
and  extremely  addicted  to  wit  and  humor.  As  she  grew  up,  she  in- 
dulged herself  in  these  dispositions  so  far,  as  to  give  great  uneasiness 
to  her  parents,  and  was  often  betrayed  into  little  inadvertences,  which 
contributed,  at  least,  to  her  future  unhappiness  in  life.  About  the 
year  1724,  or  the  beginning  of  1725,  a  gentleman,  respectable,  so  far 
as  I  can  find,  both  fgyr  his  abilities  and  situation  in  life,  paid  his  ad- 
dresses to  her,  and  she  had  a  sincere  regard  for  him.  But,  from 
some  circumstance  or  other,  he  and  her  father  disagreed,  and  the 
affair  was  broken  off.  From  a  concurrence  of  circumstances  in  the 
end  of  the  year  1725,  she  was  induced  to  marry  a  person  no  way 
adapted  to  make  her  happy;  being  low  and  rude  in  address,  and 
much  inferior  to  her  in  understanding ;  and  he  proved  unkind  to  her. 
Her  situation  preyed  upon  her  mind,  her  health  and  strength  gradu- 
ally wasted  away,  and  at  length  she  sunk  into  a  degree  of  melancholy 
that  made  her  truly  wretched.  Most  of  her  verses  which  have  been 
preserved,  though  beautiful,  and  written  in  the  true  spirit  of  poetry, 
are  saddened  with  an  air  of  deep  distress,  which  strongly  marks  this 
state  of  body  and  mind.  The  following  address  to  her  husband  will 
give  us  some  notion  of  his  character,  and  show  us  the  true  cause  of 
her  wretchedness. 

MRS.  MEHETABEL  WRIGHT  TO  HER  HUSBAND. 

The  ardent  lover  cannot  find 
A  coldness  in  his  fair  unkind, 
But  blaming  what  he  cannot  hate 
He  mildly  chides  the  dear  ingrate  ; 
And  though  despairing  of  relief, 
In  soft  complaining  vents  his  grief. 

Then  what  should  hinder  but  that  I, 
Impatient  of  my  wrongs,  may  try, 
By  saddest,  softest  strains,  to  move 
My  wedded,  latest,  dearest  love  ? 


MRS.  WRIGHT. 


To  throw  his  cold  neglect  aside 

And  cheer  once  more  his  injur'd  bride, 

0  !  thou  whom  sacred  rites  design'd, 
My  guide  and  husband  ever  kind ; 
My  sov' reign  master,  best  of  friends, 
On  whom  my  earthly  bliss  depends  j 
If  e'er  thou  didst  in  Hetty  see 
Aught  fair,  or  good,  or  dear  to  thee ; 
If  gentle  speech  can  ever  move 
The  cold  remains  of  former  love, 
Turn  thee  at  last — my  bosom  ease, 
Or  tell  me  why  I  cease  to  please. 

Is  it  because  revolving  years, 
Heart-breaking  sighs,  and  fruitless  tears, 
Have  quite  depriv'd  this  form  of  mine 
Of  all  that  once  thou  fanci'dst  fine  ? 
Ah  no !  what  once  allur'd  thy  sight. 
Is  still  in  its  meridian  height : 
These  eyes  their  usual  lustre  show, 
"When  un-eclips'd  by  flowing  woe. 
Old  age  and  wrinkles  in  this  face 
As  yet  could  never  find  a  place  ; 
A  youthful  grace  adorns  the  lines, 
Where  still  the  purple  current  shines  j 
Unless  by  thy  ungentle  art. 
It  flies  to  aid  my  wretched  heart : 
Nor  does  this  slighted  bosom  show 
The  thousand  hours  it  spends  in  woe. 

Or  is  it  that  oppress'd  with  care 
I  stun  with  loud  complaints  thine  ear. 
And  make  thy  home,  for  quiet  meant. 
The  seat  of  noise  and  discontent  ? 
Oh  no !  those  ears  were  ever  free 
From  matrimonial  melody. 
For  though  thine  absence  I  lament, 
When  half  the  lonely  night  is  spent ; 
Yet  when  the  watch  or  early  morn, 
Has  brought  me  hopes  of  thy  return, 
I  oft  have  wip'd  these  watchful  eyes, 
Conceal'd  my  cares,  and  curb'd  my  sighs. 
In  spite  of  grief,  to  let  thee  see 
I  wore  an  endless  smile  for  thee. 

Had  I  not  practis'd  ev'ry  art 
T'  oblige,  divert,  and  cheer  thy  heart, 
To  make  me  pleasing  in  thine  eyes, 
And  turn  thy  home  to  paradise, 
I  had  not  ask'd,  why  dost  thou  shun 
These  faithful  arms,  and  eager  run 
To  some  obscure,  unclean  retreat, 
With  fiends  incarnate  glad  to  meet, 
The  vile  companions  of  thy  mirth. 
The  scum  and  refuse  of  the  earth  ? 
Who  when  inspir'd  with  beer  can  grin 
At  witless  oaths,  and  jests  obscene  ; 


MRS.  WRIGHT. 


63 


Till  the  most  learned  of  the  throng 
Begin  a  tale  of  ten  hours  long, 
Whilst  thou  in  raptures,  with  stretch'd  jaws, 
Crownest  ea^h  joke  with  loud  applause. 

Depriv'd  of  freedom,  health,  and  ease, 
And  rival'd  by  such  things  as  these, 
This  latest  effort  will  I  try, 
Or  to  regain  thine  heart,  or  die  : 
Soft  as  I  am,  I  '11  make  thee  see, 
I  will  not  brook  contempt  from  thee. 
Then  quit  the  shuffling  doubtful  sense, 
Nor  hold  me  longer  in  suspense. 
Unkind,  ungrateful  as  thou  art. 
Say,  must  I  ne'er  regain  thy  heart  ? 
Must  all  attempts  to  please  thee  prove 
Unable  to  regain  thy  love? 
If  so,  by  truth  itself  I  swear, 
The  sad  reverse  I  cannot  bear ; 
No  rest,  no  pleasure  will  I  see, 
My  whole  of  bliss  is  lost  with  thee. 
I  '11  give  all  thought  of  patience  o'er, 
(A  gift  I  never  lost  before) 
Indulge  at  once  my  rage  and  grief, 
Mourn  obstinate,  disdain  relief; 
And  call  that  wretch  my  mortal  foe, 
Wlio  tries  to  mitigate  my  woe  ; 
Till  life,  on  terms  severe  as  these, 
Shall  ebbing  leave  my  heart  at  ease  ; 
To  thee  thy  liberty  restore, 
To  laugh  when  Hetty  is  no  more. 

The  following  beautiful  lines  seem  to  have  been  a  mere  extempore 
effusion  poured  out  from  the  fulness  of  her  heart  on  the  occasion,  and 
sharpened  with  the  keen  distress  of  her  hopeless  situation. 

HER  ADDRESS  TO  HER  DYING  INFANT,*  SEPTEMBER,  1728. 

Tender  softness !  infant  mild  ! 
Perfect,  sweetest,  loveliest  child ! 
Transient  lustre !  beauteous  clay  ! 
Smiling  wonder  of  a  day ! 
Ere  the  last  convulsive  start 
Rend  thy  unresisting  heart, 
Ere  the  long  enduring  swoon 
Weigh  thy  precious  eye-lids  down  ; 
Ah,  regard  a  mother's  moan ; 
Anguish  deeper  than  thy  own. 

Fairest  eyes,  whose  dawning  light 
Late  with  rapture  bless'd  my  sight ; 
Ere  your  orbs  extinguish' d  be. 
Bend  their  trembling  beams  on  me! 
Drooping  sweetness  !  verdant  flower ! 
Blooming,  wiih'ring  in  an  hour ! 


*  The  child  died  the  third  day  after  it  was  born.   Private  papers. 
6* 


54 


MRS.  WRIGHT. 


Ere  thy  gentle  breast  sustains 
Latest,  fiercest,  mortal  pains, 
Hear  a  suppliant !  let  me  be 
Partner  in  thy  destiny  ! 

That  whene'er  the  fatal  cloud 
Must  thy  radiant  temples  shroud  ; 
When  deadly  damps  (impending  now) 
Shall  hover  round  thy  destin'd  brow; 
Diffusive  may  their  influence  be. 
And  with  the  blossom  blast  the  tree  ! 

In  this  state  of  mind,  and  declining  fast  in  health,  she  wrote  the 
following  Epitaph  for  herself : 

"  Destin'd  while  living,  to  sustain 
An  equal  share  of  grief  and  pain  ! 
All  various  ills  of  human  race 
Within  this  breast  had  once  a  place. 
Without  complaint  she  learn'd  to  bear 
A  living  death,  a  long  despair; 
Till  hard  oppressed  by  adverse  fate 
O'ercharg'd,  she  sunk  beneath  the  weight, 
And  to  this  peaceful  tomb  retird, 
So  much  esteem'd,  so  long  desir'd ! 
The  painful,  mortal  conflict 's  o'er  : 
A  broken  heart  can  bleed  no  more." 

Mrs.  Wright  however  lived  many  years  after  this ;  and  at  length 
religion  coming  to  her  aid.  it  soothed  the  anguish  of  her  mind,  and 
gave  her  peace,  though  she  never  recovered  her  health. 

The  first  religious  letter  she  wrote  to  Mr.  Wesley  was  in  1743  ;  she 
says,  "  Some  years  ago  I  told  my  brother  Charles,  I  could  not  be  of 
his  way  of  thinking  then,  but  that  if  ever  I  Avas,  I  would  as  freely 
own  it.  After  I  was  convinced  of  sin — and  of  your  opinion  as  far 
as  I  had  examined  your  principles,  I  still  forbore  declaring  my  senti- 
ments so  openly  as  I  had  inclination  to  do,  fearing  I  should  relapse 
into  my  former  state.  When  I  was  delivered  from  this  fear,  and  had 
a  blessed  hope,  that  he  who  had  begun,  would  finish  his  work,  I 
never  confessed,  so  fully  as  I  ought,  how  entirely  I  was  of  your 
mind;  because  I  was  taxed  with  insincerity  and  hypocrisy  whenever 
I  opened  my  mouth  in  favor  of  religion,  or  owned  how  great  things 
God  had  done  for  me.  This  discouraged  me  utterly,  and  prevented 
me  from  making  my  change  as  public  as  my  folly  and  vanity  had 
formerly  been.  But  now  my  health  is  gone,  I  cannot  be  easy  with- 
out declaring  that  I  have  long  desired  to  know  but  one  thing ;  that  is 
Jesus  Christ  and  him  crucified;  and  this  desire  prevails  above  all 
others.  And  though  I  am  cut  ofi"  from  all  human  help  or  ministry,  I 
am  not  without  assistance ;  though  I  have  no  spiritual  friend,  nor 
ever  had  one  yet,  except  perhaps  once  in  a  year  or  two,  when  I  have 
seen  one  of  my  brothers,  or  some  other  religious  person,  by  stealth ; 


MRS.  WRIGHT. 


65 


yet  (no  thanks  to  me)  I  am  enabled  to  seek  him  still,  and  to  be  sat- 
isfied with  nothing  less  than  God,  in  whose  presence  I  affirm  this 
truth.  I  dare  not  desire  health,  only  patience,  resignation,  and  the 
spirit  of  an  healthful  mind — I  have  been  so  long  weak,  that  I  know 
not  how  long  my  trial  may  last ;  but  I  have  a  firm  persuasion  and 
blessed  hope  (though  no  full  assurance)  that  in  the  country  I  am 
going  to,  I  shall  not  sing  hallelujah,  and  holy,  holy,  holy,  without 
company,  as  I  have  done  in  this.  Dear  brother,  I  am  unused  to  speak 
or  write  on  these  things — I  only  speak  my  plain  thoughts  as  they 
occur.  Adieu.  If  you  have  time  from  better  business,  to  send  a  line 
to  Stanmore,  so  great  a  comfort  would  be  as  welcome  as  it  is  wanted." 

In  July,  1744,  she  wrote  to  her  brother  from  Bristol,  where  it  seems 
she  then  resided,  at  least  for  some  time.  She  speaks  of  herself  in  the 
most  humiliating  terms.  She  highly  commends  the  christian  friend- 
ship of  Mrs.  Vigor,  Miss  Stafford,  and  some  others.  She  now  enjoy- 
ed the  means  of  grace,  and  the  benefit  of  conversation  with  the 
people  of  the  society,  and  continued  to  grow  in  grace  and  in  the 
knowledge  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ. 

Mrs.  Wright  persevered  in  a  religious  course  of  life,  patient  in  her 
sufferings,  resigned  to  her  weakness,  and  waiting  for  full  salvation  in 
a  deliverance  from  this  mortal  state,  till  1751.  In  March  this  year, 
Mr.  Charles  Wesley  speaks  thus  of  her — "Prayed  by  my  sister 
Wright,  a  gracious,  tender,  trembling  soul ;  a  bruised  reed,  which  the 
Lord  will  not  break."  She  died  on  the  21st  of  the  same  month, 
and  Mr.  Charles  preached  her  funeral  sermon.  He  observes  that  he 
had  sweet  fellov/ship  with  her  in  explaining  those  words,  "  Thy  sun 
shall  no  more  go  down,  neither  shall  thy  moon  withdraw  itself;  for 
the  Lord  shall  be  thine  everlasting  light,  and  the  days  of  thy  mourn- 
ing shall  be  ended."  He  adds,  "  All  present  seemed  partakers  both 
of  my  sorrow  and  my  joy." 

From  this  authentic  account  of  Mrs.  Wright,  taken  from  original 
letters,  we  may  correct  an  error  of  Mr.  Buncombe  concerning  her. 
This  gentleman  has  insinuated  in  his  Peminead,  that  her  pungent 
distress  and  gloomy  despair,  originated  from  mistaken  and  supersti- 
tious views  of  religion :  it  appears,  on  the  contrary,  that  they  arose 
from  a  very  different  cause,  and  that  religion  was  the  thing  that  re- 
stored her  to  peace  and  happiness ;  and  indeed  the  only  thing  that 
could  do  it.    Mr.  Buncombe's  words  are, 

"  But  ah !  why  heaves  my  breast  this  pensive  sigh  ? 
Why  starts  this  tear  unbidden  from  my  eye  ? 
What  breast  from  sighs,  what  eye  from  tears  refrains, 
When  sweetly,  mournful  hapless  Wright  complains  ? 
And  who  but  grieves  to  see  her  gen'rous  mind, 
For  nobler  views,  and  worthier  guests  design'd, 
Amidst  the  hateful  form  of  black  despair, 
Wan  with  the  gloom  of  superstitious  care  ? 


66 


MRS.  WRIGHT. 


In  pity-moving  lays,  with  earnest  cries, 
She  call'd  on  heaven  to  close  her  weary  eyes, 
And  long  on  earth  by  heart-felt  woes  opprest, 
Was  borne  by  friendly  death  to  welcome  rest !  "* 

It  is  grievous  to  see  authors,  whose  works  are  hkely  to  be  read, 
take  every  opportunity  to  dress  out  reUgion  in  the  most  ugly  forms 
they  can  invent,  to  deter  young  people  from  embracing  it,  and  attri- 
buting to  it  the  calamities  of  life  which  religion  alone  is  able  to 
alleviate  and  redress. 

The  following  among  other  poetical  compositions,  were  written  by 
Mrs.  Wright;  but  at  what  period  of  her  life  I  do  not  know. 

TO  THE  MEMORY  OF  HER  UNCLE.   A  PHYSICIAN.f   HE  DIED  IN  17374 

How  can  the  muse  attempt  the  string, 

Forsaken  by  her  guardian  power : 
Ah  me !  that  she  survives  to  sing, 

Her  friend  and  patron,  now  no  more  ! 
Yet  private  grief  she  might  suppress, 

Since  Clio  bears  no  selfish  mind ; 
But  oh  !  she  mourns  to  wild  excess 

The  friend  and  patron  of  mankind. 

Alas  !  the  sovereign  healing  art, 

Which  rescu'd  thousands  from  the  grave, 
Unaided  left  the  gentlest  heart, 

Nor  could  its  skilful  master  save. 
Who  shall  the  helpless  sex  sustain, 

Now  Varo's  lenient  hand  is  gone  ? 
Which  knew  so  well  to  soften  pain. 

And  ward  all  dangers  but  his  own. 

His  darling  muse,  his  Clio  dear, 

Whom  first  his  favor  rais'd  to  fame, 
His  gentle  voice  vouchsaf 'd  to  cheer  j 

His  art  upheld  her  tender  frame. 
Pale  envy  durst  not  show  her  teeth. 

Above  contempt  she  gaily  shone 
Chief  favorite  ;  till  the  hand  of  death 

Endanger'd  both  by  striking  one. 

Perceiving  well,  devoid  of  fear, 

His  latest  fatal  conflict  nigh, 
Reclin'd  on  her  he  held  most  dear, 

Whose  breast  receiv'd  his  parting  sigh ; 
With  every  art  and  grace  adorn'd, 

By  man  admir'd,  by  heaven  approv'd. 
Good  Varo  died — applauded,  mourn'd. 

And  honor'd  by  the  muse  he  lov'd. 

*  See  Christian  Magazine,  vol.  iii.  p.  523. 

t  Christian  Magazine,  vol.  iii.  p.  284.    See  above,  page  25. 

X  Mr.  Charles  Wesley's  Journal. 


MRS.  WRIGHT. 


TO  THE  MEMORY  OF  HER  SISTER. 

If  happy  spirits  are  allowed  to  know, 
And  hover  round  what  once  they  lov'd  below, 
Maria,  gentlest  excellence,  attend. 
To  one  who  glories  to  have  call'd  thee  friend ! 
Remote  in  merit,  though  allied  in  blood. 
Though  worthless  I,  and  thou  divinely  good  ; 
Accept,  dear  shade,  from  me  these  artless  lays, 
Who  never  durst  unjustly  blame  or  praise. 

With  business  and  devotion  never  cloy'd. 
No  moment  of  thy  life  pass'd  unemploy'd  : 
Well-natur'd  mirth,  matur'd  discretion  join'd, 
Constant  attendants  on  the  virtuous  mind  : 
Ah  me !  that  heav'n  has  from  this  bosom  torn 
The  dearest  friend  whom  I  must  ever  mourn, 
Ere  Stella  could  discharge  the  smallest  part 
Of  what  she  ow'd  to  such  immense  desert. 

Pleasing  thy  face  and  form,  though  heav'n  confin'd 
To  scanty  limits  thy  extensive  mind : 
Witness  the  taintless  lustre  of  thy  skin. 
Bright  emblem  of  the  brighter  soul  within  j 
That  soul  which  easy,  unaffected,  mild, 
Through  jetty  eyes  with  pleasing  sweetness  smil'd. 

To  soundest  prudence,  life's  unerring  gnide, 
To  love  sincere,  religion  void  of  pride  ; 
To  friendship,  perfect  in  a  female  mind. 
Which  I  can  never  hope  again  to  find : 
To  mirth,  the  balm  of  care,  from  lightness  free. 
To  steadfast  truth,  unwearied  industry. 
To  every  charm  and  grace,  compris'd  in  you. 
Sister  and  friend,  a  long  and  last  adieu ! 


A  FAREWELL  TO  THE  WORLD. 

While  sickness  rends  this  tenement  of  clay, 
Th'  approaching  change  with  pleasure  I  survey, 
O'erjoyed  to  reach  the  goal  with  eager  pace, 
Ere  my  slow  life  has  measur'd  half  its  race. 
No  longer  shall  I  bear,  my  friends  to  please, 
The  hard  constraint  of  seeming  much  at  ease, 
Wearing  an  outward  smile,  a  look  serene. 
While  piercing  racks  and  tortures  lurk  within. 
Yet  let  me  not,  ungrateful  to  my  God, 
Record  the  evil,  and  forget  the  good. 
For  both  I  humble  adoration  pay. 
And  bless  the  power  who  gives  and  takes  away : 
Long  shall  my  faithful  memory  retain, 
And  oft  recall  each  interval  of  pain. 
Nay  to  high  heav'n  for  greater  gifts  I  bend, 
Health  I 've  enjoyed,  and  I  had  once  a  friend 
Our  labor  sweet,  if  labor  it  may  seem, 
Allow'd  the  sportive  and  instructive  scene : 


68 


MRS.  WRIGHT. 


Yet  here  no  lewd  or  useless  wit  was  found, 
"We  pois'd  the  wav'ring  sail  with  ballast  sound. 
Learning  here  plac'd  her  richer  stores  in  view, 
Or,  wing'd  with  love,  the  minutes  gaily  flew. 

Nay,  yet  sublimer  joys  our  bosoms  prov'd, 
Divine  benevolence,  by  heav'n  belov'd  : 
Wan  meagre  forms,  torn  from  impending  death, 
Exulting,  bless'd  us  with  reviving  breath. 
The  shiv'ring  wretch  we  cloth'd,  the  mourner  cheer'd. 
And  sickness  ceas'd  to  groan  when  we  appear'd. 
Unask'd,  our  care  assists  with  tender  art 
Their  bodies,  nor  neglects  th'  immortal  part. 

Sometimes,  in  shades  impierc'd  by  Cynthia's  beam, 
Whose  lustre  glimmer'd  on  the  dimpled  stream ; 
We  led  the  sprightly  dance  through  sylvan  scenes, 
Or  tripp'd  like  fairies  o'er  the  level  greens  ; 
In  ev'ry  breast  a  gen'rous  fervor  glows, 
Soft  bliss,  which  innocence  alone  bestows  ! 
From  fragrant  herbage,  deck'd  with  pearly  dews, 
And  flow'rets  of  a  thousand  various  hues. 
By  wafting  gales  the  mingling  odors  fly, 
And  round  our  heads  in  whisp'ring  breezes  sigh. 
Whole  nature  seems  to  heighten  and  improve 
The  holier  hours  of  innocence  and  love. 
Youth,  wit,  good  nature,  candor,  sense,  combin'd, 
To  serve,  delight,  and  civilize  mankind ; 
In  wisdom's  lore  we  ev'ry  heart  engage. 
And  triumph  to  restore  the  golden  age  ! 

Now  close  the  blissful  scene,  exhausted  muse. 
The  latest  blissful  scene  which  thou  shalt  choose  j 
Satiate  with  life,  what  joys  for  me  remain. 
Save  one  dear  wish,  to  balance  ev'ry  pain  j 
To  bow  my  head,  with  grief  and  toil  opprest, 
Till  borne  by  angel-bands  to  everlasting  rest. 

Miss  Kezzy  Wesley  was  addressed  by  Mr.  Hall,  a  young  gentle- 
man of  a  good  understanding,  agreeable  in  his  person,  and  engaging 
in  his  address.  He  was  entered  at  Lincoln  College  as  Mr.  Wesley's 
pupil,  on  the  22d  of  January,  1731 ;  but  Mr.  Wesley  was  totally  igno- 
rant of  the  matter  when  he  first  paid  his  addresses  to  his  sister.^^ 
Mr.  Hall,  I  think,  entered  into  orders  while  he  was  at  Oxfbird ;  and 
though  most  of  the  family  thought  highly  of  him  in  every  respect  as 
a  religious  character,  yet  Samuel  Wesley  strongly  doubted  his  sincer- 
ity. Mr.  John  Wesley  believed  him  sincere  and  pious,  but  in  a  letter 
written  to  his  mother,  when  Mr.  Hall  was  at  Oxford,  he  speaks  of 
him  as  highly  enthusiastic  and  superstitious.  After  he  had  gained 
the  affections  of  the  young  lady  he  quitted  her,  and  paid  his  ad- 
dresses to  her  elder  sister.    The  family  opposed  this  conduct  with 

♦  This  appears  from  a  letter  Mr.  Wesley  wrote  to  Mr.  Hall,  in  which  he  mentions  this 
circumstance. 


THE  REV.  SAMUEL  WESLEY  JUNIOR. 


59 


great  vehemence,  especially  the  three  brothers.  But  the  marriage, 
notwithstanding,  took  place,  and  the  future  conduct  of  Mr.  Hall  by- 
no  means  corresponded  to  the  expectations  they  at  first  formed  of 
him.  After  some  years  he  quitted  his  wife,  and  afterwards  lived  in 
the  most  loose  and  scandalous  manner.  Mrs.  Hall  bore  her  trials 
with  remarkable  patience  and  resignation.  Indeed  in  this  respect  she 
was  a  pattern  to  all  Christians ;  for  I  do  not  remember,  that  I  ever 
heard  her  speak  ill  of  any  person,  whatever  injuries  she  might  have 
received. — Miss  Kezzy  Wesley  died  on  the  9th  of  March,  1741,  and 
Mr.  Charles  gives  the  following  account  of  her  death  in  a  letter  to 
his  brother. 

"Yesterday  morning  sister  Kezzy  died  in  the  Lord  Jesus.  He 
finished  his  work,  and  cut  it  short  in  mercy — full  of  thankfulness, 
resignation  and  love,  without  pain  or  trouble,  she  commended  her 
spirit  into  the  hands  of  Jesus,  and  fell  asleep."  Mrs.  Hall  survived 
all  her  brothers  and  sisters,  and  died  in  peace,  July  12th,  1791. 


CHAPTER  V. 

Of  the  Rev.  Samuel  Wesley  Junior. 

Samuel  Wesley,  M.  A.,  son  of  Samuel  and  Susannah  Wesley,  was 
born  about  1692,=^  a  year  or  two  before  his  parents  removed  to 
Epworth  ;  being  nearly  eleven  years  older  than  his  brother  Mr.  John 
Wesley,  and  sixteen  older  than  Mr.  Charles.  He  was  sent  to  Westmin- 
ster School  about  the  beginning  of  the  year  1704,  and  admitted  a  King's 
Scholar  in  1707.f  Before  he  left  home,  his  mother,  by  judicious  and 
constant  instruction,  had  formed  his  mind  to  a  knowledge  and  serious 
sense  of  religion ;  but  she  knew  the  danger  of  his  situation  at  West- 
minster, and  how  exceedingly  apt  young  persons  are  to  be  drawn  aside 
from  religion  and  virtue,  by  improper  companions,  and  bad  examples 
constantly  before  their  eyes.  On  this  account  she  was  anxious  for  the 
preservation  of  his  morals,  as  he  grew  up  and  became  more  exposed 
to  the  temptations  of  evil.  After  she  had  recovered  from  the  shock  of 
the  fire  which  destroyed  all  they  had,  and  from  the  fury  of  which 
they  saved  themselves  with  great  difficulty,  she  wrote  to  him  a  long 
letter,  dated  October,  1709  ;  which,  for  the  importance  of  the  matter, 
and  the  energy  with  which  it  is  written,  is  highly  deserving  of 
preservation ;  but  on  account  of  its  length  I  can  insert  only  a  part  of  it. 
This  part  of  it,  however,  will  bring  forward  to  the  view  of  parents  an 

*  This  date  of  his  birth  is  taken  from  a  memorandum,  which  Mr.  John  Wesley  wrote 
on  the  back  of  one  of  his  brother's  letters. 

t  Welch's  List  of  Scholars  of  St.  Peter's  College,  Westminster,  as  U*«y  were  elected  to 
Christ  Church,  Oxford,  and  to  Trinity  College,  Cambridge,  p.  91. 


THE  KEV.  SAMUEL  WESLEY  JUNIOR. 


example  of  attention  to  the  best  interest  of  a  child,  which  it  will  be 
their  happiness  and  glory  to  follow. 

"I  hope,"  says  she,  "  that  you  retain  the  impressions  of  your 
education,  nor  have  forgot  that  the  vows  of  God  are  upon  you.  You 
know  that  the  first  fruits  are  heaven's  by  an  unalienable  right ;  and 
that,  as  your  parents  devoted  you  to  the  service  of  the  altar,  so  you 
yourself  made  it  your  choice  when  your  father  was  offered  another 
way  of  life  for  you.  But  have  you  duly  considered  what  such  a 
choice,  and  such  a  dedication  imports  ?  Consider  well,  what  sepa- 
ration from  the  world  !  what  purity  !  what  devotion  I  what  exemplary 
virtue  !  is  required  in  those  who  are  to  guide  others  to  glory.  I  say 
exemplary,  for  low,  common  degrees  of  piety  are  not  sufficient  for 
those  of  the  sacred  function.  You  must  not  think  to  live  like  the  rest 
of  the  world :  your  light  must  so  shine  among  men,  that  they  may 
see  your  good  works,  and  thereby  be  led  to  glorify  your  Father  which 
is  in  heaven.  For  my  part,  I  cannot  see  with  what  face  clergymen 
can  reprove  sinners,  or  exhort  men  to  lead  a  good  life,  when  they 
themselves  indulge  their  own  corrupt  inclinations,  and  by  their 
practice  contradict  their  doctrine.  If  the  holy  Jesus  be  in  truth  their 
Master,  and  they  are  really  his  ambassadors,  surely  it  becomes  them  to 
live  like  his  disciples  ;  and  if  they  do  not,  what  a  sad  account  must 
they  give  of  their  stewardship. 

"  I  would  advise  you,  as  much  as  possible  in  your  present  circum- 
stances, to  throw  your  business  into  a  certain  method ;  by  which 
means  you  will  learn  to  improve  every  precious  moment,  and  find  an 
unspeakable  facility  in  the  performance  of  your  respective  duties. 
Begin  and  end  the  day  with  him  who  is  the  Alpha  and  Omega ;  and  if 
you  really  experience  what  it  is  to  love  God,  you  will  redeem 
all  the  time  you  can  for  his  more  immediate  service.  I  will  tell  you 
what  rule  I  used  to  observe  when  I  was  in  my  father's  house,  and 
had  as  little,  if  not  less  liberty  than  you  have  now  :  I  used  to  allow 
myself  as  much  time  for  recreation  as  I  spent  in  private  devotion ;  not 
that  I  always  spent  so  much,  but  I  gave  myself  leave  to  go  so  far,  but 
no  farther.  So  in  all  things  else,  appoint  so  much  time  for  sleep, 
eating,  company,  &c.  But  above  all  things,  my  dear  Sammy,  I  com- 
mand, I  beg,  I  beseech  you,  to  be  very  strict  in  observing  the  Lord's 
day.  In  all  things  endeavor  to  act  upon  principle,  and  do  not  live  like 
the  rest  of  mankind,  who  pass  through  the  world  like  straws  upon  a 
river  which  are  carried  which  way  the  stream  or  wind  drives  them. 
Often  put  this  question  to  yourself.  Why  do  I  this  or  that  1  Why  do 
I  pray,  read,  study,  use  devotion,  &c.  7 — by  which  means  you  will 
come  to  such  a  steadiness  and  consistency  in  your  words  and  actions, 
as  becomes  a  reasonable  creature  and  a  good  Christian." — These 
observations  were  worthy  of  the  mother,  and  they  were  properly 
regarded  and  followed  by  the  son. 


THE  REV.  SAMUEL  WESLEY  JUNIOR. 


61 


When  senior  scholar  at  Westminster,  the  Bishop  of  Rochester''^ 
took  him  to  his  seat  at  Bromley,  in  Kent,  to  read  to  him  in  the 
evenings.  He  was  at  this  time  eagerly  pursuing  his  studies,  and  this 
circumstance,  which  for  several  reasons  would  have  been  highly 
gratifying  to  many,  was  to  him  no  small  mortification.  From  this 
place  he  wrote  a  Latin  letter  to  his  father,  in  August,  1710,  in  which 
he  complains  heavily  of  the  bishop  for  the  interruption  he  gave  him  in 
his  learning.  An  extract  from  this  letter  I  shall  insert  below, f  and  give 
the  general  purport  of  it  in  English.  Speaking  of  the  bishop,  he  ob- 
serves, "  He  will  always  be  exceedingly  troublesome  to  me  both  in 
sacred  and  profane  learning;  for  he  interrupts  the  studies  to  which  I 
had  applied  with  all  my  might.  Last  year,  in  the  midst  of  our 
business  in  the  college,  he  took  me  off  both  from  study  and  from  school, 
not  only  without  any  benefit,  but  without  calling  me  to  any  thing  which 
had  even  the  appearance  of  either  utility  or  pleasure.  To-day  he  is 
from  home,  or  1  should  scarcely  have  leisure  to  write  this  letter.  He 
chose  me  from  all  the  scholars,  me,  who  am  hoarse  and  short-sighted, 
to  read  to  him  at  night.  I  am  glad  you  enjoy  good  health.  I  beg 
yours  and  my  mother's  blessing.  1  saw  my  grandmother]:  in  the 
last  holidays ;  in  those  which  are  approaching  I  cannot,  because  I  am 
detained  by  an  unfriendly  friend." 

He  was  about  eighteen  years  old  when  he  wrote  this  letter,  and 
iiot  yet  removed  from  school.  We  may  observe  in  it  marks  of  a 
strong  mind,  wholly  devoted  to  the  pursuit  of  classical  knowledge ; 
and  considering  his  age  and  situation  at  the  time,  it  shows  a  progress 
in  learning  which  does  him  credit. 

His  mother's  advices  had  a  proper  effect  on  his  mind,  and  were  the 
means  of  preserving  him  from  vices  too  common  to  the  youth  of  the 
place.  He  retained  his  sobriety,  his  reverence  for  God,  and  regard 
for  religion.  In  December  this  year  he  wrote  to  his  mother,  and  the 
following  extract  from  his  letter  gives  a  pleasing  view  of  his  sim- 
plicity, and  serious  attention  to  the  state  of  his  own  heart,  and  the 
i  first  motions  of  evil.  "  I  received  the  sacrament,"  says  he,  "  the  first 
Sunday  of  this  month — I  am  unstable  as  water — I  frequently  make 
good  resolutions  and  keep  them  for  a  time,  and  then  grow  weary  of 
the  restraint.    I  have  one  grand  failing,  which  is,  that  having  done 

I    ♦  The  predecessor  of  Atterbury,  who  was  not  advanced  to  the  see  of  Rochester  till  1713. 
I    \  Speaking  of  the  bishop,  he  says,  "  lUe  mihi,  et  in  sacris  et  in  profanis  rebus  semper 
I  erit  infesiissimus  ;  studia  enim  intermitti  cogit,  quibus  pro  virili  incubueram.    Ultimo  annO' 
I  in  coUegio  agendo,  ubi  non  mihi  seniori  opus  est  amiconim  hospitio,  a  studiis  et  a  schola. 
I  me  detraxit ;  non  modo  nullam  ad  utilitatem,  sed  ne  ad  minimam  quidem  vel  utilitatis  vel 

voluptaiis  speciem  me  vocavit.  Ipse  hodie  foras  est,  aliter  vix  otium  foret  quo  has  scribe- 
!  rem.  Me  ex  omnibus  discipulis  elegit,  ut  perlegerem  ei  noctu  libros ;  me  raucum,  me 
\uvmna.  Gaudeo  vos  valetudine  bona  frui.  Tuam  et  maternam  benedictionem  ore — 
i  Episcopus  jussit  me  illius  in  Uteris  mentionem  facere.    Da  veniam  subilis — Aviam  ultimis 

festis  vidi ;  his  venientibus  non  possum,  quia  ab  inimico  amico  detineor." 
X  The  widow  of  Mr.  John  Wesley,  of  New-Inn  Hall,  Oxford,,  and  niece  to  Dr.  Tiiomas  - 

Fuller.    She  had  now  been  a  widow  near  forty  years. 


62 


THE  REV.  SAIMUEL  WESLEY  JUNIOR. 


my  duty,  I  undervalue  others,  and  think  what  wretches  the  rest  of 
the  college  are  compared  with  me.  Sometimes  in  my  relapses  I  cry 
out,  '  Can  the  Ethiopian  change  his  skin,  and  the  leopard  his  spots, 
then  may  you  also  do  good  who  are  accustomed  to  do  evil :'  but  1 
answer  again,  '  With  men  this  is  impossible  :  but  with  God  all  things 
are  possible.'  Amen." 

The  next  year,  1711,  he  was  elected  to  Christ  Church,  Oxford 
and  here,  as  well  as  at  Westminster,  he  acquired  the  character  of  an 
excellent  classic  scholar.    Bnt  his  mind  was  too  large,  and  his  zeal 
for  religion  and  the  established  church  too  ardent,  to  be  confined  with- 
in the  bounds  prescribed  by  the  common  exercises  of  the  place. 

The  following  letter  shows  that  he  took  an  active  part  in  some  of 
the  principal  questions  agitated  among  the  literati  of  that  time.  It  is 
dated  June  3,  1713,  when  he  had  been  about  two  years  at  Oxford; 
and  is  addressed  to  the  Honorable  Robert  Nelson,  Esquire.  He  says, 
"  I  hoped  long  ere  this  to  have  perfected,  as  well  I  could,  my  disser- 
tation on  Ignatius,  and  gotten  it  ready  for  the  press,  when  I  came  to 
town  this  year.  But  I  found  myself  disappointed,  at  first,  for  some 
months,  by  my  aff"airs  in  the  East  India  House,  and  since  by  my 
charity  hymns  and  other  matters.  I  think  I  told  you  some  time  since 
that  I  had  laid  materials  together  for  a  second  discourse  on  that  sub- 
ject, directly  against  Mr.  Whiston's  objections  to  the  shorter  and 
genuine  copy  of  Ignatius;  whereas  my  former  was  chiefly  against 
the  larger;  because  I  then  thought,  if  that  were  proved  interpolated, 
it  would  be  readily  granted  that  the  other  was  the  genuine.  But 
having  found,  when  Mr.  Whiston's  four  volumes  came  out,  that  he 
had  in  the  first  of  them  laid  together  many  objections  against  the 
shorter  epistles,  I  set  myself  to  consider  them ;  and  having  now  got 
Archbishop  Usher,  Bishop  Pearson,  and  Dr.  Smyth,  on  that  subject, 
and  as  carefully  as  I  could  perused  them,  I  found  that  many  of  Mr. 
Whiston's  objections  were  taken  from  Daille,  a  few  from  the  writings 
of  the  Socinians  and  modem  Arians,  though  most  of  them  from  his 
own  observations.  These  latter  being  new,  and  having  not  appeared 
when  Bishop  Pearson  or  the  others  wrote,  could  not  be  taken  notice 
of  by  them,  and  being  now  published  in  the  English  language,  may 
seduce  some  well-meaning  persons,  and  persuade  them  that  the  true 
Ignatius  was  of  the  same  opinion  with  the  Arians  (whereas  I  am 
sure  he  was  as  far  from  it  as  light  is  from  darkness)  and  that  the 
rather  because  there  has  been  as  yet  no  answer,  that  I  know  of,  pub- 
lished to  them,  though  they  were  printed  in  the  year  1711.  I  know 
many  are  of  opinion  it  is  best  still  to  slight  him  and  take  no  notice 
of  him.  This  I  confess  is  the  most  easy  way,  but  cannot  tell  whether 
it  will  be  safe  in  respect  to  the  common  people,  or  will  tend  so  much 
to  the  honor  of  our  church  and  nation.    Of  this,  however,  I  am  pretty 


♦  Welch's  List,  &c.  page  95. 


THE  REV.  SAMUEL  WESLEY  JUNIOR. 


confident,  that  I  can  prove  all  his  main  objections,  whether  general 
or  particular,  against  the  shorter  copy,  to  be  notoriously  false.  Such 
as  that  pp.  86,  87,  'that  the  smaller  so  frequently  call  Christ  God,' 
which  he  says  was  done  to  serve  the  turn  of  the  Athanasians,  and 
cannot  in  reason  be  supposed  to  be  an  omission  in  the  larger,  but 
must  be  interpolation  in  the  smaller :  whereas  I  hud  that  the  smaller 
call  him  God  but  fifteen  times,  the  larger  eighteen,  and  if  we  take  in 
those  to  Antioch  and  Tarsus,  twenty-two  times,  for  an  obvious 
reason. 

''Again,  he  says,  p.  64,  that  serious  exhortations  to  practical,  espe- 
cially domestic  duties,  are  in  the  larger  only,  being  to  a  surprising 
degree  omitted  in  the  smaller.  But  I  have  collected  above  one  hun- 
dred instances  wherein  these  duties  are  most  pressingly  recommended 
in  the  smaller. 

"  But  what  he  labors  most,  is  to  prove  that  the  first  quotations  in 
Eusebius  and  others  of  the  ancients  are  agreeable  to  the  larger,  not 
the  smaller — whereas,  on  my  tracing  and  comparing  them  all,  as  far 
as  I  have  had  opportunity,  I  have  found  this  assertion  to  be  a  palpa- 
ble mistake,  unless  in  one  quotation  from  the  Chronicon  Alexandri- 
num,  or  Paschale — I  would  gladly  see  Montfaucon  de  causa  Marcelli, 
St.  Basil  contra  Marcellum,  observations  on  Pearson's  Vindiciae,  and 
some  good  account  of  the  Jewish  Sephiroth ;  because  I  think  the 
Gnostics,  Basilidians,  and  Yalentinians,  borrowed  many  of  their  iEons 
from  them,  since  they  have  the  same  names ;  and  this  might  perhaps 
give  further  light  to  the  famous  sjfh  of  Ignatius ;  for  the  clearing 
whereof  Bishop  Pearson,  Dr.  Bull,  and  Grotius  have  so  well  labored." 

This  letter  shows  the  spirit  and  zeal  of  Mr.  Wesley  for  sound  doc- 
trine, and  docs  credit  to  so  young  a  student.  When  he  had  taken  his 
Master's  degree,  or  perhaps  before  he  took  it,  he  was  sent  for  to  ofiici- 
ate  as  Usher  at  Westminster  school ;  and  soon  afterwards  he  took 
orders,  under  the  patronage  of  Dr.  Atterbury,  Bishop  of  Rochester, 
and  Dean  of  Westminster.  He  became  an  able,  judicious  divine  :  his 
conduct  in  discharging  the  various  duties  of  life,  was  exemplary,  and 
did  honor  to  his  profession  as  a  Christian  and  a  minister  of  the  gospel-. 
He  was  a  man  who  had  the  nicest  sense  of  honor  and  integrity ;  and 
the  utmost  abhorrence  of  duplicity  and  falsehood.  He  was  humane 
and  charitable ;  not  only  administering  to  the  wants  of  the  poor  and 
afilicted,  as  far  as  his  income  would  permit,  but  also  using  his  influ- 
ence with  others  to  procure  them  relief  In  filial  affection  and  duty 
to  parents,  he  was  remarkable ;  no  man  in  the  same  circumstances 
ever  shone  brighter  than  he,  in  this  branch  of  christian  duty,  through 
the  whole  course  of  his  life. 

Mr.  Samuel  Wesley  was  highly  esteemed  by  Lord  Oxford,  Bishop 
Atterbury,  Mr.  Pope,  and  several  other  persons  among  the  first  char- 
acters in  the  kingdom,  for  rank  and  literary  talents.  With  Lord 
Oxford  and  Mr.  Pope  he  held  a  friendly  correspondence;  with  Bishop 


64 


THE  REV.  SAMUEL  WESLEY  JUNIOR. 


Atterbury  he  was  in  close  habits  of  friendship.  Atterbury  was  a  man 
of  first-rate  abiUties :  he  had  a  fine  genius  improved  by  study,  and  a 
spirit  to  exert  his  talents.  His  notions  of  Church  government  were 
very  high,  and  on  this  subject  there  was  perfect  harmony  between 
them.  The  bishop  had  made  himself  an  object  of  hatred  to  Walpole 
and  the  rest  of  the  King's  ministers,  by  the  opposition  which  he  gave, 
in  the  House  of  Lords,  to  their  measures ;  being  generally  among  the 
protestors,  and  drawing  up  the  reasons  of  the  protests  with  his  own 
hand.    On  the  24th  of  August,  1722,^  he  was  apprehended  under  a 

*  March  23d,  1723,  a  bill  was  brought  into  the  House  of  Commons,  for  "inflicting  cer- 
tain pains  and  penalties  on  Francis  Lord  Bishop  of  Rochester."  The  bill  passed  the 
Commons  on  the  9th  of  April,  and  on  the  6th  of  May  the  bishop  was  brought  to  West- 
minster to  make  his  defence  before  the  House  of  Lords.  In  the  course  of  his  defence  he 
observes,  "  Here  is  a  plot  of  a  year  or  two  standing,  to  subvert  the  government  with  an 
armed  force;  an  invasion  from  abroad,  an  insurrection  at  home  :  just  when  ripe  for  exe- 
cution it  is  discovered ;  and  twelve  months  after  the  contrivance  of  this  scheme,  no  con- 
sultation appears,  no  men  corresponding  together,  no  provision  made,  no  arms,  no  officers 
provided,  not  a  man  in  arms ;  and  yet  the  poor  bishop  has  done  all  this.  What  could 
tempt  me  to  step  thus  out  of  my  way  ?  Was  it  ambition,  and  a  desire  of  climbing  into  a 
higher  station  in  the  Church  ?  There  is  not  a  man  in  my  office  farther  removed  from  this 
than  I  am.  Was  money  my  aim  ?  I  always  despised  it  too  much,  considering  what  occa- 
sion I  am  now  like  to  have  for  it :  for  out  of  a  poor  bishopric  of  £500  per  annum,  I  have  laid 
out  no  less  than  £1000  towards  the  repairs  of  the  Church  and  Episcopal  Palace  ;  nor  did 
I  take  one  shilling  for  dilapidations.  Was  I  influenced  by  any  dislike  of  the  established 
religion,  and  secretly  inclined  to  a  Church  of  greater  pomp  and  power?  I  have,  my 
Lords,  ever  since  I  knew  what  Popery  was,  opposed  it ;  and  the  better  I  knew  it  the  more 
I  opposed  it.  You  will  pardon  me,  my  Lords,  if  I  mention  one  thing :  thirty  years  ago  I 
writ  in  defence  of  Martin  Luther ;  and  have  preached,  expressed,  and  wrote  to  that  pur- 
pose from  my  infancy  ;  and  whatever  happens  to  me,  I  will  suffer  any  thing,  and  by  God's 
grace  burn  at  the  stake,  rather  than  depart  from  any  material  point  of  the  Protestant  reli- 
gion, as  professed  in  the  Church  of  England.  Once  more ;  can  I  be  supposed  t-o  favor 
arbitrary  power?  the  whole  tenor  of  my  life  has  been  otherwise :  I  was  always  a  friend  to 
the  liberty  of  the  subject ;  and  to  the  best  of  my  power,  constantly  maintained  it."  After- 
wards, speaking  of  the  proceeding  against  him  as  unconstitutional,  he  says,  "  my  ruin  is 
not  of  that  moment  to  any  number  of  men,  to  make  it  worth  their  while  to  violate,  or  even 
to  seem  to  violate,  the  Constitution  in  any  degree,  which  they  ought  to  preserve  against 
any  attempts  whatsoever.  This  is  a  proceeding  with  which  the  Constitutution  is  unac- 
quainted ;  which  under  the  pretence  of  supporting  it,  will  at  last  effectually  destroy  it. 
For  God's  sake,  lay  aside  these  extraordinary  proceedings ;  set  not  up  these  new  and  dan- 
gerous precedents.  I,  for  my  part,  will  voluntarily  and  cheerfully  go  into  perpetual  ban- 
ishment, and  please  myself  that  I  am  in  some  measure  the  occasion  of  putting  a  stop  to 
such  precedents,  and  doing  some  good  to  rny  country  :  I  will  live  wherever  I  am,  praying 
for  its  prosperity ;  and  do,  in  the  words  of  Father  Paul  to  the  State  of  Venice,  say,  Esto 
perpetua — Let  me  depart,  and  let  my  country  be  fixed  upon  the  immoveable  foundation  of 
law  and  justice,  and  stand  forever." 

"  It  has  been  said  that  Atterbury's  wishes  reached  to  the  bishopric  of  London,  or  even 
to  York  or  Canterbury.  But  those  who  were  better  acquainted  with  his  views,  knew  that 
Winchester  would  have  been  much  more  desirable  to  him  than  either  of  the  others.  And 
there  are  those  now  Uving,  who  have  been  told  from  respectable  authority,  that  this  bishop- 
ric was  offered  to  him,  whenever  it  should  become  vacunt  (and  till  that  event  should  happen 
a  pension  of  £5000  a  year,  beside  an  ample  provision  for  3Ir.  Morrice)  if  he  would  cease 
to  give  the  opposition  he  did  to  Sir  Robert  Walpole's  administration,  by  his  speeches  and 
protests  in  the  House  of  Lords.  When  that  offer  was  rejected  by  the  bishop,  then  the 
contrivance  for  his  ruin  was  determined  on." — Encyclopedia  Britan-i  art.  Atterbury. 


THE  REV.  SAMUEL  WESLEY  JUNIOR. 


suspicion  of  being  concerned  in  a  plot  to  subvert  the  government,  and 
bring  in  the  Pretender.  Mr.  Wesley,  by  his  intimacy  with  him,  be- 
came an  object  of  dislike  to  Walpole ;  and  on  this  ground,  only,  I 
believe,  has  of  late  years  been  accused  of  Jacobitism.*  But  from 
the  note  below  it  does  not  appear  probable,  that  Atterbury  was  guilty 
of  the  things  alleged  against  him;  and  Mr.  John  Wesley  vehemently 
affirmed  that  his  brother  Samuel  was  not  disaffected  to  the  present 
reigning  family.  If  we  consider,  that  his  Father  was  the  first  who 
wrote  in  defence  of  the  Revolution,  and  tliat  he  mentions  this  circum- 
stance, apparently  with  pleasure,  it  will  not  appear  probable  that  he 
was  a  Jacobite.  As  Mr.  Wesley  acted  on  principle  in  every  part  of 
his  conduct,  so  the  banishment  of  Atterbury  made  no  change  in  his 
friendship  for  him.  If  he  had  full  conviction  of  the  bishop's  inno- 
cence, which  is  probable,  it  must  have  given  him  great  pain,  to  see 
his  friend  persecuted,  oppressed,  and  banished  by  the  manoeuvres  of 
a  Minister  of  State.  It  is  no  wonder  this  treatment  of  his  friend 
should  raise  his  indignation  to  the  highest  pitch ;  which  seems  to 
have  been  the  case  and  will  be  some  apology  for  the  severity  of  his 
satire  in  the  following  verses,  which,  I  believe,  he  wrote  on  this 
occasion. 

When  patriots  sent  a  bishop  cross  the  seas, 

They  met  to  fix  the  pains  and  penalties : 

"While  true  blue  blood-hounds  on  his  death  were  bent, 

Thy  mercy,  Walpole,  voted  banishment ! 

Or  forc'd  thy  sov'reign's  orders  to  perform, 

Or  proud  to  govern  as  to  raise  the  storm. 

Thy  goodness  shown  in  such  a  dang'rous  day, 

He  only,  who  receiv'd  it,  can  repay ; 

Thou  never  justly  recompens'd  canst  be, 

Till  banish'd  Francis  do  the  same  for  thee. 


Though  some  would  give  Sir  Bob  no  quarter, 

But  long  10  hang  him  in  his  Garter  j 

Yet  sure  he  well  deserves  to  have 

Such  mercy  as  in  pow'r  he  gave. 

Send  him  abroad  to  take  his  ease 

By  act  of  pains  and  penalties  : 

But  if  he  e'er  comes  here  again. 

Law  take  its  course,  and  hang  him  then. 


Four  shillings  in  the  pound  we  see, 
And  well  may  rest  contented, 

Since  war  (Bob  swore 't  should  never  be) 
Is  happily  prevented. 

But  he,  now  absolute  become, 

May  plunder  ev'ry  penny ; 
Then  blame  him  not  for  taking  some, 

But  thank  for  leaving  any. 


*  If  I  mistake  not,  by  Mr.  Badcock,  in  Maty's  Review. 
6*  9 


66 


THE  REV.  SAMUEL  WESLEY  JUNIOR. 


Let  H  • —  his  treasures  now  confess, 

Display'd  to  ev'ry  eye  : 
'T  was  base  in  H  to  sell  a  peace, 

But  great  in  Bob  to  buy. 

"Which  most  promotes  great  Britain's  gain 

To  all  mankind  is  clear : 
One  sends  our  treasure  cross  the  main. 

One  brings  the  foreign  here. 

But  if 't  is  fit  to  give  rewards 

Or  punishments  to  either, 
Why,  make  them  both  together  Lords, 

Or  hang  them  both  together. 


At  scribblers  poor,  who  rail  to  eat, 
Ye  wags  give  over  jeering  ; 

Since  gall'd  by  Harry,  Bob  the  great 
Has  stoop'd  to  pamphleteering. 

Would  not  one  champion  on  his  side, 
For  love  or  money  venture  ; 

Must  knighthood's  mirror,  spite  of  pride. 
So  mean  a  combat  enter. 

To  take  the  field  his  weakness  shows, 
Though  well  he  could  maintain  it : 

Since  H         no  honor  has  to  lose. 

Pray  how  can  Robin  gain  it  ? 

Worthy  each  other  are  the  two, 
Halloo  !  Boys  fairly  start  ye  ; 

Let  those  be  hated  worse  than  you, 
Who  ever  strive  to  part  ye. 

A  steward  once,  the  scripture  says. 
When  ordered  his  accounts  to  pass, 
To  gain  his  master's  debtors  o'er. 
Cried,  for  a  hundred  write  fourscore. 

Near  as  he  could,  Sir  Robert,  bent 
To  follow  gospel  precedent. 
When  told  a  hundred  late  would  do, 
Cried,  I  beseech  you,  sir,  take  two. 

In  merit  which  should  \fe  prefer, 
The  steward  or  the  treasurer  ? 
Neither  for  justice  car'd  a  fig, 
Too  proud  to  beg,  too  old  to  dig ; 
Both  bountiful  themselves  have  shown, 
In  things  that  never  were  their  own  : 
But  here  a  difference  we  must  grant. 
One  robb'd  the  rich,  to  keep  off"  want ; 
T  other,  vast  treasures  to  secure. 
Stole  from  the  public  and  the  poor. 


His  known  attachment  to  Atterbury,  and  opposition  to  Walpole, 


THE  REV.  SAMUEL  WESLEY  JUNIOR. 


67 


blocked  up  his  way  to  preferment  at  Westminster ;  he  therefore  left 
his  situation  at  this  place  about  the  year  1732,  for  the  free  grammar 
school  at  Tiverton,  in  Devon,  over  which  he  presided  till  his  death. 
In  1736  he  published  a  quarto  volume  of  poems,  for  which  he  obtained 
a  numerous  and  respectable  list  of  subscribers.  Many  of  these  poems 
possess  a  considerable  share  of  excellence ;  the  tales  are  admirably 
well  told,  and  highly  entertaining :  the  satire  is  pointed,  and  the  moral 
instructive. — The  following  beautiful  verses  are  a  paraphrase  on 
these  words  in  the  fourtieth  chapter  of  Isaiah :  All  flesh  is  grass, 
and  all  the  goodliness  thereof  is  as  the  flower  of  the  field.  The  grass 
withereth,  and  the  flower  fadeth,  but  the  word  of  our  God  shall  stand 
forever."    They  were  occasioned  by  the  death  of  a  young  lady. 

The  morning  flow'rs  display  their  sweets, 

And  gay  their  silken  leaves  unfold  j 
As  careless  of  the  noon-day  heats, 

And  fearless  of  the  evening  cold. 

Nipp'd  by  the  wind's  unkindly  blast, 

Parch'd  by  the  sun's  directer  ray, 
The  momentary  glories  waste, 

The  short-liv'd  beauties  die  away. 

So  blooms  the  human  face  divine, 

"When  youth  its  pride  of  beauty  shows  ; 
Fairer  than  spring  the  colors  shine, 

And  sweeter  than  the  virgin  rose. 

Or  worn  by  slowly  rolling  years, 

Or  broke  by  sickness  in  a  day ; 
The  fading  glory  disappears, 

The  short-liv'd  beauties  die  away. 

Yet  these,  new  rising  from  the  tomb, 

With  lustre  brighter  far  shall  shine, 
Revive  with  ever-during  bloom. 

Safe  from  diseases  and  decline. 

Let  sickness  blast,  and  death  devour, 

If  heav'n  mast  recompense  our  pains ; 
Perish  the  grass,  and  fade  the  flow'r, 

If  firm  the  word  of  God  remains. 

Mr.  Samuel  Wesley  was  a  very  high  churchman ;  and  it  must  be 
owned,  that  he  was  extremely  rigid  in  his  principles,  which  is  perhaps 
the  greatest  blemish  in  his  character.  It  has  lately  been  said,  that  he 
was  prejudiced  against  some  of  the  highest  truths  of  the  gospel, 
because  many  of  the  Dissenters  insisted  upon  them.  This  is  a  heavy 
charge,  and  if  true,  would  show  him  to  have  been  a  man  almost  void 
of  principle ;  but  happily  it  is  wholly  without  foundation  :  ignorance 
and  prejudice  have  given  it  existence. 

As  an  high  churchman,  Mr.  Wesley  had  objections  to  extempore 
prayer.    In  the  duodecimo  edition  of  his  poems  are  the  following  lines 


THE  REV.  SAMUEL  WESLEY  JUNIOR. 


on  forms  of  prayer,  which,  for  the  sprightly  turn  of  thought  they 
contain,  I  shall  insert. 

Form  stints  the  spirit,  "Watts  has  said, 

And  therefore  oft  is  wrong  ; 
At  best  a  crutch  the  weak  to  aid, 

A  cumbrance  to  the  strong. 

Old  David,  both  in  prayer  and  praise, 

A  form  for  crutches  brings  ; 
But  Watts  has  dignified  his  lays, 

And  fumish'd  him  with  wings. 

Ev'n  Watts  a  form  for  praise  can  choose, 

For  prayer,  who  throws  it  by ; 
Crutches  to  walk  he  can  refuse, 

But  uses  them  to  fly. 

Mr.  Samuel  Wesley's  principles  led  him  to  disapprove  of  the  con- 
duct of  his  brothers,  Mr.  John  and  Charles  Wesley,  when  they 
became  itinerant  preachers ;  behig  afraid  they  would  make  a  sepa- 
ration from  the  Church  of  England.  Several  letters  passed  between 
him  and  his  brother  John  Wesley,  both  on  the  doctrine  which  he 
taught,  and  on  his  manner  of  teaching  it.  I  shall  have  an  opportu- 
nity of  considering  some  of  these  letters  when  I  come  to  that  period  of 
Mr.  John  Wesley's  life  in  which  he  and  Mr.  Charles  become  itinerants. 

Mr.  Wesley  had  a  bad  state  of  health  some  time  before  he  left 
Westminster,  and  his  removal  to  Tiverton  did  not  much  mend  it. 
On  the  night  of  the  5th  of  November,  1739,  he  went  to  bed,  seemingly 
as  well  as  usual  ;  was  taken  ill  about  three  in  the  morning,  and  died 
at  seven,  after  about  four  hours'  illness.  But  the  following  letter  will 
state  the  circumstances  more  minutely.  It  Avas  written  to  the  late 
Mr.  Charles  Wesley,  and  by  means  of  a  friend  I  obtained  it  from 
among  his  papers. 

Tiverton,  Nov.  14,  1739. 

"  Rev.  and  Dear  Sir, — 

Your  brother  and  my  dear  friend  (for  so  you  are  sensible  he  was 
to  me)  on  Monday  the  5th  of  November  went  to  bed,  as  he  thought, 
as  well  as  he  had  been  for  some  time  before ;  was  seized  about  three 
o'clock  in  the  morning  very  ill,  when  your  sister  immediately  sent  for 
Mr.  Norman,  and  ordered  the  servant  to  call  me.  Mr.  Norman  came 
as  quick  as  he  possibly  could,  but  said,  as  soon  as  he  saw  him,  that 
he  could  not  get  over  it,  but  would  die  in  a  few  hours.  He  was  not 
able  to  take  any  thing,  nor  able  to  speak  to  us,  only  yes  or  no  to  a 
question  asked  him,  and  that  did  not  last  half  an  hour.  I  never  went 
from  his  bed-side  till  he  expired,  which  was  about  seven  the  same 
morning.  With  a  great  deal  of  difficulty  we  persuaded  your  dear 
sister  to  leave  the  room  before  he  died — I  trembled  to  think  how  she 
would  bear  it,  knowing  the  sincere  affection  and  love  she  had  for 
him — But  blessed  be  God,  he  hath  heard  and  answered  prayer  on  her 


THE  KEV.  SAMUEL  WESLEY  JUNIOR. 


behalf,  and  in  a  great  measure  calmed  her  spirit,  though  she  has  not 
yet  been  out  of  her  chamber.  Your  brother  was  buried  on  Monday- 
last  in  the  afternoon — and  is  gone  to  reap  the  fruit  of  his  labors. — I 
pray  God  we  may  imitate  him  in  all  his  virtues,  and  be  prepared  to 
follow.  I  should  enlarge  much  more,  but  have  not  time  ;  for  which 
reason  I  hope  you  will  excuse  him  who  is  under  the  greatest  obliga- 
tions to  be,  and  really  is,  with  the  greatest  sincerity,  yours  in  all 
things,  Amos  Matthews." 

In  the  second  edition  of  his  poems  in  duodecimo,  printed  at  Cam- 
bridge, in  1743,  there  is  some  account  of  the  author,  by  a  friend,  pre- 
fixed to  it.  I  know  not  who  the  writer  of  this  account  was,  but  as  it 
was  written  soon  after  his  death,  and  by  a  person  who  seems  to  have 
been  well  acquainted  with  him,  I  shall  give  a  short  extract  from  it. 

The  author  of  these  poems,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Samuel  Wesley,  frankly 
declares  in  his  preface  to  the  edition  published  by  himself,  that  it  was 
not  any  opinion  of  excellence  in  the  verses  themselves,  that  occasioned 
their  present  collection  and  publication,  but  merely  the  profit  proposed 
by  the  subscription.  If  his  modesty  had  permitted  him  to  have  been 
sensible  of  his  own  merit,  he  might,  without  this,  or  any  other  apology, 
have  safely  trusted  them  to  speak  for  themselves :  and  perhaps  the 
candid  reader,  upon  an  impartial  perusal,  will  hardly  think  them 
inferior  to  the  most  favored  and  celebrated  collections  of  this  kind. 

"For  though  it  must  be  owned,  that  a  certain  roughness  may  be 
observed  to  run  through  them,  the  vehemence  and  surprising  vivacity 
of  his  temper  not  suffering  him  to  revise,  or,  as  he  used  to  call  it,  to 
tinker  what  he  had  once  finished — yet  strong,  just,  manly  sentiments 
every  where  occur,  set  off  with  all  the  advantage  which  a  most 
luxuriant  fancy,  and  a  very  uncommon  compass  of  knowledge  could 
adorn  them  with ;  together  with  a  flowing  and  unaffected  pleasant- 
ness in  the  more  humorsome  parts,  beyond  what  could  proceed  from 
even  the  happiest  talent  of  wit,  unless  also  accompanied  with  that 
innocence  and  cheerfulness  of  heart,  which  to  him  made  life  delight- 
ful in  his  laborious  station,  and  endeared  his  conversation  to  all, 
especially  his  learned  and  ingenious  friends ;  and  many  such  he  had, 
of  all  ranks  and  degrees. 

"  He  was  the  son  of  a  clergyman  in  Lincolnshire,  from  whence  he 
was  brought  to  Westminster  school ;  where  having  passed  through 
the  college  as  a  King's  Scholar,  he  was  elected  Student  of  Christ 
Church  in  Oxford.  In  both  these  places,  by  the  sprightliness  of  his 
compositions,  and  his  remarkable  industry,  he  gained  a  reputation 
beyond  most  of  his  cotemporaries,  being  thoroughly  and  critically 
skilful  in  the  learned  languages,  and  master  of  the  classics  to  a 
degree  of  perfection,  perhaps  not  very  common  in  this  last  mentioned 
society,  so  justly  famous  for  polite  learning. 

"  It  must  be  observed,  in  justice  to  his  memory,  that  his  wit  and 


70 


THE  REV.  SAMUEL  WESLEY  JUNIOR. 


learning  were  the  least  part  of  this  worthy  man's  praise.  An  open, 
benevolent  temper,  which  he  had  from  nature,  he  so  ciihivated  upon 
principle,  that  the  number  and  the  continual  success  of  his  good  offices 
was  astonishing  even  to  his  friends.  He  was  an  instance  how  exceed- 
ingly serviceable  ia  life  a  person  of  a  very  inferior  station  may  be, 
who  sets  his  heart  upon  it.  His  own  little  income  was  liberally  made 
use  of,  and  as  his  acquaintance  whom  he  applied  to,  were  always 
confident  of  his  care  and  integrity,  he  never  wanted  means  to  carry  on 
his  good  purposes.  One  particular  must  not  be  omitted ;  he  was  one 
of  the  first  projectors,  and  a  very  careful  and  active  promoter,  of  the 
first  Infirmary  set  up  at  Westminster,  for  the  relief  of  the  sick  and 
needy,  in  1719,  and  had  the  satisfaction  to  see  it  flourish,  and  to 
propagate  by  its  example,  under  the  prudent  management  of  other 
good  persons,  many  pious  establishments  of  the  same  kind  in  distant 
parts  of  the  nation. 

The  following  extracts  of  letters  from  his  patron.  Bishop  Atter- 
bury,  are  too  much  to  his  honor  not  to  be  mentioned  here  ;  they  were 
occasioned  by  that  fine  poem  on  the  death  of  Mrs.  Morice,  his  Lord- 
ship's daughter. 

April  2i,  1730. 

"  I  have  received  a  poem  from  Mr.  Morice,  which  I  must  be  insen- 
sible not  to  thank  you  for,  your  Elegy  on  the  death  of  Mrs.  Morice — 
I  cannot  help  an  impulse  upon  me,  to  tell  you  under  my  own  hand, 
the  satisfaction  I  feel,  the  approbation  I  give,  the  envy  I  bear  you,  for 
this  good  work;  as  a  poet  and  as  a  man,  I  thank  you,  I  esteem  you." 

''Paris,  May  27,  1730. 
"I  am  obliged  to  W.  for  what  he  has  written  on  my  dear  child; 
and  take  it  the  more  kindly  because  he  could  not  hope  for  my  being 
ever  in  a  condition  to  reward  him — though  if  ever  I  am,  I  will;  for 
he  has  shown  an  invariable  regard  for  me  all  along  in  all  circum- 
stances; and  much  more  than  some  of  his  acquaintance,  who  had 
ten  times  greater  obligations." 

''Paris,  June  30,  1730. 

"  The  Yerses  you  sent  me  touched  me  very  nearly,  and  the  Latin 
in  the  front  of  them  as  much  as  the  English  that  followed.  There 
are  a  great  many  good  lines  in  them,  and  they  are  writ  with  as  much 
affection  as  poetry.  They  came  from  the  heart  of  the  author,  and  he 
has  a  share  of  mine  in  return ;  and  if  ever  I  come  back  to  my  coun- 
try with  honor,  he  shall  find  it." 

These  extracts  do  honor  to  the  feelings  of  Atterbury  as  a  man; 
and  they  give  a  noble  testimony  to  the  disinterested  and  unchangea- 
ble friendship  of  Mr.  Wesley  for  a  person  whom  he  esteemed,  and 
whom  he  thought  deeply  injured. 

The  author  of  Some  Account  of  Mr.  Samuel  Wesley,"  prefixed  to 
his  poems,  informs  us  that  the  following  inscription  was  put  upon  his 
grave-stone  in  the  church-yard  at  Tiverton. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


91 


Here  lie  interr'd 
The  remains  of  the  Rev.  Samuel  Wesley,  A.  M. 
Some  lime  Student  of  Christ  Church,  Oxon : 
A  man,  for  his  uncommon  wit  and  learning, 
For  the  benevolence  of  his  temper, 
And  simplicity  of  manners 
Deservedly  beloved  and  esteemed  by  all. 
An  excellent  Preacher  : 
But  whose  best  sermon 
Was,  the  constant  example  of  an  edifying  life. 
So  continually  and  zealously  employed 
In  acts  of  beneficence  and  charity. 
That  he  truly  followed 
His  blessed  Master's  example 

In  going  about  doing  good. 
Of  such  scrupulous  integrity, 
That  he  declined  occasions  of  advancement  in  the  world 
Through  fear  of  being  involved  in  dangerous  compliances, 
And  avoided  the  usual  ways  to  preferment 
As  studiously  as  many  others  seek  them. 
Therefore  after  a  life  spent 
In  the  laborious  employment  of  teaching  youth, 

First,  for  near  twenty  years 
As  one  of  the  Ushers  in  Westminster  School  • 
Afterwards  for  seven  years 
As  Head  Master  of  the  Free  School  at  Tiverton, 
He  resigned  his  soul  to  God, 
Nov.  6, 1739,  in  the  49th  year  of  his  age. 


CHAPTER  VI. 
Some  Account  of  the  Life  of  the  Rev.  Charles  Wesley,  A.  M. 


SE  CTION  I. 

OF  HIS  BIRTH,  AND  EDUCATION  UNTIL  HIS  ORDINATION  IN  1735. 

Mr.  Charles  Wesley  was  born  December  18,  1708,  old  style,  sev- 
eral weeks  before  his  time,  at  Ep worth  in  Lincolnshire;  being  about 
five  years  younger  than  his  brother  John  Wesley,  and  about  sixteen 
younger  than  Samuel. 

He  appeared  dead  rather  than  alive  when  he  was  born.  He  did 
not  cry,  nor  open  his  eyes,  and  was  kept  wrapt  up  in  soft  wool  until 
the  time  when  he  should  have  been  born  according  to  the  usual  course 
of  nature,  and  then  he  opened  his  eyes  and  cried. 

He  received  the  first  rudiments  of  learning  at  home,  under  the 
pious  care  of  his  mother,  as  all  the  other  children  did.  In  1716  he 
was  sent  to  Westminster  school,  and  placed  under  the  care  of  his 


7%  THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 

eldest  brother  Samuel  Wesley,  an  high  churchman,  who  educated 
him  in  his  own  principles.  He  was  exceedingly  sprightly  and  active ; 
very  apt  to  learn,  but  arch  and  unlucky,  though  not  ill-natured. 

When  he  had  been  some  years  at  school,  Mr.  R.  Wesley,  a  gentle- 
man of  large  fortune  in  Ireland,  wrote  to  his  father,  and  asked  if  he 
had  any  son  named  Charles ;  if  so,  he  would  make  him  his  heir. 
Accordingly  a  gentleman  in  London  brought  money  for  his  education 
several  years.  But  one  year  another  gentleman  called,  probably  Mr. 
Wesley  himself,  talked  largely  with  him,  and  asked  if  he  was  willing 
to  go  with  him  to  Ireland.  Mr.  Charles  desired  to  write  to  his  father, 
who  answered  immediately,  and  referred  it  to  his  own  choice.  He 
chose  to  stay  in  England.  Mr.  W.  then  found  and  adopted  another 
Charles  Wesley,  who  was  the  late  Earl  of  M — n — g — n.  A  fair  es- 
cape, says  Mr.  John  Wesley,  from  whose  short  account  of  his  brother 
I  have  taken  this  anecdote. 

From  this  time  Mr.  Charles  Wesley  depended  chiefly  on  his  brother 
Samuel  till  1721,  when  he  was  admitted  a  scholar  of  St.  Peter's  Col- 
lege, Westminster.*  He  was  now  a  King's  scholar ;  and  as  he 
advanced  in  age  and  learning,  he  acted  dramas,  and  at  length  became 
captain  of  the  school.  In  1726  he  was  elected  to  Christ  Church,  Ox- 
ford,! which  time  his  brother  was  Fellow  of  Lincoln  College.  Mr. 
John  Wesley  gives  the  following  account  of  hirn  after  he  came  to 
Oxford :  He  pursued  his  studies  diligently,  and  led  a  regular  harm- 
less life :  but  if  I  spoke  to  him  about  religion,  he  would  warmly 
answer,  'What,  would  you  have  me  to  be  a  saint  all  at  once?'  and 
would  hear  no  more.  I  was  then  near  three  years  my  father's  curate. 
During  most  of  this  time  he  continued  much  the  same ;  but  in  the 
year  1729  I  observed  his  letters  grew  much  more  serious,  and  when 
I  returned  to  Oxford  in  November  that  year,  I  found  him  in  great 
earnestness  to  save  his  soul." 

Mr.  Charles  Wesley  gives  the  following  account  of  himself  for 
the  first  year  or  two  after  he  went  to  Oxford. f  "My  first  year  at 
college  I  lost  in  diversions:  the  next  I  set  myself  to  study.  Dili- 
gence led  me  into  serious  thinking :  I  went  to  the  weekly  sacrament, 
and  persuaded  two  or  three  young  students  to  accompany  me,  and  to 
observe  the  method  of  study  prescribed  by  the  statutes  of  the  univer- 
sity. This  gained  me  the  harmless  name  of  Methodist.  In  half  a 
year  (after  this)  my  brother  left  his  curacy  at  Epworth,  and  came  to 
our  assistance.  We  then  proceeded  regularly  in  our  studies,  and  in 
doing  what  good  we  could  to  the  bodies  and  souls  of  men." 

It  was  in  the  year  1728,  in  the  twentieth  year  of  his  age,  that  he  be- 
gan to  apply  more  closely  to  study,  and  to  be  more  serious  in  his  gene- 

*  "Welch's  List  of  Scholars  of  St.  Peter's  College,  Westminster,  as  they  were  elected  to 
Christ-church  College,  Oxford,  and  Trinity  College,  Cambridge,  p.  105. 
t  Ibid.  p.  110. 

i  In  his  letter  to  Dr.  Chandler. 


THIi  LIFE  OF  THE   REV.   CHARLES  WESLEY. 


73 


ral  deportment  than  usual.  He  soon  gave  proof  of  his  sincere  desire  to 
be  truly  religious,  by  expressing  a  wish  to  write  a  diary,  in  which  he 
intended  to  register  daily  the  state  of  his  mind,  and  the  actions  of  the 
day.  A  diary  of  this  kind,  faithfully  kept,  is  a  delineation  of  a  man's 
moral  and  religious  character ;  it  is  a  moral  picture  of  the  man  accu- 
rately drawn.  No  man  wishes  to  draw  his  own  character  in  this  way, 
in  every  little  circumstance  of  life,  and  to  review  it  often,  but  he  who 
is  desirous  to  think  and  act  rightly,  and  to  improve  daily  in  knowl- 
edge and  virtue.  He  knew  that  his  brother,  Mr.  John  Wesley,  had 
kept  such  a  diary  for  several  years,  and  was  able  to  give  him  instruc- 
tions how  to  proceed.  He  therefore  wrote  to  him  in  January,  1729, 
as  follows:  "I  would  willingly  write  a  diary  of  my  actions,  but  do 
not  know  how  to  go  about  it.  What  particulars  am  I  to  take  notice 
of Am  I  to  give  my  thoughts  and  words,  as  well  as  deeds,  a  place 
in  it?  I  am  to  mark  all  the  good  and  ill  I  do;  and  what  besides? 
Must  I  not  take  account  of  my  progress  in  learning,  as  well  as  reli- 
gion? What  cypher  can  I  make  use  of?  If  you  would  direct  me 
to  the  same,  or  like  method  to  your  own,  I  v/ould  gladly  follow  it,  for 
1  am  fully  convinced  of  the  usefulness  of  such  an  undertaking.  I 
shall  be  at  a  stand  till  T.  hear  from  you. 

"God  has  thought  fit,  it  may  be  to  increase  my  wariness,  to  deny 
me  at  present  your  company  and  assistance.  It  is  through  him 
strengthening  me,  I  trust  to  maintain  my  ground  till  we  meet.  And 
I  hope,  that  neither  before  nor  after  that  time,  I  shall  relapse  into  my 
former  state  of  insensibility.  It  is  through  your  means,  I  firmly  be- 
lieve, that  God  will  establish  what  he  has  begun  in  me ;  and  there  is 
no  one  person  I  would  so  willingly  have  to  be  the  instrument  of  good 
to  me  as  you.  It  is  owing,  in  great  measure,  to  somebody's  prayers 
(my  mother's  most  likely)  that  I  am  come  to  think  as  I  do;  for  I 
cannot  tell  myself,  how  or  when  I  awoke  out  of  my  lethargy — only 
that  it  was  not  long  after  you  went  away." 

The  enemies  of  the  Christian  Revelation,  and  friends  of  Deism, 
were  so  much  increased  about  this  time,  and  were  become  so  bold  and 
daring  in  their  attempts  to  propagate  their  principles  in  the  univer- 
sity, as  to  rouse  the  attention  of  the  Vice-Chancellor ;  who,  with  the 
consent  of  the  Heads  of  Houses  and  Proctors,  issued  the  following 
program?na,  or  edict,  which  was  fixed  up  in  most  of  the  halls  of  the 
university. 

"  Whereas  there  is  too  much  reason  to  believe,  that  some  members 
of  the  university  have  of  late  been  in  danger  of  being  corrupted  by 
ill-designing  persons,  who  have  not  only  entertained  wicked  and 
blasphemous  notions,  contrary  to  the  truth  of  the  christian  religion ; 
but  have  endeavored  to  instil  the  same  ill  principles  into  others :  and 
the  more  effectually  to  propagate  their  infidelity,  have  applied  their 
poison  to  the  unguarded  inexperience  of  less  informed  minds,  where  - 
they  thought  it  might  operate  with  better  success  :  carefully  conceal- 
7  10 


74 


THE  LIFE  OF   THE   REV.   CHARLES  WESLEY. 


ing  their  impious  tenets  from  those  whose  riper  judgment  and  more 
wary  conduct  might  discover  their  false  reasoning,  and  disappoint 
the  intended  progress  of  their  infideUty.  And  whereas  therefore,  it 
is  more  especially  necessary  at  this  time,  to  guard  the  youth  of  this 
place  against  these  wicked  advocates  for  pretended  human  reason 
against  divine  revelation,  and  to  enable  them  the  better  to  defend 
their  religion,  and  to  expose  the  pride  and  impiety  of  those  who 
endeavor  to  undermine  it;  Mr.  Vice-Chancellor,  with  the  consent  of 
the  Heads  of  Houses  and  Proctors,  has  thought  fit  to  recommend  it,  as 
a  matter  of  the  utmost  consequence,  to  the  several  tutors  of  each  col- 
lege and  hall  in  the  university,  that  they  discharge  their  duty  by  a 
double  diligence,  in  informing  their  respective  pupils  in  their  chris- 
tian duty,  as  also  in  explaining  to  them  the  articles  of  religion  which 
they  profess,  and  are  often  called  upon  to  subscribe,  and  in  recom- 
mending to  them  the  frequent  and  careful  reading  of  the  Scriptures, 
and  such  other  books  as  may  serve  more  effectually  to  promote  Chris- 
tianity, sound  principles,  and  orthodox  faith.  And  further,  Mr.  Vice- 
Chancellor,  with  the  same  consent,  does  hereby  forbid  the  said  youth 
the  reading  of  such  books  as  may  tend  to  the  weakening  of  their 
faith,  the  subverting  of  the  authority  of  the  scripture,  and  the  intro- 
ducing of  deism,  profaneness  and  irreligion  in  their  stead." — The 
Dean  of  Christ  Church  was  so  much  a  friend  to  infidelity,  that  he 
would  not  suflfer  this  prograrmna  to  be  put  up  in  the  hall  of  his 
college. 

It  is  always  pleasing  to  a  pious  mind,  to  trace  the  ways  of  provi- 
dence, not  only  as  they  relate  to  individuals,  but  as  they  affect  large 
bodies  of  men,  collectively  considered.  In  the  case  before  us  there  is 
something  worthy  of  observation.  At  the  very  time  when  the  friends 
of  infidelity  were  making  so  strong  an  effort  to  propagate  their  prin- 
ciples in  this  celebrated  seminary  of  learning,  God  was  preparing 
two  or  three  young  men,  to  plant  a  religious  society  in  the  same  place ; 
which  should  gp^ow  up  with  vigor,  and  spread  its  branches  through 
several  countries,  in  opposition  to  the  baneful  influence  of  infidelity 
and  profaneness. 

In  the  course  of  the  following  summer  Mr.  Charles  Wesley  became 
more  and  more  serious,  and  began  to  be  singularly  diligent,  both  in 
the  means  of  grace  and  in  his  studies.  His  zeal  for  God  began 
already  to  kindle,  and  manifest  itself  in  exertions  to  do  good  beyond 
the  common  round  of  religious  duties.  He  endeavored  to  awaken 
an  attention  to  religion  in  the  minds  of  some  of  the  students,  and 
was  soon  successful  in  one  or  two  instances.  This  appears  from  the 
following  letter,  which  he  wrote  to  his  brother  John  Wesley  in  May, 
1729.  "  Providence  has  at  present  put  it  into  my  power  to  do  some 
good.  I  have  a  modest,  humble,  well  disposed  youth  lives  next  me, 
and  have  been,  thank  God,  somewhat  instrumental  in  keeping  him 
so.    He  was  got  into  vile  hands,  and  is  now  broke  loose.    I  assisted 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   CHARLES  WESLEY.  79( 

in  setting  him  free,  and  will  do  my  utmost  to  hinder  him  from 
getting  in  with  them  again.  He  was  of  opinion  that  passive  good- 
ness was  sufficient;  and  would  fain  have  kept  in  witli  his  acquaint- 
ance and  God  at  the  same  time.  He  durst  not  receive  the  sacrament, 
but  at  the  usual  times,  for  fear  of  being  laughed  at.  By  convincing 
him  of  the  duty  of  frequent  communicating,  1  have  prevailed  on  both 
of  us  to  receive  once  a  week. 

"I  earnestly  long  for,  and  desire  the  blessing  God  is  about  to  send 
me  in  you.  I  am  sensible  this  is  my  day  of  grace ;  and  that  upon 
my  employing  the  time  before  oiu'  meeting  and  next  parting,  will  in 
great  measure  depend  my  condition  for  eternity." 

From  these  extracts  of  two  of  Mr.  Charles  Wesley's  letters  to  his 
brother,  and  from  the  account  which  he  has  given  of  himself  in  a 
letter  to  Dr.  Chandler,  the  following  particulars  appear  evident.  1. 
That  he  was  awakened  to  a  most  serious  and  earnest  desire  of  being 
truly  religious  and  devoted  to  God,  while  his  brother  was  at  Epworth, 
as  his  father's  curate.  2.  That  he  observed  an  exact  method  in  his 
studies,  and  in  his  attendance  on  the  duties  of  religion  ;  receiving  the 
sacrament  once  a  week.  3.  That  he  persuaded  two  or  three  young 
gentlemen  to  join  him  in  these  things,  among  whom  I  believe  Morgan 
was  one.  4.  That  the  exact  method  and  order  which  he  observed  in 
spending  his  time,  and  regulating  his  conduct,  gained  him  the  name  of 
Methodist.  Hence  it  appears  that  Mr.  Charles  Wesley  was  the  first 
Methodist,  and  laid  the  foundation  of  that  little  society  at  Oxford, 
which  afterwards  made  so  much  noise  in  the  world :  but  it  does  not 
appear  that  any  regular  meetings  were  held,  or  that  the  members 
had  extended  their  views  beyond  their  own  improvement  in  knowl- 
edge and  virtue,  until  Mr.  John  Wesley  left  his  curacy,  and  came  to 
reside  wholly  at  Oxford  in  November,  1729.  The  beginning  of  this 
society  was  small,  and  it  appeared  contemptible  to  those  around ;  but 
events  have  shown,  that  it  was  big  with  consequences  of  the  utmost 
importance  to  the  happiness  of  thousands.  So  little  do  men  know 
beforehand  of  the  designs  of  providence. 

Man  was  made  for  social  intercourse  with  man.  A  well  regulated 
society  of  a  few  well  chosen  persons,  improves  the  understanding, 
invigorates  the  powers  of  the  mind,  strengthens  our  resolutions,  and 
animates  us  to  perseverance  in  the  execution  of  our  designs.  These 
were  the  happy  effects  of  the  union  of  the  two  brothers  in  November 
this  year,  when  Mr.  John  Wesley  left  Epworth,  and  came  to  reside 
at  Oxford.  They  now  formed  a  regular  society,  and  quickened  the 
diligence  and  zeal  of  each  other  in  the  execution  of  their  pious  pur- 
poses. About  this  time  Mr.  Charles  began  to  take  pupils.  On  this 
occasion  his  father  Avrote  to  him  as  follows,  in  a  letter  dated  January, 
1730,  when  Charles  had  just  passed  the  twenty-first  year  of  his  age. 
*'  I  had  your  last,  and  you  may  easily  guess  whether  I  were  not  well 
pleased  with  it,  both  on  your  account  and  my  own.    You  have  a 


76 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   CHARLES  WESLEY. 


double  advantage  by  your  pupils,  which  will  soon  bring  you  more,  if 
you  will  improve  it,  as  I  firmly  hope  you  will,  by  taking  the  utmost 
care  to  form  their  minds  to  piety  as  well  as  learning.  As  for  your- 
self, between  logic,  grammar,  and  mathematics,  be  idle  if  you  can. 
I  give  my  blessing  to  the  bishop  for  having  tied  you  a  little  faster, 
by  obliging  you  to  rub  up  your  Arabic :  and  a  fixed  and  constant 
method  will  make  the  whole  both  pleasing  and  delightful  to  you. 
But  for  all  that,  you  must  find  time  every  day  for  walking,  which 
you  know  you  may  do  with  advantage  to  ^^-our  pupils  ;  and  a  little 
more  robust  exercise,  now  and  then,  will  do  you  no  harm.  You  are 
now  launched  fairly,  Charles;  hold  up  your  head,  and  swim  like  a 
man ;  and  when  you  cuff  the  wave  beneath  you,  say  to  it,  much  as 
another  hero  did, 

Carolum  vehis,  et  Caroli  fortnnam.* 

But  always  keep  your  eye  fixed  above  the  pole-star,  and  so  God  send 
you  a  good  voyage  through  the  troublesome  sea  of  life,  which  is  the 
hearty  prayer  of  your  loving  father." 

Mr.  Charles  Wesley  and  his  brother  John  had  been  always  united 
in  affection ;  they  were  now  united  in  their  pursuit  of  learning,  their 
views  of  religion,  and  their  endeavors  to  do  good.  Mr.  Morgan  was 
to  them  as  another  brother,  and  united  together,  they  were  as  a  three- 
fold cord,  which  is  not  easily  broken.  Though  few  in  number,  of 
little  reputation  in  the  world,  and  unsupported  by  any  powerful 
allies,  yet  they  boldly  lifted  up  their  standard  against  infidelity  and 
profaneness,  the  common  enemies  of  religion  and  virtue.  They  did 
not  indeed,  at  present,  make  any  great  inroads  into  the  enemy's  terri- 
tory, but  they  bravely  kept  their  ground,  and  defended  their  little 
fort  with  success,  against  every  attempt  of  the  enemy  to  dislodge 
them.  When  death  robbed  them  of  Morgan,  the  two  brothers 
remained  unshaken  in  their  purpose.  They  were  the  bond  of  union 
between  the  members  of  their  little  society  at  Oxford ;  and  if  one  or 
more  of  these  deserted  them,  through  fear,  or  shame,  or  being  weary 
of  restraint,  they  stood  firm  as  a  rock,  persevering  in  their  resolution 
to  serve  God  and  do  good  to  men,  Avithout  the  least  shadow  of 
wavering,  through  evil  report  and  good  report,  as  if  alike  insensible 
to  either.  Happily,  they  were  not  hurried  on  by  a  rash  intemperate 
zeal  in  their  proceedings ;  which  is  the  common  failing  of  young  men. 
They  were  cautious  and  wary,  using  every  prudential  means  in  their 
power,  to  prevent  the  good  that  was  in  them  from  being  evil  spoken 
of  Charles  had  much  more  fire,  and  openness  of  temper  than  his 
brother  ;  but  he  was  not  less  cautious  in  this  respect.  If  any  doubts 
arose  in  his  mind;  or  if  any  practice,  which  he  thought  proper  and 
commendable,  seemed  likely  to  give  great  offence  to  others,  he  asked 
the  advice  of  those  who  were  older  and  wiser  than  himself,  how  he 

*  Thou  carriest  Charles,  and  Charles'  fortune. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  UEV.  CHARLES  WESLEY.  71k 

ought  to  proceed.  This  appears  from  a  letter  which  he  wrote  to  his 
father  in  June,  1731,  in  which  he  says,  "  On  Whitsunday  the  whole 
college  received  the  sacrament,  except  the  servitors  (for  we  are  too 
well  bred  to  communicate  with  them,  though  in  the  body  and  blood 
of  Christ)  to  whom  it  was  administered  the  next  day ;  on  which  I 
was  present  at  church,  but  with  the  Canons  left  the  sacrament  to 
those  for  whom  alone  it  was  prepared.  What  I  would  beg  to  be 
resolved  in  is,  whether  or  no  my  being  assured  I  should  give  infinite 
scandal  by  staying,  could  sufficiently  justify  me  in  turning  my  back 
of  God's  ordinance.  It  is  a  question  my  future  conduct  is  much 
concerned  in,  and  I  shall  therefore  earnestly  wait  for  your  decision." 

Mr.  Charles  Wesley  proceeded  Master  of  Arts  in  the  usual  course, 
and  thought  only  of  spending  all  his  days  at  Oxford  as  a  tutor ;  for 
he  ''exceedingly  dreaded  entering  into  holy  orders."=^  In  1735,  Mr. 
John  Wesley  yielded  to  the  pressing  solicitations  of  Mr.  Oglethorpe, 
Dr.  Burton,  and  some  others,  to  go  to  Georgia  as  a  missionary  to 
preach  to  the  Indians,  and  he  prevailed  on  his  brother  Charles  to 
accompany  him.  Their  brother  Samuel  consented  that  Mr.  John 
Wesley  should  go,  but  vehemently  opposed  the  design  of  Charles  to 
accompany  him.  But  his  opposition  had  no  effect,  for  Mr.  Charles 
engaged  himself  as  secretary  to  Mr.  Oglethorpe,  and  also  as  secretary 
to  Indian  affairs,  and  in  this  character  he  went  to  Georgia.  A  little 
before  they  left  England,  Dr.  Burton  suggested  that  it  might  be  well 
if  Mr.  Charles  Wesley  was  ordained  before  he  left  this  country.  His 
brother  John  overruled  his  inclination  in  this  thing  also,  and  he  was 
ordained  Deacon  by  Dr.  Potter,  Bishop  of  Oxford :  and  the  Sunday 
following,  Priest,  by  Dr.  Gibson,  Bishop  of  London.f 


SECTION  II. 

OF  MR.  CHARLES  WESLEy's    VOYAGE  TO    GEORGIA,  HIS    SITUATION  THERE, 
AND  RETURN  TO  ENGLAND  IN  1736. 

They  sailed  from  Gravesend  on  the  22d  of  October,  1735,  but  meeting 
with  contrary  winds,  they  did  not  leave  Cowes  till  the  10th  of 
December.  Mr.  Charles  Wesley  preached  several  times  while  they 
were  detained  here,  and  great  crowds  attended  his  ministry.  His 
brother  Samuel,  who  was  violently  against  his  going  abroad,  observes, 
that  he  hoped  Charles  was  convinced  by  this  instance,  that  he  needed 
not  to  have  gone  to  Georgia  to  convert  sinners.  After  a  stormy  pas- 
sage they  arrived  in  Savannah  river,  Feb.  5th,  1736,  and  Mr.  John 
Wesley  was  appointed  to  take  charge  of  Savannah  ;  Mr.  Charles  of 
Frederica ;  waiting  for  an  opportunity  of  preaching  to  the  Indians. 


*  His  letter  to  Dr.  Chandler. 

7* 


t  Ibid, 


78 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   CHARLES  "WESLEY. 


Mr.  Charles  Wesley  did  not  enter  on  his  ministry  till  March  9th, 
when  he  first  set  foot  on  Simon's  Island,  and  his  spirit  immediately 
revived.  No  sooner  did  1  enter  on  my  ministry,  says  he,  than  God 
gave  me  a  new  heart;  so  true  is  that  saying  of  Bishop  Hall,  "  The 
calling  of  God  never  leaves  a  man  unchanged;  neither  did  God  ever 
employ  any  in  his  service  whom  he  did  not  enable  for  the  work."  The 
first  person  that  saluted  him  on  landing,  was  his  friend  Mr.  Ingham : 
"  Never,"  says  he,  "  did  I  more  rejoice  to  see  him  ;  especially  when  he 
told  me  the  treatment  he  had  met  with  for  vindicating  the  Lord's  day. 
This  specimen  of  the  ignorance  and  unteachable  temper  of  the  people 
among  whom  he  had  to  labor  was  unpromising,  but  he  little  expected 
the  trials  and  dangers  which  lay  before  him."  Like  a  faithful  and 
diligent  pastor,  he  immediately  entered  on  his  ofiice;  not  with  joy  at 
the  prospect  of  a  good  income,  but  with  fear  and  trembling,  at  the 
views  which  he  had  of  the  importance  and  difliculty  of  the  ministerial 
office.  In  the  afternoon  he  began  to  converse  with  his  parishioners, 
without  which  he  well  knew,  that  general  instructions  often  lose  their 
effect.  But  he  observes  on  this  occasion,  "  With  what  trembling 
should  I  cail  them  mine."  He  felt  as  every  minister  of  the  gospel 
ought  to  feel  when  he  takes  upon  him  to  guide  others  in  the  Avays  of 
God.  In  the  evening  he  read  prayers  in  the  open  air,  at  which  Mr. 
Oglethorpe  was  present.  The  lesson  was  remarkably  adapted  to  his 
situation,  and  he  felt  the  full  force  of  it,  both  in  the  way  of  direction 
and  encouragement.  "  Continue  instant  in  prayer,  and  watch  in  the 
same  with  thanksgiving ;  withal  praying  also  for  us,  that  God  would 
open  unto  us  a  door  of  utterance  to  speak  the  mystery  of  Christ,  that 
I  may  make  it  manifest  as  I  ought  to  speak.  Walk  in  wisdom  toward 
those  that  are  without,  redeeming  the  time. — Say  to  Archippus,  take 
heed  to  the  ministry  Avhich  thou  hast  received  of  the  Lord  that  thou 
fulfil  it."  After  the  labors  of  the  day,  he  returned  and  slept  in  the 
boat. 

The  colony  was  at  this  time  very  scantily  provided  Avith  accom- 
modations. There  was  no  place  erected  where  the  people  could 
assemble  for  public  worship ;  for  on  March  10th  between  five  and  six 
in  the  morning,  Mr.  Charles  Wesley  read  short  prayers  to  a  few  per- 
sons, before  Mr.  Oglethorpe's  tent,  in  a  hard  shower  of  rain.  He 
afterwards  talked  with  Mrs.  W.  who  had  come  in  the  ship  with  him 
and  his  brother,  and  endeavored  to  guard  her  against  the'<;ares  of  the 
world,  and  to  persuade  her  to  give  herself  up  to  God  ;  ^ut  in  vain. 
In  the  evening  he  endeavored  to  reconcile  her  and  Mrs.  H.  who  were 
greatly  at  variance,  but  to  no  purpose. 

Some  of  the  women  now  began  to  be  jealous  of  each  other,  and  to 
raise  animosities  and  divisions  in  the  colony,  which  gave  a  great  deal 
of  trouble  to  Mr.  Oglethorpe.  Mr.  Wesley's  serious  and  religious 
deportment,  his  constant  presence  with  them,  and  his  frequent  reproof 
of  their  licentious  behavior,  soon  made  him  an  object  of  hatred  ;  and 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   CHARLES  WESLEY. 


79 


plans  were  formed  either  to  ruin  him  in  the  opinion  of  Mr.  Oglethorpe, 
or  to  take  liim  off  by  violence.  We  shall  see  these  plans  open  by 
degrees. 

March  1  Ith,  at  ten  in  the  morning,  he  began  the  full  service  to  about 
a  dozen  women  whom  he  had  got  together,  intending  to  continue  it,  and 
only  to  read  a  few  prayers  to  the  men  before  they  went  to  work.  He 
also  expounded  the  second  lesson  with  some  degree  of  boldness, 
which  he  had  done  several  times  before ;  and  it  is  probable  that  he 
did  this  extempore.  After  prayers  he  met  Mrs.  H.'s  maid  in  a  great 
passion  and  flood  of  tears,  at  the  treatment  she  had  received  from  her 
mistress.  She  seemed  determined  to  destroy  herself,  to  escape  her 
Egyptian  bondage.  He  prevailed  with  her  to  return,  and  went  with 
her  home.  He  asked  Mrs.  H.  to  forgive  her ;  but  she  refused  with 
the  utmost  roughness,  rage,  and  almost  reviling.  He  next  met  Mr. 
Tackner,  who,  he  observes,  made  him  full  amends  :  he  was  in  an 
excellent  temper,  resolved  to  strive,  not  with  his  wife,  but  with  him- 
self, in  putting  off  the  old  man,  and  putting  on  the  new.  In  the 
evening  he  received  the  first  harsh  word  from  Mr.  Oglethorpe,  when 
he  asked  for  something  for  a  poor  woman.  The  next  day  he  received 
a  rougher  answer  in  a  matter  which  deserved  still  greater  encourage- 
ment. '  1  know  not,'  says  he,  '  how  to  account  for  his  increasing  cold- 
ness.' His  encouragement,  he  observes,  was  the  same  in  speaking  with 
Mrs.  W.  whom  he  found  all  storm  and  tempest ;  so  wilful,  so  untract- 
able,  so  fierce,  that  he  could  not  bear  to  stay  near  her.  This  evening 
Mr.  Oglethorpe  was  with  the  men  under  arms,  in  expectation  of  an 
enemy,  but  in  the  same  ill  humor  with  Mr.  Wesley.  "  I  staid,"  says 
he,  "  as  long  as  I  could,  however  unsafe,  within  the  wind  of  such 
commotion ;  but  at  last  the  hurricane  of  his  passion  drove  me  away." 

Mr.  Wesley's  situation  was  now  truly  alarming ;  not  only  as  it 
regarded  his  usefulness,  but  as  it  affected  his  safety.  Many  persons 
lost  all  decency  in  their  behavior  towards  him,  and  Mr.  Oglethorpe's 
treatment  of  him  showed  that  he  had  received  impressions  greatly  to 
his  disadvantage  ;  at  the  same  time  he  was  totally  ignorant  of  his  ac- 
cusers, and  of  what  he  was  accused.  But  being  conscious  of  his  own 
innocence  he  trusted  in  God,  and  considered  his  sufferings  as  a  part 
of  the  portion  of  those  who  will  live  godly  in  Christ  Jesus,  especially 
if  they  persuade  others  to  walk  in  the  same  rule.  Sunday,  March 
14th,  he  read  prayers,  and  preached  with  boldness  in  singleness  of 
intention,  under  a  great  tree,  to  about  twenty  people,  among  whom 
was  Mr.  Oglethorpe.  "In  the  Epistle,"  says  he,  "I  was  plainly 
shown  what  I  ought  to  be,  and  what  I  ought  to  expect.  '  Giving  no 
offence  in  any  thing,  that  the  ministry  be  not  blamed,  but  in  all 
things  approving  ourselves  as  the  ministers  of  Christ;  in  much 
patience,  in  afflictions,  in  necessities,  in  distress,  in  stripes,  in  impris- 
onments, in  tumults,  in  labors,  in  watchings,'  (fcc." 

At  night  he  found  himself  exceedingly  faint;  but  had  no  better  bed 


80 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


to  lie  down  upon  than  the  ground  ;  on  which  he  says,  ''I  slept  very 
comfortably  before  a  great  lire,  and  waked  next  morning  perfectly 
well." 

He  spent  March  16th  wholly  in  writing  letters  for  Mr.  Oglethorpe. 
He  had  now  been  six  days  at  Frederica ;  and  observes,  "I  would 
not  spend  six  days  more  in  the  same  manner  for  all  Georgia."  But 
he  had  more  than  six  days  to  spend  in  no  better  a  situation,  without 
being  able  to  make  any  conditions. 

Mr.  Charles  Wesley,  as  well  as  his  brother  John,  was  so  fully 
convinced  at  this  time,  that  immersion  was  the  ancient  mode  of 
baptizing,  that  he  determined  to  adhere  strictly  to  the  rubric  of  the 
church  of  England  in  relation  to  it,  and  not  to  baptize  any  child  by 
sprinkling,  unless  it  was  sickly  and  weak.  This  occasioned  some 
contention  among  his  people,  who  were  governed  chiefly  by  their 
passions,  and  a  spirit  of  opposition.  However,  by  perseverance  and 
mild  persuasion,  he  prevailed  with  some  of  them  to  consent  to  it,  and 
about  this  time,  he  adds  with  apparent  pleasure,  "I  baptized  Mr. 
Colwell's  child  by  true  immersion,  before  a  large  congregation." 

March  18,  Mr.  Oglethorpe  set  out  with  the  Indians  to  hunt  the 
buffalo  upon  the  main,  and  to  see  the  utmost  limits  of  what  they 
claimed. — This  day  Mrs.  W.  discovered  to  Mr.  Wesley  "  the  whole 
mystery  of  iniquity."  I  suppose  he  means  the  plots  and  designs 
which  were  formed,  chiefly  against  himself 

He  went  to  his  myrtle  grove,  and  while  he  was  repeating,  I  will 
thank  thee,  for  thou  hast  heard  me,  and  art  become  my  salvation,"  a 
gun  was  fired  from  the  other  side  of  the  bushes.  Providentially  he 
had  the  moment  before  turned  from  that  end  of  the  walk  where  the 
shot  entered,  and  heard  it  pass  close  by  him.  This  was,  apparently, 
a  design  upon  his  life. 

A  circumstance  now  took  place  which  soon  brought  on  an  expla- 
nation between  Mr.  Oglethrope  and  Mr.  Wesley.  Mr.  Oglethorpe 
had,  more  than  once,  given  orders  that  no  man  should  shoot  on  a 
Sunday ;  and  Germain  had  been  confined  in  the  guard-room  for  it. 
In  the  midst  of  sermon,  on  Sunday  the  21st,  a  gun  was  fired:  the 
constable  ran  out,  and  found  it  was  the  Doctor,  and  told  him  it 
was  contrary  to  orders,  and  he  must  go  with  him  to  the  officer. 
The  Doctor's  passion  kindled;  "What,"  said  he,  "don't  you  know 
that  I  am  not  to  be  looked  upon  as  a  common  fellow  7  "  The  consta- 
ble not  knowing  what  to  do,  went  back,  and  after  consulting  with 
Hermsdorff",  returned  with  two  sentinels,  and  took  him  to  the  guard- 
room. His  wife  then  charged  and  fired  a  gun,  and  ran  thither  like  a 
mad  woman,  and  said  she  had  shot,  and  would  be  confined  too.  She 
curst  and  swore  in  the  utmost  transport  of  rage,  threatening  to  kill 
the  first  man  that  should  come  near  her;  but  at  last  was  persuaded 
to  go  away.  In  the  afternoon  she  fell  upon  Mr.  Wesley  in  the  street 
with  the  greatest  bitterness  and  scurrility :  said  he  was  the  cause  of 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


her  husband's  confinement,  but  she  would  be  revenged,  &c.  &:c.  He 
repHed,  tliat  he  pitied  her,  but  defied  all  that  she  or  the  devil  could 
do;  and  he  hoped  she  would  soon  be  of  a  better  mind.  "In  my 
evening  hour  of  retirement,"  says  he,  "I  resigned  myself  to  God,  in 
prayer  for  conformity  to  a  suffering  Saviour." 

Before  prayers  this  evening  he  took  a  walk  with  Mr.  Ingham,  who 
seemed  surprized  that  he  should  not  think  innocence  a  sufficient  pro- 
tection :  but  Mr.  Wesley  had  not  acquainted  him  with  the  informa- 
tion he  had  received  of  designs  formed  against  him. — At  night,  he 
tells  us,  "I  was  forced  to  exchange  my  usual  bed,  the  ground,  for  a 
chest,  being  almost  speechless  with  a  violent  cold." 

Mr.  Oglethorpe  was  now  expected  to  return  from  his  excursion 
with  the  Indians,  and  such  was  the  violence  of  the  party  formed 
against  Mr.  Wesley,  that  the  Doctor  sent  his  wife  to  arm  herself 
from  the  case  of  instruments,  and  forcibly  to  make  her  escape  to 
speak  to  him  first  on  his  landing,  and  even  to  stab  any  person  who 
should  oppose  her.  "  I  was  encouraged,"  says  Mr.  Wesley,  "  from  the 
lesson,  God  hath  not  given  us  the  spirit  of  fear,  but  of  power — Be  not 
thou  therefore  ashamed  of  the  testimony  of  our  Lord,"  &c.  March 
24th,  "  I  was  enabled  to  pray  earnestly  for  my  enemies,  particularly 
for  Mr.  Oglethorpe,  whom  I  now  looked  upon  as  the  chief  of  them — 
Then  gave  myself  up  entirely  to  God's  disposal,  desiring  that  I  might 
not  now  want  power  to  pray,  when  I  most  of  all  needed  it — Mr. 
Ingham  then  came  and  read  the  37th  psalm,  a  glorious  exhortation 
to  patience,  and  confidence  in  God. — When  notice  was  given  us  of 
Mr.  Oglethorpe's  landing,  Mr.  H.,  Mr.  Ingham,  and  I  were  sent  for. 
We  found  him  in  his  tent,  with  the  people  around  it,  and  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  H.  within.  After  a  short  hearing  the  officers  were  repri- 
manded, and  the  prisoners  dismissed.  At  going  out  Mrs.  H.  mod- 
estly told  me,  she  had  something  more  to  say  against  me,  but  she 
would  take  another  opportunity — I  only  answered,  'you  know, 
Madam,  it  is  impossible  for  me  to  fear  you.'  When  they  were  gone, 
Mr.  Oglethorpe  said,  he  was  convinced  and  glad  that  I  had  no  hand 
in  all  this — I  told  him  that  I  had  something  to  impart  of  the  last 
importance,  when  he  was  at  leisure.  He  took  no  notice,  but  read  his 
letters,  and  I  walked  away  with  Mr.  Ingham,  who  was  utterly  aston- 
ished. The  issue  is  just  what  I  expected — I  was  struck  with  these 
words  in  the  evening  lesson :  '  Thou  therefore,  my  son,  be  strong  in 
the  grace  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus :  remember  that  Jesus  Christ  was 
raised  from  the  dead,  according  to  my  gospel,  wherein  I  suffer  trouble 
as  an  evil  doer,  even  unto  bonds,  but  the  word  of  God  is  not  bound, 
therefore  I  endure  all  things  for  the  elect's  sake.  It  is  a  faithful  say- 
ing ;  for  if  we  be  dead  with  him,  we  shall  also  live  with  him :  if  we 
suffer,  we  shall  also  reign  with  him — After  reading  these  words,  I 
could  not  forbear  adding,  I  need  say  nothing;  God  will  shortly  apply 
this — Glory  be  to  God  for  my  confidence  hitherto — O !  what  am  I,  if 

11 


82 


THE  LIFE  OF   THE  REV.   CHARLES  WESLEY. 


left  to  myself;  but  I  can  do  and  suffer  all  things  through  Christ 
strengthening  me." 

He  goes  on:  "Thursday,  March  25th,  I  heard  the  second  drum 
beat  for  prayers,  which  I  had  desired  Mr.  Ingham  to  read,  being 
much  weakened  by  my  fever ;  but  considering  that  T  ought  to  appear 
at  this  time  especially,  I  rose,  and  heard  those  animating  words,  '  If 
any  man  serve  me,  let  him  follow  me,  and  where  I  am  there  shall 
my  servant  be.  If  any  man  serve  me,  him  will  my  Father  honor,' 
&c.  At  half  past  seven,  Mr.  Oglethorpe  called  me  out  of  my  hut;  I 
looked  up  to  GJod  and  went.  He  charged  me  with  mutiny  and  sedi- 
tion; with  stirring  up  the  people  to  leave  the  colony.  Accordingly 
he  said,  they  had  a  meeting  last  night,  and  sent  to  him  this  morning, 
desiring  leave  to  go — That  their  speaker  had  informed  against  them, 
and  me  the  spring  of  all — That  the  men  were  such  as  constantly 
came  to  prayers,  therefore  I  must  have  instigated  them — That  he 
should  not  scruple  shooting  half  a  dozen  of  them  at  once,  but  that  he 
had,  out  of  kindness,  first  spoken  to  me.  My  answer  was,  'I  desire, 
sir,  that  you  would  have  no  regard  to  my  friends,  or  the  love  you 
had  for  me,  if  any  thing  of  this  charge  be  made  out  against  me — I 
know  nothing  of  their  meeting  or  designs.  Of  those  you  have  men- 
tioned, not  one  comes  to  prayers  or  sacrament — I  never  invited  any 
one  to  leave  the  colony — I  desire  to  answer  accusers  face  to  face.' 
He  said  my  accuser  was  Mr.  Lawley,  whom  he  would  bring,  if  I 
would  wait  here — I  added,  Mr.  Lawley  is  a  man  who  has  declared, 
that  he  knows  no  reason  for  keeping  fair  with  any  one,  but  a  design 
to  get  all  he  can  by  him ;  but  there  was  nothing  to  be  got  by  the  poor 
parson.  I  asked  whether  he  was  not  assured  that  there  were  men 
enough  in  Frederica,  who  would  say  or  swear  any  thing  against  any 
man,  if  he  were  in  disgrace — Whether  if  he  himself  was  removed,  or 
succeeded  ill,  the  whole  stream  of  the  people  would  not  be  turned 
against  him  ;  and  even  this  Lawley,  who  was  of  all  others  the  most 
violent  in  condemning  the  prisoners,  and  justifying  the  officers  ?  I 
observed,  this  was  the  old  cry,  away  with  the  Christians  to  the  lions 
— I  mentioned  R.  and  his  wife  scandalizing  my  brother  and  me,  and 
vowing  revenge  against  us  both,  threatening  me  yesterday  even  in 
his  presence.  I  asked  what  satisfaction  or  redress  was  due  to  my 
character — What  good  1  could  do  in  my  parish,  if  cut  off  by  calum- 
nies from  ever  seeing  one  half  of  it?  I  ended  with  assuring  him,  that 
I  had,  and  should  make  it  my  business  to  promote  peace  among  all." 

"  When  Mr.  Oglethorpe  returned  with  Lawley,  he  observed  the 
place  was  too  public — I  offered  to  take  him  to  my  usual  walk  in  the 
woods — In  the  way,  it  came  into  my  mind  to  say  to  Mr.  Oglethorpe, 
'  show  only  the  least  disinclination  to  find  me  guilty,  and  you  shall  see 
what  a  turn  it  will  give  to  the  accusation.'  He  took  the  hint,  and 
insisted  on  Lawley  to  make  good  his  charge.  He  began  with  the 
quarrel  in  general,  but  did  not  show  himself  angry  with  me,  or 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  KEV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


desirous  to  find  me  to  blame.  Lavvley,  wlio  appeared  full  of  guilt 
and  fear,  upon  this  dropt  his  accusation,  or  rather  shrunk  it  into  my 
forcing  the  people  to  prayers.  I  replied,  the  people  themselves 
would  acquit  me  of  that;  and  as  to  the  quarrel  of  the  officers,  I 
appealed  to  the  officers  themselves  for  the  truth  of  my  assertion,  that 
1  had  no  hand  at  all  in  it.  I  professed  my  desire  and  resolution  of 
promoting  peace  and  obedience — Here  Mr.  Oglethorpe  spoke  of  recon- 
ciling matters :  bid  Lawley  tell  the  people,  that  he  would  not  so 
much  as  ask  who  they  were,  if  they  were  but  quiet  for  the  future.  '  I 
hope,'  added  he,  '  they  will  be  so;  and  Mr.  Wesley  here,  hopes  so  too.' 
*  Yes,'  says  Lawley,  '  I  really  believe  it  of  Mr.  Wesley :  I  had  always 
a  great  respect  for  him.'  I  turned  and  said  to  Mr.  Oglethorpe,  '  did  I 
not  tell  you  it  would  be  so?'  He  replied  to  Lawley,  'yes,  you  had 
always  a  very  great  respect  for  Mr.  Wesley;  you  told  me  he  was  a 
stirrer  up  of  sedition,  and  at  the  bottom  of  all  this  disturbance.'  With 
this  gentle  reproof  he  dismissed  him  ;  and  I  thanked  Mr.  Oglethorpe 
for  having  first  spoken  to  me  of  the  things  of  which  I  was  accused, 
begging  he  would  always  do  so,  which  he  promised.  I  walked  with 
him  to  Mrs.  H.'sdoor;  she  came  out  aghast  to  see  me  with  him. 
He  there  left  me,  and  I  was  delivered  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  lion." 

"  1  went  to  my  hut,  where  I  found  Mr.  Ingham  ;  he  said,  this  was 
but  the  beginning  of  sorrows — '  Not  as  I  will,  but  as  thou  wilt.' 
About  noon,  in  the  midst  of  a  storm  of  thunder  and  lightning,  I  read 
the  28th  psalm,  and  found  it  gloriously  suited  to  my  circumstances. 
I  never  felt  the  Scriptures  as  now.  I  now  find  them  all  written  for 
my  instruction  or  comfort.  At  the  same  time  I  felt  great  joy  in  the 
expectation  of  our  Saviour's  thus  coming  to  judgment:  when  the 
secrets  of  all  hearts  shall  be  revealed,  and  God  shall  make  my  inno- 
cency  as  clear  as  the  light,  and  my  just  dealing  as  the  noon  day." 

"At  three  in  the  afternoon  I  walked  with  Mr.  Ingham,  and  read 
him  the  history  of  this  amazing  day.  We  rejoiced  together  in  the 
protection  of  God,  and  through  comfort  of  the  Scriptures.  The  even- 
ing lesson  was  full  of  encouragement.  '  This  know,  that  in  the  last 
days  perilous  times  shall  come  ;  for  men  shall  be  false  accusers,  incon- 
tinent, fierce,  despisers  of  those  that  are  good,  traitors,  heady,  high- 
minded;  but  they  shall  proceed  no  further,  for  their  folly  shall  be 
made  manifest  to  all  men,  &c.  All  scripture  is  given  by  inspiration 
of  God,  and  is  profitable,'  &c.  Blessed  be  God  that  I  begin  to  find 
them  so.  Meeting  with  Mr.  Hird,  I  persuaded  him  to  use  all  his 
interest  with  the  people,  to  lay  aside  their  thoughts  of  leaving  the 
colony.  He  told  me  that  he  had  assured  Mr.  Oglethorpe  that  this  was 
always  my  language  to  him  and  the  rest ;  and  that  I  had  no  hand  in 
the  late  disturbance ;  but  was  answered  short,  '  You  must  not  tell  me 
that  ;  I  know  better.'  After  spending  an  hour  at  the  camp,  in  sing- 
ing such  psalms  as  suited  the  occasion,  I  went  to  bed  in  the  hut, 
which  was  thoroughly  wet  with  to-day's  rain." 


84 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   CHARLES  WESLEY. 


"  March  26.  My  soul  is  always  in  my  hand,  therefore  will  I  not 
forget  thy  law.  This  morning  early  Mr.  Oglethorpe  called  me  out  to 
tell  me  of  Mrs.  Lawley's  miscarriage,  by  being  denied  access  to  the 
Doctor  for  bleeding.  He  seemed  very  angry,  and  to  charge  me  with 
it ;  saying  he  should  be  the  tyrant  if  he  passed  by  such  intolerable 
injuries.  I  answered,  that  I  knew  nothing  of  the  matter,  and  it  was 
hard  that  it  should  be  imputed  to  me.  That  from  the  first  Herms- 
dorf  told  the  Doctor  he  might  visit  any  patients  that  he  pleased,  but 
the  Doctor  would  not  visit  any.  I  denied  that  I  had  the  least  hand 
in  the  business,  as  Hermsdorf  himself  had  declared ;  and  yet  I  must 
be  charged  with  all  the  mischief.  '  How  else  can  it  be,'  said  he,  '  that 
there  is  no  love,  no  meekness,  no  true  religion  among  the  people  ;  but 
instead  of  this,  mere  formal  prayers  ?'  I  said,  '  as  to  that  I  can  answer 
for  them,  that  they  have  no  more  of  the  form  of  godliness  than  the 
power  :  for  I  have  seldom  more  than  six  at  the  public  service.'  '  But 
what  would  an  unbeliever  say  to  your  raising  these  disorders?'  I 
answered,  '  if  I  had  raised  them,  he  might  say  there  is  nothing  in 
religion,  but  what  would  that  signify  to  those  who  had  experienced 
it?  they  would  not  say  so.'  He  said  the  people  were  full  of  dread  and 
confusion — that  it  was  much  more  easy  to  govern  a  thousand  than 
sixty  persons — that  he  durst  not  leave  them  before  they  were  settled. 
I  asked  him  whether  he  would  have  me  altogether  forbear  to  converse 
with  my  parishioners  ?  To  this  I  could  get  no  answer.  I  went  on  to 
observe,  that  the  reason  why  I  did  not  interpose  for  or  against  the 
Doctor,  was  his  having  at  the  beginning  charged  me  with  his  con- 
finement. I  said,  '  I  have  talked  less  with  my  parishioners  these  five 
days  past,  than  I  had  done  in  any  one  afternoon  before.  I  have 
shunned  appearing  in  public,  lest  my  advice  should  be  asked  :  or,  lest 
if  I  heard  others  talking,  my  silence  should  be  deciphered  into  advice. 
But  one  argument  of  my  innocence  I  can  give,  which  will  convince 
even  you  of  it.  I  know  my  life  is  in  your  hands  ;  and  you  know  that 
were  you  to  frown  upon  me,  and  give  the  least  intimation  that  it 
would  be  agreeable  to  you,  the  generality  of  this  wretched  people 
would  say  or  swear  anything.'  To  this  he  agreed,  and  owned  the  case 
was  so  with  them  all.  '  You  see,'  said  I,  *  that  my  safety  depends  on 
your  single  opinion  of  me  :  must  I  not  therefore  be  mad,  if,  in  such  a 
situation,  I  should  provoke  you  by  disturbing  the  public  peace? 
Innocence,  I  know,  is  not  the  least  protection,  but  my  sure  trust  is  in 
God.'  Here  company  interrupted  us,  and  I  left  him.  I  was  no  longer 
careful  for  the  event,  after  reading  those  words  in  the  morning  lesson, 
'  Thou  shalt  not  follow  me  now,  but  thou  shalt  follow  me  afterwards.' 
Amen  :  When  thou  pleasest,  thy  time  is  best." 

While  we  pity  the  situation,  we  cannot  but  admire  the  genuine 
piety,  the  patience  and  prudent  conduct  of  this  good  man,  in  the  midst 
of  such  severe  and  unexpected  trials.  , Though  yet  in  the  storm,  he 
writes  to  his  brother  with  a  degree  of  calmness  and  moderation  which 
shows  the  greatness  of  his  mind. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


"  Frederica,  March  27th. 

**  Dear  Brother, — 

I  received  your  letter  and  box.  My  last  to  you  was  opened,  the 
contents  being  publicly  proclaimed  by  those  who  were  so  ungenerous 
as  to  intercept  it.  I  have  not  yet  complained  to  Mr.  Oglethorpe — 
Though  I  trust  I  shall  never  either  write  or  speak  what  I  will  not 
justify  both  to  God  and  man,  yet  I  would  not  have  the  secrets  of  my 
soul  revealed  to  every  one.  For  their  sakes,  therefore,  as  well  as  for 
my  own,  I  shall  write  no  more,  and  dgsire  you  will  not.  Nor  will 
you  have  occasion,  as  you  visit  us  so  soon.  I  hope  your  coming  may 
be  of  use  to  many. 

"  Mr.  Oglethorpe  gave  me  an  exceeding  necessary  piece  of  advice  for 
you — '  Beware  of  hypocrites,  in  particular  of  log-house  converts.' 
They  consider  you  as  favored  by  Mr.  Oglethorpe,  and  will  therefore 
put  on  the  form  of  religion,  to  please — not  God,  but  you.  To  this  I 
shall  only  add,  Give  no  temporal  encouragement  whatsoever  to  any 
seeming  converts,  else  they  will  follow  you  for  the  sake  of  the  loaves. 
Convince  them  thus,  that  it  can  never  be  worth  their  while  to  be 
hypocrites.  Stay  till  you  are  in  disgrace,  in  persecution,  by  the 
heathen,  by  your  own  countrymen ;  till  you  are  accounted  the  off- 
scouring  of  all  things  (as  you  must  mfallibly  be,  if  God  is  true),  and 
then  see  who  will  follow  you. — I. 

"  God,  you  believe,  has  much  work  to  do  in  America.  I  believe  so 
too,  and  begin  to  enter  into  the  designs  which  he  has  over  me.  I  see 
why  he  brought  me  hither ;  and  hope  ere  long  to  say  with  Ignatius, 
'  It  is  now  that  1  begin  to  be  a  disciple  of  Christ.'  God  direct  you  to 
pray  for  me.  Adieu." 

On  the  evening  of  the  day  when  Mr.  Charles  Wesley  wrote  this 
letter,  a  thought  came  into  his  mind  to  send  Mr.  Ingham  for  his 
brother.  Mr.  Ingham  was  at  first  much  averse  to  leave  him  in  his 
trials,  but  at  length  was  persuaded  to  go  to  Savannah,  and  Mr.  John 
Wesley  set  out  from  thence  on  the  4th  of  April.^  I  shall  now  pursue 
Mr.  Charles'  narrative. 

"  Sunday,  March  28.  I  went  to  the  storehouse,  our  tabernacle  at 
present,  to  hearken  what  the  Lord  God  would  say  concerning  both 
myself  and  the  congregation.  I  was  struck  with  the  first  lesson, 
Joseph  and  Potiphar's  wife.  The  second  was  still  more  animating. 
*If  the  world  hate  you,  ye  know  it  hated  me  before  it  hated  you;  if 
ye  were  of  the  world,'  &c.  After  prayers,  poor  Mr.  Davison  staid 
behind  to  take  his  leave  of  Mr.  Ingham.  He  burst  into  tears,  and  said; 
*  one  good  man  is  leaving  us  already  ;  I  foresee  nothing  but  desolation. 
Must  my  poor  children  be  brought  up  like  these  savages?'  We  en- 
deavored to  comfort  him,  by  showing  him  his  calling.  At  ten  o'clock 
Mr.  Ingham  preached  an  alarming  sermon  on  the  day  of  judgment. 
In  my  walk  at  noon  I  was  full  of  heaviness ;  I  complained,  to  God 
*  See  l\Ir.  Wesley's  Journal,  vol.  xxvi.  of  his  Works,  pp.  127,  128. 

8 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   CHARLES  WESLEY. 


that  1  had  no  friend  but  him,  and  even  in  him  could  find  no  comfort. 
Immediately  I  received  power  to  pray  ;  then  opening  my  Bible,  I  read 
as  follows  :  '  Hearken  unto  me,  ye  that  seek  the  Lord;  look  unto  the 
rock  from  whence  you  were  hewn :  fear  not  the  reproach  of  men, 
neither  be  ye  afraid  of  their  reviling.  Awake,  awake,  flee  away  ;  who 
art  thou,  that  thou  shouldst  be  afraid  of  a  man  that  shall  die,  and 
hast  feared  continually  every  day,  because  of  the  fury  of  the  oppres- 
sor 1  and  where  is  the  fury  of  the  oppressor  1- '  After  reading  this,  it  is 
no  wonder  that  I  found  myself  renewed  in  confidence.  While  Mr. 
Ingham  waited  for  the  boat,  I  took  a  turn  with  Mr.  Horton  :  he  fully 
convinced  me  of  the  true  character  of  Mrs.  H.  In  the  highest  degree 
ungrateful,  &c.  6ic.  I  then  hasted  to  the  water-side,  where  I  found 
Mr.  Ingham  just  put  off.  O  !  happy  happy  friend !  abiit,  en/pit^ 
evasit :  but  woe  is  me  that  I  am  still  constrained  to  dwell  in  Meshech. 
I  languished  to  bear  him  company,  followed  him  with  my  eye  till 
out  of  sight,  and  then  sunk  into  deeper  dejection  of  spirit  than  I  had 
known  before." 

"March  29.  I  was  revived  with  those  words  of  our  Lord: 
'  These  things  have  I  spoken  unto  you,  that  you  should  not  be  offended. 
They  shall  put  you  out  of  their  synagogues ;  yea,  the  time  cometh, 
that  whosoever  killeth  you  shall  think  that  he  doeth  God  service,' &c. 
Knowing  when  I  left  England,  that  I  was  to  live  with  Mr.  Oglethorpe, 
I  brought  nothing  with  me  but  my  clothes  and  books.  This  morning 
asking  a  servant  for  something  I  wanted,  I  think  a  tea-kettle,  he 
told  me  that  Mr.  Oglethorpe  had  given  orders  that  no  one  should 
use  his  things.  I  answered,  that  order,  I  supposed,  did  not  extend  to 
me  :  'yes,  sir,'  said  he,  'you  were  excepted  by  name.'  Thanks  be  to 
God,  that  it  is  not  yet  made  capital  to  give  me  a  morsel  of  bread. 

"  March  30.  Having  lain  hitherto  on  the  ground,  in  a  corner  of  Mr. 
Reed's  hut,  and  hearing  some  boards  Avere  to  be  disposed  of,  I  attempt- 
ed in  vain  to  get  some  of  them  to  lie  upon — they  were  given  to  all 
besides — the  minister  of  Frederica  only  must  be  aq^Qr^rcoQ.  adefiigjog^ 
ttVBGTiog.^  Yet  are  we  not  hereunto  called  ucmxreiv,  xay.onuOeiv.'^  Even 
the  Son  of  Man  had  not  where  to  lay  his  head — I  find  the  Scriptures 
an  inexhaustible  fund  of  comfort — '  Is  my  hand  shortened  at  all  that 
I  cannot  save,  or  have  I  no  power  to  deliver' — Behold  the  Lord  God 
will  help  me,  who  is  he  that  shall  condemn  me  ? 

"  March  'SI.  I  begin  now  to  be  abused  and  slighted  into  an  opinion 
of  my  own  considerableness.  I  could  not  be  more  trampled  upon, 
were  I  a  fallen  minister  of  state.  The  people  have  found  out  that  I 
am  in  disgrace,  and  all  the  cry  is,  '  curramus  prsecipites,  et  dum  jacet 
in  ripa,  calcemus  Csesaris  hostem.'§  My  few  well-wishers  are  afraid 
to  speak  to  me ;  some  have  turned  out  of  the  way  to  avoid  me ;  oth- 

*  He  is  gone  ;  he  has  broke  loose  ;  he  has  escaped. 

f  Treated  as  an  enemy  to  society,  as  an  unjust  person,  and  be  destitute  of  an  habitation. 
^  To  have  no  certain  dwelling-place  ;  to  suffer  afflictions.  1  Cor.  iv.  11.  2  Tim.  iv.  5. 
i§  Let  us  run  quick,  and  while  he  is  doAvn  let  us  trample  on  the  enemy  of  Cscsar. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


ers  have  desired  that  I  would  not  take  it  ill  if  they  seemed  not  to 
know  me  when  we  should  meet.  The  servant  that  used  to  wash  my 
linen,  sent  it  back  unwashed.  It  was  great  cause  of  triumph  that 
I  was  forbid  the  use  of  Mr.  Oglethrope's  things;  which  in  effect 
debarred  me  of  most  of  the  conveniences,  if  not  the  necessaries  of 
life — I  sometimes  pitied  them,  and  sometimes  diverted  myself  with 
the  odd  expressions  of  their  contempt :  but  I  found  the  benefit  of  hav- 
ing undergone  a  much  lower  degree  of  obloquy  at  Oxford." 

"April  1.  In  the  midst  of  morning  service,  a  poor  Scout  boatman 
was  brought  in,  who  was  almost  killed  by  the  bursting  of  a  cannon. 
I  found  him  senseless  and  dying ;  and  all  I  could  do,  was  to  pray  for 
him,  and  try  by  his  example  to  wake  his  two  companions.  He  lan- 
guished till  the  next  day,  and  then  died.  Hitherto  I  have  been  borne 
up  by  a  spirit  not  my  own  :  but  exhausted  nature  sinks  at  last.  It  is 
amazing  she  has  held  out  so  long.  My  outward  hardships  and  in- 
ward conflicts  ;  the  bitterness  of  reproach  from  the  only  man  I  wished 
to  please,  down  at  last  have  worn  my  boasted  courage.  Accordingly 
this  afternoon,  I  was  forced  by  a  friendly  fever  to  take  my  bed.  My 
sickness,  I  knew,  could  not  be  of  long  continuance,  as  I  was  in  want 
of  every  help  and  convenience ;  it  must  either  soon  leave  me,  or 
release  me  from  further  sufferings.  In  the  evening  Mr.  Hird  and 
Mr.  Robinson  called  to  see  me,  and  offered  me  all  the  assistance  in 
their  power.  I  thanked  them,  but  desired  they  would  not  prejudice 
themselves  by  taking  this  notice  of  me.  At  that  instant  we  were 
alarmed  with  a  cry  of  the  Spaniards  being  come;  we  heard  many 
guns  fired,  and  saw  the  people  fly  in  great  consternation  to  the  fort. 
I  felt  not  the  least  disturbance  or  surprise ;  bid  the  women  not  fear, 
for  God  was  with  us.  In  a  few  minutes,  news  was  brought,  that  it 
was  only  a  contrivance  of  Mr.  Oglethorpe's  to  try  the  people.  My 
charitable  visitants  then  left  me  and  soon  returned  with  some  gruel, 
which  threw  me  into  a  sweat.  The  next  morning,  April  2,  they  ven- 
tured to  call  again — at  night,  when  my  fever  was  somewhat  abated,/ 
I  was  led  out  to  bury  the  Scout  boatman,  and  envied  him  his  quiets 
grave.  April  3.  I  found  nature  endeavored  to  throw  off  the  disease 
by  excessive  sweating,  I  therefore  drank  whatever  the  women  brought 
me.  April  4.  My  flux  returned;  but  notwithstanding  this,  I  was 
obliged  to  go  abroad,  and  preach  and  administer  the  sacrament.  My 
sermon,  '  On  keep  innocency  and  take  heed  to  the  thing  that  is  right, 
for  this  shall  bring  a  man  peace  at  the  last,'  was  decyphered  into  a 
satire  against  Mrs.  H.  At  night  I  got  an  old  bedstead  to  sleep  upon, 
being  that  on  which  the  Scout  boatman  had  died.  April  6.  I  found 
myself  so  faint  and  weak,  that  it  was  with  the  utmost  difficulty  I 
got  through  the  prayers.  Mr.  Davison,  my  good  Samaritan,  would 
often  call  or  send  his  wife  to  attend  me,  and  to  their  care,  under  God, 
I  owe  my  life.  To-day  Mr.  Oglethorpe  gave  away  my  bedstead  from 
under  me,  and  refused  to  spare  one  of  the  carpenters  to  mend  me  up  ' 
another." 


8S 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   CHARLES  WESLEY. 


April  10.  Mr.  Reed  waked  me  with  the  news  that  my  brother  and 
Mr.  Delamotte  were  on  their  way  to  Frederica.  I  found  the  encour- 
agement I  sought,  in  the  Scripture  for  the  day,  Psahn  lii.  'Why 
boastest  thou  thyself,  thou  tyrant,  that  thou  canst  do  mischief,  where- 
as the  goodness  of  God  endureth  yet  daily.  Thy  tongue  imagineth 
wickedness,  and  with  lies  thou  cuttest  like  a  sharp  razor,'  6cc.  At 
six  my  brother  and  Mr.  Delamotte  landed,  when  my  strength  was  so 
exhausted,  that  I  could  not  have  read  prayers  once  more.  He  helped 
me  into  tlie  woods,  for  there  was  no  talking  among  a  people  of  spies 
and  ruffians;  not  even  in  the  woods  unless  in  an  unknown  tongue — 
And  yet  Mr.  Oglethorpe  received  my  brother  with  abundant  kindness. 
I  began  my  account  of  all  that  had  passed,  and  continued  it  till  prayers. 
It  would  be  needless  to  mention  all  the  Scriptures,  wliich.  for  so 
many  days,  have  been  adapted  to  my  circumstances.  But  1  cannot 
pass  by  the  lesson  for  this  evening,  Heb.  xi.  1  was  ashamed  of  having 
well  nigh  sunk  under  my  sufferings,  when  I  beheld  the  conflicts  of 
those  trmmphant  sufferers  of  whom  the  world  was  not  worthy.  April 
11.  What  words  could  more  support  our  confidence,  than  the  follow- 
ing ?  out  of  the  Psalms  for  the  day.  '  Be  merciful  unto  me  O  God, 
for  man  goeth  about  to  devour  me.  He  is  daily  fighting  and  troub- 
ling me.  Mine  enemies  be  daily  in  hand  to  swallow  me  up,  for  they 
be  many  that  fight  against  me — I  will  put  my  trust  in  God,  and  will 
not  fear  what  flesh  can  do  unto  me.  They  daily  mistake  my  words,' 
(Sec.  The  next  Psalm  was  equally  animating — '  Be  merciful  unto  me, 

0  God.  for  my  soul  trustelh  in  thee;  and  under  the  shadow  of  thy 
wings  shall  be  my  refuge,  till  this  tyranny  be  overpast.  I  will  call 
unto  the  most  high  God,  even  unto  tlie  God  that  shall  perform  the 
cause  that  I  have  in  hand — My  soul  is  among  lions  ;  and  I  lie  even 
among  the  children  of  men  that  are  set  on  fire,  w^hose  teeth  are  spears 
and  arrows,  and  their  tongue  a  sharp  sword,'  &c.  1  just  recovered 
strength  enough  to  consecrate  at  the  sacrament ;  my  brother  performed 
the  rest  We  then  went  out  of  the  reach  of  informers,  and  I  pro- 
ceeded in  my  account,  being  fully  persuaded  of  the  truth  of  Mrs.  W^'s 
information  against  ^h.  Oglethorpe,  Mrs.  H.  and  herself  At  noon 
my  brother  repeated  to  me  his  last  conference  with  Mrs.  W.  in  con- 
firmation of  all  she  had  ever  told  me. 

'•April  16.  My  brother  prevailed  with  me  to  break  a  resolution 
which  honor  and  indignation  had  induced  me  to  form,  of  starving 
rather  than  ask  for  necessaries.  Accordingly  I  went  to  Mr.  Ogle- 
thorpe, and  asked  for  some  little  things  I  wanted.  He  sent  for  me 
back  and  said,  'pray  sir  sit  down,  I  have  something  to  say  to  you; 

1  hear  you  have  spread  several  reports  about.' 

"  The  next  day  my  brother  and  Mr.  Delamotte  set  out  in  an  open 
boat  for  Savannah.  I  preached  in  the  afternoon,  on,  '  He  that  now 
goeth  on  his  way  weeping  and  bearing  good  seed,  shall  doubtless 
come  again  with  joy,  and  bring  his  sheaves  with  him.'  Easter-eve, 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


April  24,  I  was  sent  for  at  10  by  Mr.  Oglethrope.  *  Mr.  Wesley,  you 
know  what  has  passed  between  us.  I  took  some  pains  to  satisfy  your 
brother  about  the  reports  concerning  me,  but  in  vain ;  he  here  renews 
his  suspicion  in  writing.  I  did  desire  to  convince  him,  because  I  had 
an  esteem  for  him ;  and  he  is  just  as  considerable  to  me  as  my  esteem 
makes  him.  I  could  clear  up  all,  but  it  matters  not,  you  will  soon 
see  the  reason  of  my  actions.  I  am  now  going  to  death,  you  will  see 
me  no  more.  Take  this  ring,  and  carry  it  from  me  to  Mr.  V. ;  if  there 
be  a  friend  to  be  depended  on  he  is  one.  His  interest  is  next  to  Sir 
Robert's ;  whatever  you  ask,  within  his  power,  he  will  do  for  you, 
your  brother  and  family.  I  have  expected  death  for  some  days. 
These  letters  show  that  the  Spaniards  have  long  been  seducing  our 
allies,  and  intend  to  cut  us  off  at  a  blow.  I  fall  by  my  friends,  on 
whom  I  depended  to  send  their  promised  succors.  But  death  is  noth- 
ing to  me ;  I  will  pursue  all  my  designs,  and  to  Him  I  recommend 
them  and  you.'  He  then  gave  me  a  diamond  ring;  I  took  it,  and 
said,  '  If,  postremum  fato  quod  te  alloqiior^  hoc  esi^^  hear,  what  you 
Avill  quickly  know  to  be  a  truth  as  soon  as  you  are  entered  on  a  sepa- 
rate state ;  this  ring  I  shall  never  make  any  use  of  for  myself ;  I  have 
no  worldly  hopes,  I  have  renounced  the  world — Life  is  bitterness  to  me 
— I  came  hither  to  lay  it  down — You  have  been  deceived  as  well  as 
I — I  protest  my  innocence  of  the  crimes  I  am  charged  with,  and  think 
myself  now  at  liberty  to  tell  you  what  I  thought  never  to  have  utter- 
ed.' "  It  is  probable  that  he  unfolded  to  Mr.  Oglethorpe  the  whole 
plot,  as  Mrs.  W.  had  discovered  it  to  him. 

"  When  I  had  finished  this  relation  he  seemed  entirely  changed ; 
full  of  his  old  love  and  confidence  in  me.    After  some  expressions  of 
kindness,  I  asked  him,  'are  you  now  satisfied?'    He  replied,  '  Yes  en- 
tirely.'   '  Why  then,  sir,  I  desire  nothing  more  on  earth,  and  care  not 
how  soon  I  follow  you.'    He  added,  how  much  he  desired  the  conver- 
sion of  the  heathen,  and  believed  my  brother  intended  for  it.    '  But  I 
believe,'  said  I,  '  it  will  never  be  under  your  patronage ;  for  then  men 
would  account  for  it,  without  taking  God  into  the  accoitnt.'    He  re- 
'  plied,  '  I  believe  so  too' — Then  embraced  and  kissed  me  with  the  most 
I  cordial  affection.    I  attended  him  to  the  Scout  boat,  where  he  waited 
I  some  minutes  for  his  sword.    They  brought  a  mourning  sword  the 
I  first  and  a  second  time ;  at  last  they  gave  him  his  own,  which  had 
been  his  father's — '  With  this  sword,'  said  he,  '  I  was  never  yet  unsuc- 
cessful.'   When  the  boat  put  off,  I  ran  into  the  woods  to  see  my  last 
of  him.    Seeing  me  and  two  others  run  after  him,  he  stopt  the  boat 
and  asked  if  we  wanted  anything?    Capt.  Mackintosh,  whom  he 
left  commander,  desired  his  last  orders.    I  then  said,  '  God  is  with 
I  you  ;  go  forth,  Christo  duce^  et  auspice  Christo.^    'You  have,'  said  he, 
*some  verses  of  mine,  you  there  see  my  thoughts  of  success.'  The 


*  This  be  the  last  time  I  am  allowed  to  speak  to  you. 
8*  12 


THE  LIFE  OF   THE  REV.   CHARLES  WESLEY. 


boat  then  carried  him  out  of  sight — I  interceded  for  him,  that  God 
would  save  him  from  death,  and  wash  away  all  his  sins." 

"  April  29.  About  half  past  8,  I  went  down  to  the  bluff,  to  see  a 
boat  that  was  coming  up.  At  9  it  arrived,  with  Mr.  Oglethorpe.  I 
blessed  God  for  still  holding  his  soul  in  life.  In  the  evening  we  took 
a  walk  together,  and  he  informed  me  more  particularly  of  our  past 
danger.  Three  large  ships  and  four  smaller,  had  been  seen  for  three 
weeks  together  at  the  mouth  of  the  river;  but  the  wind  continuing 
against  them,  they  were  hindered  from  making  a  descent  until  they 
could  stay  no  longer.  I  gave  him  back  his  ring,  and  said,  '  I  need  not, 
indeed  I  cannot,  sir,  tell  you  how  joyfully  and  thankfully  I  return  this.' 
'  When  I  gave  it  you,'  said  he,  '  I  never  expected  to  receive  it  again,  but 
thought  it  would  be  of  service  to  your  brother  and  you.  I  had  many 
omens  of  my  death — but  God  has  been  pleased  to  preserve  a  life  which 
was  never  valuable  to  me,  and  yet  in  the  continuance  of  it,  I  thank 
God  1  can  rejoice.'  He  appeared  full  of  tenderness  to  me  ;  and  passed 
on  to  observe  the  strangeness  of  his  deliverance,  when  betrayed  on  all 
sides,  without  human  support,  and  utterly  helpless.  He  condemned 
himself  for  his  late  anger,  which  he  imputed  to  want  of  time  for  con- 
sideration. '  I  longed,  sir,'  said  I,  '  to  see  you  once  more,  that  I  might 
tell  you  some  things  before  we  finally  parted.  But  then  I  considered, 
that  if  you  died,  you  would  know  them  all  in  a  moment.'  '  I  know 
not,'  said  he,  'whether  separate  spirits  regard  our  little  concerns;  if 
they  do,  it  is  as  men  regard  the  follies  of  their  childhood ;  or,  as  I  my 
late  passionateness.'  April  30.  I  had  some  further  talk  with  him  ;  he 
ordered  me  every  thing  he  could  think  I  wanted ;  and  promised  to 
have  an  house  built  for  me  immediately.  He  was  just  the  same  to 
me,  he  formerly  had  been." 

From  a  careful  examination  of  the  whole  of  this  affair,  it  appears 
to  me  that  Mr.  Wesley's  conduct  is  not  only  free  from  blame,  but  that 
his  integrity  and  prudence  deserve  the  highest  commendation.  Con- 
scious of  his  innocence,  and  loaded  with  contempt  and  reproach  under 
the  most  irritating  and  provoking  circumstances,  his  patience,  and 
confidence  in  God,  in  expectation  of  deliverance,  stand  forth  in  a  con- 
spicuous light,  and  form  the  most  prominent  features  of  his  character. 
Mrs.  H.  and  Mrs.  W.  were  women  of  very  loose  morals ;  they  had 
come  from  England  in  the  ship  with  Mr.  Oglethorpe,  and  while  at 
sea,  Mrs.  W.  seemed  to  be  under  some  religious  impressions,  but  soon 
lost  them  on  shore.  The  character  of  Mrs.  H.  was  well  known  in 
England  ;  Mr.  Charles  Wesley  was  informed  by  Mr.  Hird,  that  Mr. 
Oglethorpe  declared  he  would  rather  give  an  hundred  pounds  than 
take  her  in  the  ship.  Though  Mr.  Wesley  knew  this,  and  the  whole 
of  her  character,  yet  he  never  upbraided  her  with  it,  but  patiently 
endured  her  revilings.  His  innocence  appears  on  the  very  face  of 
their  proceedings,  and  hence  Mr.  Oglethorpe,  when  undeceived,  attri- 
buted his  conduct  to  a  want  of  time  for  consideration.    The  second 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY.  W 

(lay  after  his  coming  among  them,  Mrs.  H.  began  to  abuse  him  ;  and 
seven  days  after,  their  whole  plot  was  discovered  to  him ;  which 
makes  it  almost  certain  that  their  designs  were  formed  before  he  came 
among  them,  under  an  apprehension  that  he  would  be  too  great  a 
check  on  their  licentious  behavior.  After  such  an  instance  as  this,  of 
the  principles  and  practices  of  this  people,  ought  we  to  wonder  at  any 
reports  they  might  raise  concerning  either  of  the  two  brothers? 

Mr.  Charles  Wesley  being  now  more  at  ease  from  his  persecutors, 
gradually  regained  his  strength  ;  and  on  the  11th  of  May  he  was  suf- 
ficiently recovered  to  expound  the  lesson.  On  the  12th,  the  morning 
lesson  was,  Elisha  surrounded  with  the  host  of  Dothan.  "It  is  our 
privilege  as  Christians,"  Mr.  Wesley  observes,  "  to  apply  these  words 
to  ourselves,  '  there  be  more  that  be  for  us,  than  those  that  be  against 
us.'  God  spoke  to  us  yet  plainer  in  the  second  lesson — '  Behold  I 
send  you  forth  as  sheep  in  the  midst  of  wolves ;  be  ye  therefore  wise 
as  serpents  and  harmless  as  doves. — But  beware  of  men,  for  they  will 
deliver  you  up,  and  ye  shall  be  brought  before  governors  and  kings  for 
my  name's  sake;  and  ye  shall  be  hated  of  all  men;  but  he  that  endureth 
to  the  end  shall  be  saved. — The  disciple  is  not  above  his  master;  fear 
ye  not  therefore,  for  there  is  nothing  covered  which  shall  not  be  re- 
vealed, and  hid  which  shall  not  be  made  known.'  In  explaining  this," 
he  adds,  "  I  dwelt  on  that  blessed  topic  of  consolation  to  the  innocent, 
that  however  he  may  suffer  here,  he  will  shortly  be  cleared  at  God's 
righteous  bar,  where  the  accuser  and  the  accused  shall  meet  face  to 
face,  and  the  guilty  person  acquit  him  whom  he  unjustly  charged,  and 
take  back  the  wickedness  to  himself  Poor  Mrs.  W.  who  was  justover 
against  me,  could  not  stand  it,  but  first  turned  her  back,  and  then 
retired  behind  the  congregation."  No  one  would  have  rejoiced  more 
in  her  repentance  and  conversion  to  God,  than  Mr.  Wesley. 

May  13.  Mr.  Oglethorpe  being  gone  to  the  southward,  Mr.  Charles 
Wesley  set  out  for  Savannah,  whither  the  Indian  traders  were  coming 
down  to  meet  him,  in  order  to  take  out  their  licenses.  On  the  IGth,  he 
reached  Thunderbolt  at  six  in  the  evening,  and  from  thence  walked 
to  Savannah,^  which  is  about  five  miles.  His  brother,  Mr.  Ingham, 
and  Mr.  Delamotte  Avere  surprised  at  his  unexpected  visit ;  but  it 
being  late,  each  retired  to  his  corner  of  the  room,  and  "without  the 
help  of  a  bed,"  says  Mr.  Charles,  "  we  slept  soundly  till  the  morning." 
On  the  19th,  Mr.  John  Wesley  set  out  for  Frederica,  and  Mr.  Charles 
took  charge  of  Savannah  in  his  absence.  "  The  hardest  duty,"  says 
he,  "  imposed  on  me,  was  expounding  the  lesson  morning  and  evening 
to  ONE  HUNDRED  hcarcrs.  I  was  surprised  at  my  own  confidence,  and 
acknowledged  it  was  not  my  own."  The  day  was  usually  divided 
between  visiting  his  parishioners,  considering  the  lesson,  and  convers- 
ing with  Mr.  Ingham,  Delamotte,  6cc.  On  the  22d  he  first  met  the 
traders  at  Mr.  Causton's,  and  continued  to  meet  some  or  other  of 
them  every  day  for  several  weeks. 

♦  This  accords  with  Mr.  John  Wesley's  Journal.    See  his  "Works,  vol.  xxvri.  p.  130. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   CHARLES  WESLEY. 


May  31.  Mr.  Oglethorpe  being  returned  from  the  southward,  and 
come  to  Savannah,  he  this  day  held  a  court.  "  We  went,"  says  Mr. 
Wesley,  "  and  heard  his  speech  to  the  people  ;"  in  the  close  of  which 
he  said,  "  If  any  one  here  has  been  abused,  or  oppressed  by  any  man, 
m  or  out  of  office,  he  has  free  and  full  liberty  of  complaining  :  let  him 
deliver  in  his  complaints  in  writing  at  my  house  :  I  will  read  them  all 
over  by  myself  and  do  every  particular  man  justice."  "  At  eight  in  the 
evening  I  waited  upon  him,  and  found  the  three  magistrates  w^ith  him, 
who  seemed  much  alarmed  by  his  speech — '  they  hoped  he  would  not 
discourage  government.' — He  dismissed  them."  We  have  here  a 
curious  specimen  of  the  notions  which  the  magistrates  of  Savannah 
had  of  government.  They  seem  to  have  thought  it  their  privilege,  as 
governors,  to  oppress  any  individual  without  restraint,  as  it  suited 
their  convenience  or  inclination.  I  am  sorry  to  say,  that  we  too  often 
see  this  notion  of  government  manifest  itself  in  the  conduct  of  little 
petty  governors,  both  in  matters  ecclesiastical  and  civil. 

In  the  beginning  of  July,  I  find  Mr.  Oglethorpe,  Mr.  John  and  Mr. 
Charles  Wesley,  all  at  Savannah :  but  there  is  no  intimation  how 
long  they  had  been  there,  or  on  what  occasion  they  were  together. 
'•On  the  2lst,"  says  Mr.  Charles,  "  I  heard  by  my  brother,  that  I  was 
to  set  sail  for  England  in  a  few  days."  This  was  not  merely  on 
account  of  his  health,  which  Avas  now  a  little  recovered.  He  was  to 
carry  despatches  from  Mr.  Oglethorpe  to  the  Trustees  of  Georgia,  to 
the  Board  of  Trade,  and  probably  to  Government.  The  next  day, 
July  22,  he  got  all  the  licenses  signed  by  Mr.  Oglethorpe,  and  counter- 
signed them  himself,  "  and  so,"  says  he,  "I  entirely  washed  my  hands 
of  the  traders."  This  seems  to  have  been  a  business  which  he  cor- 
dially disliked;  and  thinking  the  present  a  favorable  opportunity  of 
escaping  from  his  disagreeable  situation,  he  wrote  a  letter  to  Mr. 
Oglethorpe  on  the  2.5th,  resigning  his  office  of  Secretary.  In  the  even- 
ing Mr.  Oglethorpe  took  him  aside,  and  asked  whether  the  sum  of  all 
he  had  said  in  the  letter  was  not  contained  in  the  following  line, 
which  he  showed  him, 

JSIagis  apta  Tuis,  tua  dona  relinquo.^ 

"  Sir,  to  yourself  your  slighted  gifts  I  leave, 
Less  fit  for  me  to  take,  than  you  to  give." 

Sir,"  said  Mr.  Wesley,  ''I  do  not  wish  to  lose  your  esteem,  but  I  can- 
not lose  my  soul  to  preserve  it."  He  answered,  '-I  am  satisfied  of 
your  regard  for  me ;  and  your  argument  drawn  from  the  heart  is 
unanswerable ;  yet  I  would  desire  you  not  to  let  the  Trustees  know 
your  resolution  of  resigning.  There  are  many  hungry  fellows  ready 
to  catch  at  the  office,  and  in  my  absence  I  cannot  put  in  one  of  my 
own  choosing.  Perhaps  they  may  send  me  a  bad  man;  and  how  far 
such  a  one  may  influence  the  traders,  and  obstruct  the  reception  of 
the  Gospel  among  the  heathen,  you  know. — I  shall  be  in  England 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


before  you  hear  of  it,  and  then  you  may  either  put  in  a  deputy  or 
resign.'* 

July  26.  Mr.  C.  Wesley  set  out  for  Charles-Town  on  his  way  to 
England.  Thus  far  his  brother  accompanied  him ;  and  here  they 
arrived  on  the  31st  of  July.^  He  now  found  his  desires  renewed  to 
recover  the  image  of  God;  and  at  the  Sacrament  was  encouraged,  in 
an  unusual  manner,  to  hope  for  pardon,  and  to  strive  against  sin. 

In  every  place  where  he  came,  Mr.  Wesley  was  attentive  to  the 
things  which  passed  round  about  him.  We  cannot  therefore  wonder 
that  the  wretched  situation  of  the  negroes  should  attract  his  notice. 
"  I  have  observed  much,  and  heard  more,"  says  he,  "  of  the  cruelty  of 
masters  towards  their  negroes;  but  now  1  received  an  authentic 
account  of  some  horrid  instances  thereof.  I  saw  myself,  that  the 
giving  a  slave  to  a  child  of  its  own  age,  to  tyrannize  over,  to  abuse 
and  beat  out  of  sport,  was  a  common  practice  :  nor  is  it  strange,  that 
being  thus  trained  up  in  cruelty,  they  should  afterwards  arrive  at 
such  a  perfection  in  it." 

Mr.  Wesley  mentions  several  methods  of  torturing  the  poor  slaves 
that  were  common,  and  even  talked  of  with  indifference  by  some 
who  practised  them — For  instance,  Mr.  Starr  informed  Mr.  L.,  with 
whom  Mr.  Wesley  was  intimate,  that  he  had  ordered  a  slave,  first  to 
be  nailed  up  by  the  ears,  and  Ihen  to  be  whipt  in  the  severest  man- 
ner ;  and  to  finish  the  whole,  to  have  scalding  water  thrown  all  over 
his  body ;  after  which  the  poor  creature  could  not  move  himself  for- 
four  months. 

"  Another,  much  applauded  punishment,"  says  Mr.  C.  Wesley,  is, 
drawing  the  teeth  of  their  slaves — It  is  universally  known,  that  Col- 
onel Linch  cut  off"  the  legs  of  a  poor  negro,  and  that  he  kills  several 
of  them  every  year  by  his  barbarities." 

It  were  endless  to  recount  all  the  shocking  instances  of  diabolical 
cruelty,  which  these  men,  as  they  call  themselves,  daily  practise  upon 
their  fellow-creatures,  and  that  upon  the  most  trivial  occasions — I 
shall  only  mention  one  more,  related  to  me  by  an  eye-witness.  Mr. 
Hill,  a  dancing-master  in  Charles-Town,  whipt  a  female  slave  so  long, 
that  she  fell  down  at  his  feet,  in  appearance  dead :  when  by  the  help 
of  a  physician  she  was  so  far  recovered  as  to  show  some  signs  of  life, 
he  repeated  the  whipping  with  equal  rigor,  and  concluded  the  pun- 
ishment with  dropping  scalding  wax  upon  her  flesh — Her  crime  was, 
over  filling  a  tea-cup. — These  horrid  cruelties  are  the  less  to  be  won- 
dered at,  because  the  law  itself,  in  effect,  countenances  and  allows 
them  to  kill  their  slaves,  by  the  ridiculous  penalty  appointed  for  it. 
— The  penalty  is  about  seven  pounds  sterling,  one  half  of  which 
is  usually  remitted  if  the  criminal  inform  against  himself." 

*  This  account  agrees  with  Mr.  John  Wesley's  Journal.  See  his  Works.  Vol.  xxvi.  p. 
^.45. 


94 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


These  instances,  to  which  ten  thousand  others  might  be  added,  of 
deUberate,  merciless  cruelty,  exercised  by  one  part  of  mankind  over 
another,  often  without  any  cause  that  can  be  called  a  provocation, 
show  us  to  what  a  wretched  state  of  depravity  and  insensibility 
human  nature  may  be  reduced  by  vicious  habits.  How  much  less 
would  have  been  the  sufferings  of  these  miserable  negroes,  if  they 
had  fallen  into  the  power  of  their  more  merciful  enemies,  the  lions, 
bears,  and  tigers  of  Africa  !  Yet  these  wild  beasts  are  hunted  and 
destroyed  as  enemies  to  the  human  species :  what  then  do  the  cruel 
slave-holders  and  masters  deserve?  who  have  more  cruelty,  and  ten 
times  the  art  of  exercising  it,  even  upon  their  own  species.  But 
what  is  more  wonderful  than  all  the  rest,  if  possible,  is,  that  in  this 
free  and  enlightened  country,  which  boasts  of  the  mild  and  equitable 
principles  of  Christianity,  there  is  a  large  body  of  men  who  defend 
the  slave-trade,  the  source  of  all  these  miseries,  and  from  which  it 
can  never  be  wholly  separated.  And  they  defend  it  too,  on  the  prin- 
ciple of  advantage.  Now  what  is  it  which  these  men,  in  fact,  say 
to  us  in  their  defence  of  the  slave-trade?  Do  they  not  tell  us,  that 
they  would  reduce  all  other  men  to  a  state  of  slavery  for  their  OAvn 
advantage,  if  they  had  the  power  of  doing  it? — But  I  say  no  more: 
the  British  nation  has  at  length  awaked  from  its  deep  sleep ;  it  has 
opened  its  eyes,  and  viewed  the  enormity  of  the  crimes  attendant  on 
the  slave-trade ;  it  has  called  on  the  legislature  to  put  a  stop  to  them 
by  abolishing  it;  and,  for  the  honor  of  our  country,  the  British 
House  of  Commons  has  condemned  the  trade  as  cruel  and  unjust, 
and  has  determined  to  abolish  it.  Every  friend  to  humanity  waits 
with  impatience  to  see  this  resolution  fully  and  effectually  executed. 
Had  the  two  Mr.  Wesley s  been  now  living,  they  would  have  rejoiced 
greatly,  and  have  praised  God.  for  the  present  prospect  of  a  total 
abolition  of  the  slave-trade. 

While  Mr.  Wesley  stayed  at  Charles-Town,  his  bloody  flux  and 
fever  hung  upon  him,  and  rather  increased.  Notwithstanding  this, 
he  was  determined  to  go  in  the  first  ship  that  sailed  for  England. 
His  friends  endeavored  to  dissuade  him  from  it,  both  because  the  ship 
was  very  leaky,  and  the  captain  a  mere  beast  of  a  man,  being  almost 
continually  drunk.  But  he  was  deaf  to  their  advice.  "  The  public 
business,"  says  he,  "  that  hurried  me  to  England,  being  of  that 
importance,  as  their  Secretary,  I  could  not  answer  to  the  Trustees  for 
Georgia,  the  loss  of  a  day."  Accordingly  he  engaged  his  passage  on 
board  the  London  Galley,  which  left  Charles-Town  on  the  16th  of 
August.  But  they  soon  found,  that  the  captain,  while  on  shore,  had 
neglected  every  thing  to  which  he  ought  to  have  attended.  The 
vessel  was  too  leaky  to  bear  the  voyage;  and  the  captain,  drink- 
ing nothing  scarcely  but  gin,  had  never  troubled  his  head  about 
taking  in  a  sufficient  quantity  of  water ;  so  that  on  the  26th  they 
were  obliged  to  be  reduced  to  short  allowance.    Meeting  afterwards 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


with  stormy  weather,  the  leak  became  alarming,  and  their  difficulties 
increased  so  fast  upon  them,  that  they  were  obliged  to  steer  for  Bos- 
ton in  New  England,  where  they  arrived,  with  much  difficulty  and 
danger,  on  the  24th  of  September. 

Mr.  Wesley  was  soon  known  at  Boston,  and  met  with  a  hospitable 
reception  amongst  the  ministers,  both  of  the  town  and  neighborhood. 
Having  experienced  much  difficulty  at  Frederica,  to  prevent  his 
letters  to  his  brother  from  being  read  by  others,  he  learned  Byrom's 
short-hand,  and  now  for  the  first  time  wrote  to  his  brother  in  those 
characters.  He  tells  him,  "  If  you  are  as  desirous  as  I  am  of  a  cor- 
respondence, you  must  set  upon  Byrom's  short-hand  immediately." 
Mr.  John  Wesley  did  so,  and  their  correspondence  was  afterwards 
carried  on  chiefly  in  it. 

This  letter  was  evidently  written  in  a  hurry,  probably  in  the  midst 
of  company.  A  part  of  it  is  in  Latin,  which,  as  it  shows  the  facility 
with  which  he  wrote  in  this  language,  and  also  discovers  something 
of  the  turn  of  his  mind,  I  shall  transcribe  it  below.=^=  The  substance 
of  it  I  shall  give  in  English. 

Boston,  Oct  5. 

I  am  wearied  with  this  hospitable  people,  they  so  vex  and  tease 
me  with  their  civilities.  They  do  not  suffer  me  to  be  alone.  The 
clergy,  who  come  from  the  country  on  a  visit,  drag  me  along  with 
them  when  they  return.  I  am  constrained  to  take  a  view  of  this 
New  England,  more  pleasant  even  than  the  old.  I  cannot  help 
exclaiming,  O !  happy  country,  that  cherishes  neither  JiieSj-f  nor 
crocodiles^  nor  informers.^  About  the  end  of  this  week  we  shall, 
certainly  go  on  board  the  ship,  having  to  pay  a  second  time  for  our 
passage :  even  here,  nothing  is  to  be  had  without  money.    It  vexes 

*  "  Tocdet  me  populi  hujusce  (fiXo^iva,  ita  me  urbanitate  sua  divexant  et  persequuntur. 
Non  patiuntur  me  esse  solum.  E  rare  veniunt  invisentes  clerici;  me  revertentes  in  rus 
trahunl.  Cogor  hanc  Angliam  contemplari,  etiam  antiqua  amoeniorem ;  et  nequeo  non 
exclamare,  0  fortunata  regio,  nec  muscas  alens,  nec  crocodilos,  nec  delatores  !  Sub  fine 
hujus  hebdomadis  navem  certissime  conscendimus,  duplicato  sumptu  patriam  empturi. 
Carolinensium  nemo,  viatica  suppeditavit ;  et  hie  itidem  nil  nisi  cum  pretio.  Pessime  me 
habet  quod  cogor  moram  hanc  emere,  magnumque  pretium  digressionis  solvere." 

"  Morbus  mens,  acre  hoc  saluberrimo  semel  fugatus,  iterum  rediit.  Suadent  amici  omnes, 
ut  medicum  consulem  ;  sed  "  Funera  non  possum  tam  pretiosa  pati." 

f  When  Mr.  Wesley  was  at  Frederica,  the  sand-flies  were  one  night  so  exceedingly 
troublesome,  that  he  was  obliged  to  rise  at  one  o'clock,  and  smoke  them  out  of  his  hut. 
He  tells  us  that  the  whole  town  was  employed  in  the  same  way. 

:j:  He  means  that  species  of  the  crocodile  called  the  alligator.  When  at  Savannah,  he  and 
Mr.  Delamotte  used  to  bathe  in  the  Savannah  river  between  four  and  five  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  before  the  alligators  were  stirring,  but  they  heard  them  snoring  all  round  them. 
One  morning  Mr.  Delamotte  was  in  great  danger  ;  an  alligator  rose  just  behind  him,  and 
pursued  him  to  the  land,  whither  he  escaped  with  difficulty. 

^  He  puts  informers  in  good  company ;  they  are  always  troublesome,  and  sometimes 
destructive  creatures.  They  seldom  or  never  confine  themselves  to  simple  facts ;  suspi- 
cion supplies  much  matter,  and  invention  more.  After  what  he  had  suffered,  it  is  no 
wonder  he  speaks  of  them  in  so  feeling  a  manner. 


9f  THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 

me  to  be  obliged  to  purchase  this  delay,  and  to  pay  a  great  price  for 
my  departure." 

"  j\ly  disorder,  once  removed  by  this  most  salubrious  air,  has  again 
returned.  All  my  friends  advise  me  to  consult  a  physician,  but  I 
cannot  afford  so  expensive  a  funeral." 

Mr.  Wesley  did  not  go  on  board  as  he  expected,  the  ship  being 
detained  some  time  longer.  During  his  stay  here,  his  disorder 
returned  with  violence,  and  reduced  him  to  a  state  of  very  great 
weakness.  On  the  15th  of  October  he  wrote  to  his  brother,  and  con- 
tinues his  letter  in  a  kind  of  journal  to  the  2.5ih,  when  he  went  on 
board  the  ship,  and  sailed  for  England.  His  account  of  himself  is  as 
follows. 

I  should  be  glad  for  your  sake  to  give  a  satisfactory  account  of 
myself,  but  that  you  must  never  expect  from  me — It  is  fine  talking 
while  we  have  youth  and  health  on  our  side ;  but  sickness  would 
spoil  your  boasting  as  well  as  mine.  I  am  now  glad  of  a  warm  bed; 
but  must  soon  betake  myself  to  my  board  again." 

"  Though  I  am  apt  to  think  that  I  shall  at  length  arrive  in  Eng- 
land to  deliver  what  I  am  intrusted  with,  yet  I  do  not  expect,  or 
wish  for  a  long  life.  How  strong  must  the  principle  of  self-preserva- 
tion be,  which  can  make  such  a  wretch  as  1  am  willing  to  live  at  all ! 
— or  rather  unwilling  to  die ;  for  I  know  no  greater  pleasure  in  life, 
than  m  considering  that  it  cannot  last  for  ever." 

 "  The  temptations  past 

No  more  shall  vex  me  ;  every  grief  I  feel 
Shonens  the  destin'd  number  ;  every  pulse 
Beats  a  sharp  moment  of  the  pain  away, 
And  the  last  stroke  will  come.    By  swift  degrees 
Time  sweeps  me  off,  and  I  shall  soon  arrive 
At  life's  sweet  period  :  0 !  Celestial  point 
That  ends  this  mortal  story."'  

"  To-day  completes  my  three  weeks'  unnecessary  stay  at  Boston. 
To-morrow  the  ship  falls  down — I  am  just  now  much  worse  than 
ever ;  but  nothing  less  than  death  shall  hinder  me  from  embarking. 

"  October  18.  The  ship  that  carries  me,  must  meet  with  endless 
delays :  it  is  well  if  it  sails  this  week.  I  have  lived  so  long  in  hon- 
ors and  indulgences,  that  I  have  almost  forgotten  whereunto  I  am 
called  ;  being  strongly  urged  to  set  up  my  rest  here.  But  I  will  lean 
no  longer  upon  men ;  nor  again  put  myself  into  the  power  of  any  of 
my  own  merciless  species,  by  either  expecting  their  kindness  or  desir- 
ing their  esteem.  Mr.  Appy,  like  an  errant  gentleman  as  he  is,  has 
drawn  me  into  monstrous  expenses  for  ship  stores,  <Scc.  So  that,  what 
with  my  three  weeks'  stay  at  Charles-Town,  my  month's  stay  here, 
and  my  double  passage, — from  courtier  1  am  turned  philosopher.* 

*  Among  the  ancients  a  philosopher  and  a  beggar  were  almost  synonymous  terms.  In 
modern  times,  the  philosopher  holds  a  respectable  rank  in  society.    We  commonly  associ- 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


97 


October  21.  I  am  worried  on  all  sides  by  the  solicitations  of  my 
friends  to  defer  my  winter  voyage  till  1  have  recovered  a  little  strength. 

Mr.  I  am  apt  to  think  would  allow  me  to  wait  a  fortnight  for 

the  next  ship;  but  then  if  I  recover,  my  stay  will  be  thought  un- 
necessary. 1  must  die  to  prove  myself  sick,  and  I  can  do  no  more  at 
sea.  I  am  therefore  determined  to  be  carried  on  board  to-morrow, 
and  leave  the  event  to  God." 

"  October  25.  The  ship  fell  down  as  was  expected,  but  a  contrary 
wind  prevented  me  from  following  till  now.  At  present  I  am  some- 
thing better  :  on  board  the  Hannah,  Captain  Corney ;  in  the  state- 
room, which  they  have  forced  upon  me.  1  have  not  strength  for  more. 
Adieu." 

On  the  27th,  Mr.  Wesley  had  so  far  recovered  strength  that  he  was 
able  to  read  prayers.  The  next  day  the  captain  informed  him  that 
a  storm  was  approaching.  In  the  evening  it  came  on  with  dreadful 
violence  and  raged  all  night.  On  the  29th  in  the  morning  they  ship- 
ped so  prodigious  a  sea,  that  it  washed  away  their  sheep,  half  their 
hogs,  and  drowned  most  of  their  fowl.  The  ship  was  heavy  laden, 
and  the  sea  streamed  in  so  plentifully  at  the  sides,  that  it  was  as  much 
as  four  men  could  do  by  continual  pumping,  to  keep  her  above  water. 
"I  rose,  and  lay  down  by  turns,"  adds  Mr.  Wesley,  "but  could  re- 
main in  no  posture  long.  I  strove  vehemently  to  pray,  but  in  vain ; 
I  still  persisted  in  striving,  but  without  effect.  I  prayed  for  power  to 
pray,^  for  faith  in  Jesus  Christ;  continually  repeating  his  name,  till 
I  felt  the  virtue  of  it  at  last,  and  knew  that  I  abode  under  the  shadow 
of  the  Almighty." 

At  three  in  the  afternoon  the  storm  was  at  the  height ;  at  four,  the 
ship  made  so  much  water,  that  the  captain,  finding  it  otherwise  im- 
possible to  save  her  from  sinking,  cut  down  the  mizzen-mast.  "  In 
this  dreadful  moment,"  says  Mr.  Wesley,  "  I  bless  God  I  found  the 
comfort  of  hope ;  and  such  joy  in  finding  I  could  hope,  as  the  world 
can  neither  give  nor  take  away.  I  had  that  conviction  of  the  power 
of  God  present  with  me,  overbalancing  my  strongest  passion,  fear, 
and  raising  me  above  what  I  am  by  nature,  as  surpassed  all  rational 
evidence,  and  gave  me  a  taste  of  the  divine  goodness." 

On  the  30ih  the  storm  abated;  and  "On  Sunday  the  31sl,"  he 
observes,  "my  first  business  was,  may  it  be  the  business  of  all  my 
days,  to  offer  up  the  sacrifice  of  praise  and  thanksgiving.  We  all 
joined  in  thanks  for  our  deliverance  most  of  the  day." 

They  soon  met  with  another  storm,  but  not  so  violent  as  the  former, 
and  continuing  their  voyage  with  some  intervening  difficulties  and 
dangers,  till  the  third  of  December,  the  ship  arrived  opposite  Deal, 
and  the  passengers  came  safe  on  shore.    "  I  kneeled  down,"  says  Mr. 

ate  the  ideas  of  a  poet  and  a  garret,  but  then  we  mean  a  poet  by  profession ;  one  who  pro- 
cures a  livelihood  by  writing  verses. 
♦  He  means  with  confidence  and  comfort. 

9  13 


98 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


Wesley,  and  blessed  the  hand  that  had  conducted  me  through  such 
inextricable  mazes,  and  desired  I  might  give  up  my  country  again, 
whenever  God  should  require  it." 


CHAPTER  VI. 


SECTION  III. 

OF  MR.  CHARLES  WESLEY  FROM    DECEMBER  3D,   1736,    UNTIL  THE  END  OP 

JUNE,  1738. 

Mr.  Charles  Wesley,  had  been  absent  from  England  upwards  of 
thirteen  months ;  during  this  time  he  had  passed  through  a  series  of 
trials  and  difficulties,  which  in  all  their  circumstances  are  not  very 
common.  He  had  indeed  been  in  the  wilderness,  where  the  hand  of 
God  had  been  manifested  in  his  preservation,  and  finally  in  his  deliv- 
erance. Here  God  had  proved  him,  and  tried  him,  and  shown  him 
what  was  in  his  heart.  In  this  slate  of  suffering,  he  was  led  to  a 
more  perfect  knowledge  of  human  nature,  than  he  could  have  obtain- 
ed from  books  and  meditation,  through  the  whole  course  of  his  life. 
His  knowledge  Avas  derived  from  experience,  which  is  the  most  cer- 
tain, and  the  most  useful  in  the  conduct  of  life,  and  makes  the  deepest 
impression  on  the  mind.  In  his  distress  the  Scriptures  became  more 
precious  than  he  had  ever  found  them  before.  He  now  saw  a  beauty 
in  them,  which  the  most  learned  and  refined  criticism  can  never  dis- 
cover. From  the  frequent  and  pointed  application  of  them  to  his 
state  and  circumstances,  they  were  the  means  of  giving  a  degree  of 
consolation  and  hope,  which  human  prudence  and  human  help  can 
never  bestow.  His  situation  abroad  may  be  called  a  school,  in  which 
the  discipline  indeed  was  severe,  but  the  knowledge  acquired  by  it, 
valuable,  as  it  prepared  him  to  understand,  and  disposed  him  by  de- 
grees to  embrace,  the  simple  gospel  way  of  salvation,  which  the  pride 
of  man  hath  always  rejected. 

Both  the  Mr.  Wesleys  had  formed  a  large  acquaintance  in  London 
among  the  serious  professors  of  religion,  by  whom  they  were  greatly 
esteemed.  When  Mr.  Charles  arrived  in  town,  his  friends  received 
him  with  inexpressible  joy,  as  one  restored  from  the  dead ;  a  report 
having  been  spread,  that  the  ship  in  which  he  came  home,  had  been 
seen  to  sink  at  sea.  He  called  upon  one  lady  while  she  was  reading 
an  account  of  his  death.  After  he  had  delivered  his  letters,  he  waited 
on  their  friend  Mr.  Charles  Rivington,  in  St.  Paul's  Church-yard. 
Here  he  met  with  letters,  and  a  journal  from  his  brother  in  Georgia, 
which  informed  him  of  what  had  taken  place,  soon  after  he  left  it. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


99 


Before  he  finally  quitted  America,  Mr.  Charles  Wesley  had  written  a 
letter  to  his  brother  John,  in  which  he  had  expressed  his  sentiments 
of  some  particular  persons  with  freedom,  but  by  way  of  caution,  had 
pointed  out  two  individuals  by  two  Greek  words.  Tliis  letter  Mr. 
John  Wesley  dropt,  and  it  fell  into  the  hands  of  those  who  were  ene- 
mies to  both  of  them.  Mr.  John  Wesley  was  so  incautious  also,  as 
to  tell  who  were  meant  by  the  two  Greek  words.  This  was  sure  to 
raise  great  disturbance  among  a  people  so  irritable,  and  so  revengeful, 
as  the  Georgians  were  at  this  time.  Mr.  Charles  had  happily  escaped 
out  of  their  reach,  and  the  storm  fell  with  double  violence  on  his 
brother.^  The  journal  which  he  now  received  from  Mr.  Rivington, 
informed  him  of  the  particulars.  "  I  read  it,"  says  Mr.  Charles, 
"without  either  surprise  or  impatience.  The  dropping  of  my  fatal 
letter,  I  hope  will  convince  him,  of  what  I  never  could,  his  own  great 
carelessness  :  and  the  sufferings  which  it  has  brought  upon  him,  may 
show  him  his  blindness.  His  simplicity  in  telling,  what,  and  who  were 
meant  by  the  two  Greek  words,  was  out-doing  his  own  out-doings. 
Surely  all  this  will  be  sufficient  to  teach  him  a  little  of  the  wisdom 
of  the  serpent,  of  which  he  seems  as  entirely  void,  as  Mrs.  H.  is  of 
the  innocency  of  the  dove." 

Mr.  Charles  Wesley  has  given  us  in  these  remarks,  a  striking  in-, 
stance  of  the  artless,  undisguised  conduct  of  his  brother.    He  sup-  j 
poses  indeed,  that  his  brother  wanted  foresight ;  that  he  did  not  j 
perceive  the  consequences  which  would  follow  from  his  open  avowal ' 
of  the  whole  truth.    This  however  was  far  from  being  the  case.  Mr. 
John  Wesley  had  too  much  penetration  and  knowledge  of  human 
nature,  not  to  foresee  what  would  follow  from  his  conduct  on  this 
occasion.    The  truth  is,  that  Mr.  John  Wesley  had  adopted  a  princi- 
ple of  unreserved  openness  in  his  conversation  with  others,  which,  on 
particular  occasions  he  carried  abundantly  too  far.    His  conduct  in 
the  present  instance,  may  prove  his  sincerity,  and  firm  attachment  to 
his  principle,  but  prudence  cannot  justify  it,  even  on  the  most  rigid 
principles  of  morality. 

It  appears  from  Mr.  Charles  Wesley's  journal,  that  most  of  the 
Trustees  for  Georgia  were  Dissenters :  they  have  given  us  an  un- 
equivocal proof  that  the  Dissenters  at  this  time  possessed  great 
liberality  of  sentiment ;  or  they  would  not  have  approved  of  the  nom- 
ination of  the  two  Mr.  Wesleys,  men  avowedly  of  very  high  Church 
principles,  to  go  and  preach  the  gospel  in  Georgia ;  especially  as  their 
father  had  been  so  public  an  opposer  of  the  Dissenting  interest.  De- 
cember the  7th,  one  of  these  trustees  called  on  Mr.  Wesley.  He 
observes,  "  We  had  much  discourse  of  Georgia,  and  of  my  brother's 

*  This  was  eight  or  nine  months  previous  to  the  persecution  he  suffered  on  account  of 
Mrs.  Williamson. 


100 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  KEV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


persecution  ^  among  that  stiff-necked  people.  He  seems  a  truly  pious 
humble  Christian  ;  full  of  zeal  for  God,  and  love  to  man."  It  has  been 
generally  acknowledged  that  Mr.  Charles  Wesley  was  a  more  rigid 
Churchman  than  his  brother.  I  was  therefore  pleased  to  find  this 
testimony  of  his  candid  judgment  of  a  Dissenter.  Could  he  have  said 
more  in  favor  of  the  most  pious  Churchman  ? 

Mr.  Oglethorpe  left  Georgia  and  set  sail  for  England  on  the  26th  of 
November,  and  arrived  in  London  on  the  7th  of  January,  1737.  Mr. 
Charles  Wesley  waited  upon  him  the  next  day,  and  the  most  cordial 
friendship  subsisted  between  them;  which  continued  till  death. 

About  the  middle  of  January,  Count  Zinzendorff  arrived  in  Eng- 
land. I  suppose  it  was  the  first  time  that  he  visited  this  country. 
One  principal  object  of  this  visit,  seems  to  have  been,  to  procure  a 
union  between  the  Moravian  Church,  and  the  Church  of  England,  in 
Georgia ;  and  to  get  them  acknowledged  by  this  country  as  one 
church.  The  Count  had  been  informed  of  the  piety  and  zeal  of  the 
two  brothers,  and  on  the  19th,  a  few  days  after  his  arrival,  he  sent 
for  Mr.  Charles  Wesley.  He  went,  and  the  Count  saluted  him  with 
all  possible  affection,  and  made  him  promise  to  call  every  day.  Here 
he  was  acquainted  with  the  object  of  the  Count's  visit  to  this  coun- 
try. From  him  he  went  to  the  bishop  of  Oxford,  who  received  him  with 
equal  kindness,  and  desired  him  to  call  as  often  as  he  could,  without 
ceremony  or  further  invitation.  They  had  much  talk  of  the  state  of 
religion  among  the  Moravians  ;  of  the  object  of  the  Count's  visit;  and 
the  bishop  acknowledged  that  the  Moravian  bishops  had  the  true 
succession. 

On  the  25th,  he  paid  a  visit  to  the  celebrated  Dr.  Hales,t  near 

*  Occasioned  by  Mr.  Charles  Wesley's  letter  to  his  brother,  just  now  mentioned. 

f  Hales  (Stephen),  D.  D.,  a  celebrated  divine  and  philosopher,  was  born  in  1677.  In 
1696  he  was  entered  at  Bennet  College,  Cambridge,  and  admitted  a  Fellow  in  1703.  He 
soon  discovered  a  genius  for  natural  philosophy.  Botany  was  his  first  study,  and  he  used 
to  make  excursions  among  the  hills  with  a  view  of  prosecuting  it.  In  the  study  of 
astronomy  he  was  equally  assiduous.  Having  made  himself  acquainted  with  the  New- 
tonian system,  he  contriv^ed  a  machine  for  showing  the  phenomena  of  the  heavenly  bodies, 
on  much  the  same  principles  with  that  afterwards  made  by  Mr.  Rowley,  which,  from  the 
name  of  his  patron,  was  called  an  Orrery. 

In  1718,  he  was  elected  Fellow  of  the  Royal  Society  :  and  the  year  following,  read  an 
account  of  some  experiments  he  had  lately  made  on  the  effect  of  the  Sun's  warmth  in 
raising  the  sap  in  trees.  These  experiments  being  highly  approved  by  the  Royal  Society, 
he  was  encouraged  to  proceed  ;  which  he  did,  and  in  1727,  published  them  enlarged  and 
improved,  under  the  title  of  Vegetable  Statics  ;  and  in  1733,  he  added  another  volume, 
under  the  title  of  Statical  Essays.  In  1732,  he  was  appointed  one  of  the  Trustees  for 
establishing  a  new  Colony  in  Georgia.  On  the  5lh  of  July,  1733,  the  University  of  Oxford 
honored  him  with  a  diploma  for  the  degree  of  Doctor  in  Divinity  ;  a  mark  of  distinction 
the  more  honorable,  as  it  is  not  usual  for  one  university  to  confer  academical  honors  on 
those  who  were  educated  at  another.  In  1739,  he  printed  a  volume  in  octavo,  entitled 
Philosophical  Experiments  on  Sea-water,  Corn,  Flesh,  and  other  substances.  In  1742,  he 
read  before  the  Royal  Society  an  account  of  an  instrument  he  had  invented  called  a  Ven- 
tilator, for  conveying  fresh  air  into  mines,  hospitals,  prisons,  and  the  close  parts  of  ships, 
which  was  U3ed  with  great  success,  not  only  for  these  purposes,  but  also  for  preserving 


THii:  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


101 


Twickenham,  who  was  one  of  the  Trustees  for  Georgia.  The  next 
day  they  took  a  Avalk  to  see  Mr.  Pope's  house  and  gardens ;  "  Justly," 
he  observes,  called  a  burlesque  on  human  greatness."  He  adds, 
"I  was  sensibly  affected  with  the  plain  Latin  sentence  on  the  Obelisk, 
in  memory  of  his  mother. — Ah  Editha.  Malnim  optima^  Mulierum 
amantlsslma,  vale  f"^  How  far  superior  to  the  most  labored  elegy 
which  he,  or  Prior  himself  could  have  composed." 

As  Georgia  was  supposed  to  be  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  bishop 
of  London,  Mr.  Wesley  took  an  early  opportunity  of  wailing  on  his 
lordship  with  the  Count's  proposition.  But  the  bishop  refused  to 
meddle  in  that  business.  He  waited  again  on  the  bishop  of  Oxford,  and 
informed  him  the  bishop  of  London  declined  having  any  thing  to  do 
with  Georgia,  alleging  that  it  belonged  to  the  archbishop  to  unite  the 
Moravians  with  the  English  Church.  He  replied  that  it  was  the 
bishop  of  London's  proper  office.    "  He  bid  me,"  adds  Mr.  Wesley, 

assure  the  Count,  we  should  acknowledge  the  Moravians  as  our 
brethren,  and  one  chiu'ch  with  us."  The  count  seemed  resolved  to 
carry  his  people  from  Georgia,  if  they  might  not  be  permitted  to 
preach  to  the  Indians.  He  was  very  desirous  to  take  Mr.  Charles 
Wesley  with  him  into  Germany. 

Mr.  Wesley  spent  this  year  in  attending  on  the  Trustees  and  the 
Board  of  Trade;  in  visiting  his  friends  in  London,  Oxford,  and  differ- 
ent parts  of  the  country ;  and  his  brother  and  mother  in  the  West  of  \ 
England.  He  preached  occasionally  at  the  places  which  he  visited: 
and  was  every  where  zealous  for  God,  and  remarkably  useful  to  a 
great  number  of  persons  by  his  religious  conversation. 

In  August  he  was  requested  to  carry  up  the  Address  from  the 
University  of  Oxford,  to  his  Majesty.  Accordingly,  on  the  26th,  he 
waited  on  the  King  with  the  address,  at  H^ampton  Court,  accompanied 
with  a  few  friends.  They  were  graciously  received ;  and  the  arch- 
bishop told  him,  he  was  glad  to  see  him  there.  They  kissed  their 
majesties'  hands,  and  were  invited  to  dinner.  Mr.  Wesley  left  the 
dinner  and  the  company,  and  hasted  back  to  town.  The  next  day  he 
waited  on  his  Royal  Highness  the  Prince  of  Wales,  and  dined  at 
St.  James'. 

corn  sweet  in  granaries,  &c.  Many  of  his  papers  are  printed  in  the  Philosophical  Trans- 
actions ;  and  some  he  published,  for  more  general  usefulness,  in  the  Gentlemen's 
Magazine. 

Dr.  Hales  was  several  years  honored  with  the  friendship  of  his  Royal  Highness,  Fred- 
erick Prince  of  Wales,  who  frequently  visited  him,  and  took  a  delight  in  surprising  him  in 
the  midst  of  his  curious  researches  into  the  various  parts  of  Nature.  The  Prince  dying  in 
1750,  Dr.  Hales  was  appointed  Almoner  to  her  Royal  Highness,  the  Princess  Dowager, 
without  his  solicitation  or  knowledge.  In  the  church  he  held  the  perpetual  curacy  of 
Teddington,  near  Twickenham,  and  the  living  of  Farringdon  in  Hampshire.  He  objected 
to  any  other  preferment ;  for  when  his  late  Majesty  nominated  him  to  a  canonry  of  Wind- 
sor, he  engaged  the  Princess  to  prevail  with  his  Majesty  to  recall  his  nomination.  He  was 
remarkable  for  benevolence,  cheerfulness  and  temperance.  He  died  at  Teddington  in 
1761,  in  the  84th  year  of  his  age. 

*  Ah  Editha,  the  best  of  mothersj  the  most  loving  of  womeiii  farewell ! 
9# 


102 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


Mr.  Wesley  did  not  experience  that  peace  and  happiness  in  religion, 
nor  that  renewal  of  his  heart  in  holiness,  which  he  earnestly  labored 
to  attain.  He  was  not  therefore  satisfied  with  his  present  state.  On 
the  31st  of  August  he  consulted  Mr.  Law  ;  the  sum  of  whose  advice 
was,  "  Renounce  yourself,  and  be  not  impatient."  In  the  beginning 
of  September  he  consulted  him  again,  and  asked  several  questions,  to 
wiiich  Mr.  Law  gave  the  following  answers.  "  With  what  comment 
shall  I  read  the  Scriptures?"  "None."  "What  do  you  think  of 
one  who  dies  unrenewed  while  endeavoring  after  it?"  "It  neither 
concerns  you  to  ask,^  nor  me  to  answer."  "  Shall  I  write  once  more 
to  such  a  person?"  "No."  "But  I  am  persuaded  it  will  do  him 
go6d."  "  Sir,  I  have  told  you  my  opinion."  "  Shall  I  write  to  you?" 
"  Nothing  I  can  either  speak  or  write  will  do  you  any  good." 

To  oblige  Mr.  Oglethorpe,  Mr.  Wesley  still  held  his  office  of  Secre- 
tary, and  had  formed  a  resolution  to  return  to  Georgia.  About  the 
middle  of  October,  he  was  informed  at  the  office  that  he  must  sail 
in  three  weeks.  This  appointment  however  did  not  take  place; 
and  his  mother  vehemently  protested  against  his  going  back  to 
America;  but  this  did  not  alter  his  resolution. 

In  the  beginning  of  February,  1738,  Peter  Bohler  arrived  in  Eng- 
land, about  the  time  Mr.  John  Wesley  returned  from  Georgia.  Bohler 
soon  became  acquainted  with  the  two  brothers,  and  on  the  20th  of 
this  month  prevailed  with  Mr.  Charles  Wesley  to  assist  him  in  learn- 
ing English.  Mr.  Charles  was  now  at  Oxford,  and  Bohler  soon  entered 
into  some  close  conversation  with  him,  and  with  some  scholars  who 
were  serious.  He  pressed  upon  them  the  necessity  of  conversion  ;  he 
showed  them  that  many  who  had  been  awakened,  had  fallen  asleep 
again  for  want  of  attaining  to  it.  He  spoke  much  of  the  necessity  of 
prayer  and  faith,  but  none  of  them  seemed  to  understand  him. 

Mr.  Charles  Wesley  was  immediately  after  this,  taken  ill  of  a 
pleurisy.  On  the  24th.  the  pain  became  so  violent  as  to  threaten 
sudden  death.  While  in  this  state,  Peter  Bohler  came  to  his  bed-side. 
"I  asked  him,"  adds  Mr.  Wesley,  "to  pray  for  me.  He  seemed 
unwilling  at  first,  but  beginning  faintly,  he  raised  his  voice  by 
degrees,  and  prayed  for  my  recovery  with  strange  confidence.  Then 
he  took  me  by  the  hand  and  calmly  said,  'You  will  not  die  now.' 
I  thought  within  myself,  I  cannot  hold  out  in  this  pain  till  morn- 
ing— He  said,  'Do  you  hope  to  be  saved?'  I  ansv\^ered,  'yes.' 
'  For  what  reason  do  you  hope  to  be  saved  ? '  '  Because  I  have 
used  my  best  endeavors  to  serve  God.'  He  shook  his  head  and  said 
no  more.  I  thought  him  very  uncharitable,  saying  in  my  heart, 
'  What !  are  not  my  endeavors  a  sufficient  ground  of  hope  ?  Would 
-he  rob  me  of  my  endeavors?    I  have  nothing  else  to  trust  to.'  " 

Mr.  Wesley  was  now  bled  three  times  in  about  the  space  of  twenty- 

*  Mr.  Wesley  found  that  he  was  not  renewed,  and  thought  he  might  die  while  endeavor- 
.  ing  after  it.    The  question  therefore  was  to  him  of  serious  importance. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   CHARLES  WESLEY. 


103 


four  hours  ;  after  which  tlie  disease  abated,  and  he  soon  began  gradu- 
ally to  recover  his  strength.  As  he  still  retained  liis  office,  and  his 
intention  of  returning  to  Georgia  with  Mr.  Oglethorpe,  he  was  called 
upon  to  embark  before  he  was  perfectly  recovered.  The  physicians 
absolutely  forbid  him  to  attempt  the  voyage,  if  he  regarded  his  life. 
They  likewise  advised  him,  as  friends,  to  stay  at  Oxford ;  where, 
being  senior  master  in  his  college,  he  might  accept  of  offices  and  pre- 
ferment. His  brother  urged  the  same  advice;  and  in  compliance 
with  it,  he  wrote  to  Mr.  Oglethorpe  on  the  3d  of  April,  resigning  his 
office  of  Secretary.  Mr.  Oglethorpe  was  unwilling  to  lose  him,  hav- 
ing now  had  ample  proof  of  his  integrity  and  ability;  and  wrote  for 
answer,  that  if  he  would  keep  his  place,  it  should  be  supplied  by  a 
deputy  until  he  could  follow.  But  Mr.  Wesley  now  finally  rehn- 
quished  his  intention  of  going  back  to  America. 

April  24th,  he  was  able  to  take  a  ride  to  Blendon,  where  he  met 
with  his  brother  and  Mr.  Broughton.  The  next  day,  April  25thj 
Mrs.  Delamotte,  his  brother,  Mr.  Broughton  and  himself  being  met 
in  their  little  chapel,  they  fell  into  a  dispute  whether  conversion 
was  gradual  or  instantaneous.  Mr.  John  Wesley  very  positively 
contended  for  the  latter,"^  and  his  assertions  appeared  to  Mr.  Charles 
shocking;  especially  when  he  mentioned  some  late  instances  of  gross 
sinners  being  converted  in  a  moment.  Mrs.  Delamotte  left  the  room 
abruptly;  "I  staid,"  adds  Charles,  "and  insisted  that  a  man  need 
not  know  when  he  first  had  faith."  His  brother's  obstinacy,  as  he 
calls  it,  in  maintaining  the  contrary  opinion,  at  length  drove  him  out 
of  the  room.  Mr.  Broughton  kept  his  ground,  not  being  quite  so 
much  offended  as  Mr.  Charles  Wesley. 

This  warm  debate  happened  early  in  the  morning.  After  dinner 
Mr.  Broughton  and  Mr.  John  Wesley  returned  to  London,  and  Mr. 
Charles  began  reading  Haliburton's  life  to  the  family ;  one  instance, 
and  but  one,  he  observes,  of  instantaneous  conversion. 

The  next  day  he  finished  reading  Haliburton's  life.  It  produced 
in  him  great  humiliation,  self-abasement,  and  a  sense  of  his  want  of 
that  faith  which  brings  righteousness^  peace ^  and  joy  in  the  Holy 
Ghost.  But  these  effects  soon  passed  away  as  a  morning  cloud.  A 
degree  of  conviction,  however,  that  possibly  he  might  be  wrong,  had 
taken  hold  of  his  mind,  and  continued  to  make  him  uneasy.  This 
uneasiness  was  increased  by  a  return  of  his  disorder  on  the  28th, 
when  he  arrived  in  London.  Here  Peter  Bohler  visited  him  again, 
and  prayed  with  him.  Mr.  Charles  Wesley  now  thought  it  was  his 
duty  to  consider  Bohler's  doctrine,  and  to  examine  himself  whether 
he  was  in  the  faith,  and  if  not,  never  to  rest  till  he  had  attained  it. 

*  I  continually  follow,  in  the  life  of  Mr.  Charles  Wesley,  his  own  private  journal,  which 
was  never  published,  nor  intended  for  publication.  It  is  pleasing  to  observe  the  agree- 
ment between  this  and  Mr.  John  Wesley's  printed  journal,  where  the  same  circumstances 
are  mentioned  by  both.    See  his  Works,  vol,  xxvi,  p.  261,  at  the  bottom. 


104 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


Still,  however,  there  was  a  secret  wish  within  his  heart  that  this  new 
doctrine,  as  he  then  thonght  it,  might  not  be  true;  and  hence  arose  a 
joy  when  he  imagined  he  had  found  an  argument  against  it.  He 
soon  was  furnished  with  an  argument  from  his  own  experience, 
which  he  deemed  unanswerable.  Having  received  benefit  by  bleed- 
ing, he  was  at  the  sacrament  on  the  first  of  May,  and  felt  a  degree 
of  peace  in  receiving  it.  "  Now,"  said  he  to  himself,  "  I  have 
demonstration  against  the  Moravian  doctrine,  that  a  man  cannot 
have  peace  without  assurance  of  his  pardon.  I  now  have  peace,  yet 
cannot  say  of  a  surety  that  my  sins  are  forgiven."  His  triumph  was 
very  short:  his  peace  immediately  left  him,  and  he  sunk  into  greater 
doubts  and  distress  than  before.  He  now  began  to  be  convinced  that 
he  had  not  that  faith  which  puts  the  true  believer  in  possession  of  the 
benefits  and  privileges  of  the  gospel.  For  some  days  following  he 
had  a  faint  desire  to  attain  it,  and  prayed  for  it.  He  then  began  to 
speak  of  the  necessity  of  this  faith  to  his  friends ;  his  earnestness  to 
attain  it  increased,  and  he  determined  not  to  rest  till  he  had  the 
happy  experience  of  it  in  himself 

Soon  afterwards  Mr.  Broughton  called  upon  him  at  the  house  of 
Mr.  Bray.  The  subject  was  presently  introduced.  Mr.  Broughton 
said,  As  for  you,  Mr.  Bray,  1  hope  you  are  still  in  your  senses,  and 
not  run  mad  after  a  faith  that  must  be  felt."  He  continued  contra- 
dicting this  doctrine  of  faith,  till  he  roused  Mr.  Wesley  to  defend  it, 
and  to  confess  his  want  of  faith.  ''God  help  you,  poor  man,"  said 
Broughton,  "  if  I  could  think  that  you  have  not  faith,  I  am  sure  it 
would  drive  me  to  despair."  Mr.  Wesley  then  assured  him,  he  was 
as  certain  that  he  had  not  the  faith  of  the  gospel,  as  he  was  that  he 
hoped  for  it,  and  for  salvation. 

It  is  commonly  said,  that  passion  and  prejudice  blind  the  mind. 
We  should  rather  say,  they  give  the  understanding  a  false  view  of 
objects,  by  changing  the  media  through  which  it  sees  them.  Mr. 
Broughton  was  a  man  of  learning,  had  been  a  member  of  their  little 
society  at  Oxford,  and  was  well  disposed  to  religion.  He  viewed  the 
notion  of  faith  which  the  two  brothers  had  now  embraced,  through 
the  medium  of  prejudice,  and  his  understanding  was  confused  and 
his  judgment  perverted.  He  seemed  to  think,  that  he  could  not  place 
the  absurdity  of  their  notion  in  a  stronger  light,  than  by  saying,  this 
faith  must  be  felt.  He  thought  a  man  must  be  out  of  his  senses 
before  he  can  persuade  himself  that  he  must  feel  that  he  has  faith. 
As  if  it  were  possible  for  a  man  to  believe  a  proposition,  whatever  it 
may  be,  and  not  be  conscious  that  he  believes  it:  or  to  have  doubts, 
and  be  totally  unconscious  and  ignorant  of  them ;  the  impossibility  of 
which  is  evident. 

Mr.  Charles  Wesley  now  saw,  that  the  gospel  promises  to  man  a 
knowledge  of  God  reconciled  in  Christ  Jesus,  which  he  had  not 
attained ;  that  a  person  prepared  to  receive  it  as  he  was  by  knowing 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   CHARLES  WESLEY. 


105 


his  want  of  it,  must  attain  it  by  clear  views  of  Christ,  and  a  living 
faith  in  him :  and  he  became  more  and  more  earnest  in  pursuit  of  it. 
On  the  12th  of  May  he  waked  in  the  morning,  hungering  and  thirst- 
ing after  righteousness,  even  the  righteousness  which  is  of  God  by 
faith.  He  read  Isaiah,  and  saw,  that  unto  him  were  the  promises 
made.  He  now  spent  the  whole  of  his  time  in  discoursing  on  faith, 
either  with  those  who  had  it,  or  with  those  who  sought  it;  and  in 
reading  the  Scriptures  and  prayer. 

On  this  day  Mr.  Wesley  observes,  that  he  was  much  affected  at 
the  sight  of  old  Mr.  Ainsworth ;  a  man  of  great  learning,  and  near 
eighty  years  of  age.  "  Like  old  Simeon,  he  was  waiting  to  see  the 
Lord's  salvation,  that  he  might  die  in  peace.  His  tears,  his  vehe- 
mency,  and  child-like  simplicity,  showed  him  upon  the  entrance  of 
the  kingdom  of  heaven."  Mr.  Ainsworth^  seems  to  have  been  fully 
convinced  of  the  true  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  and  to  have  joined  him- 
self to  this  little  company  who  were  endeavoring  to  know  and  serve 
God  as  the  gospel  directs.  Mr.  Wesley  mentions  him  afterwards, 
with  great  admiration  of  his  simplicity  and  child-like  disposition. 

May  17th,  Mr.  Wesley  first  saw  Luther  on  .the  Galatians,  which 
Mr.  Holland  had  accidentally  met  with.  They  immediately  began 
to  read  him  ;  And  my  friend,"  adds  Mr.  Wesley,  "  was  so  affected  in 
hearing  him  read,  that  he  breathed  sighs  and  groans  unutterable.  I 
marvelled  that  we  were  so  soon  and  entirely  removed  from  him  that 
called  us  into  the  grace  of  Christ,  unto  another  gospel.  Who  would 
believe  that  our  church  had  been  founded  on  this  important  article 
of  justification  by  faith  alone?  I  am  astonished  I  should  ever  think 
this  a  new  doctrine ;  especially  while  our  articles  and  homilies  stand 
unrepealed,  and  the  key  of  knowledge  is  not  yet  taken  away.  From 
this  time  I  endeavored  to  ground  as  many  of  our  friends  as  came  to 
see  me,  in  this  fundamental  truth. — Salvation  by  faith  alone — not  an 
idle,  dead  faith,  but  a  faith  which  works  by  love,  and  is  incessantly 
productive  of  all  good  works  and  all  holiness." 

May  the  19th,  a  Mrs.  Turner  called  upon  him,  who  professed  faith 
in  Christ.  Mr.'  Wesley  asked  her  several  questions ;  to  which  she 
returned  the  following  answers.  Has  God  bestowed  faith  upon  you? 
"  Yes,  he  has."  Why,  have  you  peace  with  God?  "  Yes,  perfect 
peace."  And  do  you  love  Christ  above  all  things?  "I  do,  above  all 
things."  Then  you  are  willing  to  die.  "  I  am,  and  would  be  glad 
to  die  this  moment;  for  I  know  that  all  my  sins  are  blotted  out;  the 

*  This  is  a  most  pleasing  anecdote  of  a  man  of  so  much  reading  and  study  as  Mr. 
Robert  Ainsworth.  It  shows  the  great  goodness  of  his  mind,  which  was  not  puffed  up 
with  extensive  knowledge,  acquired  by  long  industry  ;  nor  with  the  labors  of  many  years, 
successfully  employed  for  the  promotion  of  literature  and  the  honor  of  his  country.  He 
was  born  in  Lancashire,  in  1660 ;  and  was  master  of  a  boarding-school  at  Bethnal-Green, 
from  whence  he  removed  to  Hackney. — After  acquiring  a  moderate  fortune,  he  retired 
and  lived  privately.  We  are  indebted  to  him  for  the  best  Latin  and  English  Dictionary 
extant.    He  died  in  1743. 

14 


106 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


hand-writing  that  was  against  me,  is  taken  out  of  the  way,  and 
nailed  to  the  cross.  He  has  saved  me  by  his  death ;  he  has  washed 
me  in  his  blood  ;  I  have  peace  in  him,  and  rejoice  with  joy  unspeak- 
able and  full  of  glory." — Mr.  Wesley  adds,  "  Her  answers  were  so 
full  to  these  and  the  most  searching  questions  I  could  ask,  that  I 
had  no  doubt  of  her  having  received  the  atonement ;  and  waited  for 
it  myself  with  more  assured  hope,  feeling  an  anticipation  of  joy  on 
her  account." 

Religious  conversation,  especially  when  it  is  a  simple,  artless  rela- 
tion of  genuine  experience,  is  often  of  singular  use.  Christian  expe- 
rience implies  a  consciousness  which  a  man  has  in  himself,  that  he 
Uves  in  the  possession  of  certain  spiritual  benefits  and  privileges, 
which  the  gospel  promises  to  those  who  cordially  embrace  it,  and  in 
hope  of  others  which  he  has  not  3^et  attained.  Mr.  Wesley  experi- 
enced great  humiliation  and  self-abasement ;  he  was  fully  conscious 
of  his  own  helplessness  and  total  inability  to  reconcile  himself  to  God, 
or  to  make  atonement  for  the  least  of  his  sins,  by  the  best  endeavors 
to  serve  him.  His  whole  hope,  therefore,  of  pardon  and  salvation 
was  in  Christ,  by  attaining  those  benefits  which  the  Holy  Jesus,  by 
the  whole  process  of  redemption,  had  procured  for  him.  He  had  al- 
ready been  the  means  of  awakening  several  persons  to  a  sense  of  their 
sinfulness  and  danger,  by  describing  the  state  of  his  own  mind, 
and  showing  them  the  evidences  on  which  his  convictions  of  sin 
were  founded.  And  he  also  was  both  instructed  and  encouraged  by 
hearing  the  experience  of  those  who  had  attained  that  knowledge  of 
Christ,  and  of  the  power  of  his  resurrection,  which  he  was  now  earn- 
estly seeking.  The  practice  of  thus  conversing  together  on  experi- 
ence, is  peculiar  to  Christians  ;  Christianity  being  the  only  religion 
that  was  ever  published  to  the  world,  which  leads  man  to  an  inter- 
course and  fellowship  with  God  in  spiritual  things.  It  is  pleasing  to 
observe,  that  those  who  associated  together,  at  the  very  commence- 
ment of  this  revival  of  religion,  immediately  fell  into  this  most  excel- 
lent method  of  building  one  another  up  in  their  most  holy  faith. 
Their  daily  conversation  became  a  powerful  means  of  keeping  their 
minds  watchful  against  sin,  and  diligent  and  zealous  in  pursuit  of 
holiness;  it  tended  to  give  consolation,  to  increase  patience  under 
afiliction,  and  to  strengthen  their  confidence  of  deliverance  and  vic- 
tory in  God's  own  time.  I  believe  this  method  of  religious  improve- 
ment has  been  more  universally  and  constantly  attended  to  among 
the  Methodists,  than  among  any  other  class  of  people  professing 
religion.  In  this,  I  apprehend,  they  have  very  much  resembled  the 
Primitive  Christians,  as  long  as  these  retained  their  first  zeal  and 
simplicity,  which  probably  was  till  towards  the  latter  end  of  the 
second  century,  and  in  some  places  much  later.  AVhat  a  pity  that 
any  denomination  of  Christians,  the  Methodists  in  particular,  should 
ever  lose  this  characteristic  of  the  followers  of  Christ. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY.  l07 

When  persons  began  to  relate  their  experience  in  religion,  at  the 
period  of  which  I  am  now  speaking,  it  appeared  to  many  as  a  new 
thing  in  England.  The  phrases  they  made  use  of,  had  not  as  yet 
been  learned  by  heart ;  they  were  the  genuine  expressions  of  what 
had  passed  in  their  own  hearts,  and  therefore  signified  something 
fixed  and  determinate,  which  all  who  experienced  the  same  things, 
or  their  want  of  them,  would  easily  understand;  though  to  others 
they  would  appear,  as  they  do  now,  mere  cant  phrases,  without  any 
determinate  ideas  affixed  to  them.  Mr.  Wesley's  knowledge  of  him- 
self, and  conscious  want  of  peace  with  God,  on  a  foundation  which 
cannot  be  shaken,  furnished  him  with  a  key  which  opened  their  true 
meaning.  He  saw  the  gospel  contained  ample  provisions  for  all  his 
wants,  and  that  its  operation  on  the  mind  is  admirably  adapted  to  the 
human  faculties.  He  perceived,  that,  however  learning  might  assist 
him  in  judging  of  his  experience,  and  in  regulating  the  means  of  re- 
taining and  increasing  it ;  yet  experience  is  distinct  both  from  learn- 
ing and  mere  speculative  opinion,  and  may  be,  and  often  is,  separated 
from  them.  He  was  therefore  convinced,  that  all  his  learning  could 
neither  give  him  an  experimental  knowledge  of  Christ,  nor  supply 
the  place  of  it;  and  he  saw  several  persons,  who  had  no  pretensions 
to  learning,  rejoicing  in  it;  which  made  him  willing  to  be  taught,  in 
matters  of  experience,  by  the  illiterate.  He  now  lost  the  pride  of  lit- 
erature, and  sought  the  kingdom  of  heaven  as  a  little  child:  he 
counted  all  things  as  dung  and  dross  in  comparison  of  it ;  and  all 
his  thoughts,  his  desires,  his  hopes  and  his  fears,  had  some  relation 
to  it.  But  God  did  not  leave  him  long  in  this  state.  On  Whitsun- 
day, May  21st,  he  waked  in  hope  and  expectation  of  soon  attaining 
the  object  of  his  wishes,  the  knowledge  of  God  reconciled  in  Christ 
Jesus.  At  nine  o'clock  his  brother  and  some  friends  came  to  him,  and 
sung  a  hymn  suited  to  the  day.  When  they  left  him  he  betook  him- 
self to  prayer.  Soon  afterwards  a  person  came  and  said,  in  a  very 
solemn  manner,  believe  in  the  name  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth  and  thou 
shalt  be  healed  of  all  thine  infirmities."  The  words  went  through 
his  heart,  and  animated  him  with  confidence.  He  looked  into  the 
Scripture,  and  read,  "  Now  Lord,  what  is  my  hope?  truly  my  hope 
is  even  in  thee."  He  then  cast  his  eye  on  these  words,  "  He  hath 
put  a  new  song  into  my  mouth,  even  thanksgiving  unto  our  God; 
many  shall  see  it  and  fear,  and  put  their  trust  in  the  Lord."  After- 
wards he  opened  upon  Isaiah  xl.  1.  "  Comfort  ye,  comfort  ye  my 
people,  saith  our  God,  speak  comfortably  to  Jerusalem  and  cry  unto 
her,  that  her  warfare  is  accomplished,  that  her  iniquity  is  pardoned, 
for  she  hath  received  of  the  Lord's  hand  double  for  all  her  sins."  In 
reading  these  passages  of  Scripture,  he  was  enabled  to  view  Christ  as 
set  forth  to  be  a  propitiation  for  his  sins,  through  faith  in  his  blood, 
and  received  that  peace  and  rest  in  God,  which  he  had  so  earnestly 
sought. 


109  THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   CHARLES  WESLEY. 

The  next  morning  he  waked  with  a  sense  of  the  divine  goodness 
and  protection,  and  rejoiced  in  reading  the  107th  Psalm,  so  nobly  de- 
scriptive, he  observes,  of  what  God  had  done  for  his  soul.  This  day- 
he  had  a  very  humbling  view  of  his  own  weakness  ;  but  was  enabled 
to  contemplate  Christ  in  his  power  to  save  to  the  uttermost,  all  those 
who  come  unto  God  by  him.  Many  evil  thoughts  were  suggested  to 
his  mind,  but  they  immediately  vanished  away.  In  the  afternoon  he 
was  greatly  strengthened  by  those  words  in  the  43d  of  Tsaiah,  which 
he  saw  were  spoken  to  encourage  and  comfort  the  true  Israel  of  God, 
in  every  age  of  his  church.  "  But  now  thus  saith  the  Lord  that  cre- 
ated thee,  O  Jacob,  and  he  that  formed  thee,  O  Israel,  fear  not :  for  I 
have  redeemed  thee,  I  have  called  thee  by  thy  name ;  thou  art  mine. 
When  thou  passest  through  the  waters  I  will  be,  with  thee:  and 
through  the  rivers,  they  shall  not  overflow  thee  :  when  thou  walkest 
through  the  fire,  thou  shalt  not  be  burned ;  neither  shall  the  flame 
kindle  upon  thee.  For  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God,  the  Holy  one  of  Isra- 
el, thy  Saviour." 

Mr.  Wesley  had  long  been  well  acquainted  with  the  Scriptures;  he 
had  now  an  enlarged  and  distinct  view  of  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel ; 
and  experienced  in  himself  the  blessings  it  promiseth  to  those  who 
cordially  embrace  them.  A  man  thus  qualified  to  instruct  others, 
will  find  many  occasions  of  prayer  and  praise,  which  will  suggest 
matter  adapted  to  particular  persons  and  circumstances.  If  he  be  a 
man  of  tolerable  good  sense  and  some  vigor  of  thought,  and  especi- 
ally if  he  have  had  a  liberal  education,  he  will  never  want  words  to 
express  the  ideas  and  feelings  of  his  own  mind.  Such  a  person  will 
therefore  often  find  a  prescribed  form  of  prayer  to  be  a  restraint  upon 
the  exercise  of  his  own  powers,  under  circumstances  which  become 
powerful  incentives  to  an  animated  and  vigorous  exercise  of  them; 
and  by  varying  from  the  words  and  matter  suggested  by  the  occasion, 
it  will  often  throw  a  damp  on  the  ardor  of  his  soul,  and  in  some 
degree  obstruct  the  profit  of  his  devotion.  We  may  observe  likewise, 
that  a  form  of  prayer  becomes  familiar  by  frequent  repetition ;  and, 
according  to  a  well-known  principle  in  human  nature,  the  more  famil- 
iar an  object,  or  a  form  of  words  become,  the  less  effect  they  have  on 
the  mind,  and  the  difficulty  is  increased  of  fixing  the  attention  suffi- 
ciently to  feel  the  full  effect  which  otherwise  they  would  produce. 
Hence  it  is,  that  we  find  the  most  solemn  forms  of  prayer,  in  frequent 
use,  are  often  repeated  by  rote,  without  the  least  attention  to  the 
meaning  and  importance  of  the  words,  unless  a  person  be  under  some 
affliction,  which  disposes  him  to  feel  their  application  to  himself  Ex- 
tempore prayer  has  therefore  a  great  advantage  over  set  forms,  in 
awakening  and  keeping  up  the  attention  of  an  audience.  Whether 
Mr.  Wesley  had  reasoned  thus  on  forms  of  prayer,  I  cannot  say ;  but 
he  evidently  found  them,  at  this  time,  to  be  a  restraint  on  the  free- 
dom of  his  devotional  exercises,  and  now  began  to  pray  occasionally 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


109 


without  a  form,  with  advantage  and  comfort  to  himself  and  others. 
It  was  however  a  new  practice  with  him,  and  he  seemed  surprised 
both  at  his  boldness  and  readiness  in  performing  it,  and  hence  he 
says,  "  Not  unto  me,  O  Lord,  not  unto  me,  but  unto  thy  name  be  the 
glory." 

Both  the  Mr.  Wesleys  were  greatly  censured  by  some  persons,  par- 
ticularly by  their  brother  Samuel,  when  they  began  this  practice.  I 
cannot  see  any  cause  for  censure.  The  most  sensible  and  moderate 
men  have  allowed,  that  a  form  of  prayer  may  be  useful  to  some  par- 
ticular persons  in  private ;  and  that  it  may  be  proper  on  some  occa- 
sions in  public  worship.  But  the  more  zealous  advocates  for  forms 
of  prayer  are  not  satisfied  with  this ;  they  wish  to  bind  them  upon  all 
persons,  as  a  universal  rule  of  prayer  in  public  worship,  from  which 
we  ought  in  no  instance  to  depart.  This  appears  to  me  unjustifiable 
on  any  ground  whatever.  To  say  that  we  shall  not  ask  a  favor  of 
God,  nor  return  him  thanks  ;  that  we  shall  hold  no  intercourse  with 
him  in  our  public  assemblies,  but  in  a  set  of  words  dictated  to  us  by 
others,  is  an  assumption  of  power  in  sacred  things,  which  is  not  war- 
ranted either  by  Scripture  or  reason :  it  seems  altogether  as  improper 
as  to  confine  our  intercourse  with  one  another  to  prescribed  forms  of 
conversation.  Were  this  restraint  imposed  upon  us,  we  should  imme- 
diately feel  the  hardship,  and  see  the  impropriety  of  it;  and  the  one 
appears  to  me  as  ill  adapted  to  edification  and  comfort,  as  the  other 
would  be. 

This  day  an  old  friend  called  upon  him,  under  great  apprehensions 
that  he  was  running  mad.  His  fears  were  not  a  little  increased, 
when  he  heard  him  speak  of  some  instances  of  the  power  and  good- 
ness of  God.  His  friend  told  him  that  he  expected  to  see  rays  of 
light  round  his  head ;  and  said  a  good  deal  more  in  the  same  strain. 
Finding  by  Mr.  Wesley's  conversation  that  he  was  past  recovery,  he 
begged  him  to  fly  from  London,  and  took  his  leave  in  despair  of  doing 
him  any  good. 

May  23d,  he  wrote  an  hymn  on  his  own  conversion.  Upon  show- 
ing it  to  Mr.  Bray  a  thought  was  suggested  to  his  mind,  that  he  had 
done  wrong  and  displeased  God.  His  heart  immediately  sunk  within 
him ;  but  the  shock  lasted  only  for  a  moment ;  "I  clearly  discerned," 
says  he,  "  it  was  a  device  of  the  enemy  to  keep  glory  from  God.  It  is 
most  usual  with  him  to  preach  humility  when  speaking  would  en- 
danger his  kingdom  and  do  honor  to  Christ.  Least  of  all  would  he 
have  us  tell  what  God  has  done  for  our  souls,  so  tenderly  does  he 
guard  us  against  pride.  But  God  has  showed  me,  that  he  can  defend 
me  from  it  while  speaking  for  him.  In  his  name  therefore,  and 
through  his  strength,  I  will  perform  my  vows  unto  the  Lord,  of  not 
hiding  his  righteousness  within  my  heart." 

Mr.  Wesley  had  now  satisfactory  evidence  that  he  was  a  pardoned 
sinner,  accepted  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  quickened  by  his  spirit 
10 


lif  THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 

He  enjoyed  constant  peace,  was  extremely  watchful  over  the  motions 
of  his  own  heart,  and  had  a  degree  of  strength  to  resist  temptation,  and 
to  do  the  will  of  God,  which  he  had  not  found  before  his  justification; 
but  he  felt  no  great  emotion  of  mind,  or  transport  of  joy  in  any  of 
the  means  of  grace.  He  now  intended  to  receive  the  sacrament,  and 
was  fearful  lest  he  should  be  as  flat  and  comfortless  in  this  ordinance 
as  formerly ;  he  received  it  without  any  very  sensible  effect  on  his 
mind  more  than  usual,  but  with  this  difference  from  his  former  state, 
that  he  found  himself,  after  it  was  over,  calm  and  satisfied  with  the 
goodness  of  God  to  his  soul,  and  free  from  doubt,  fear  or  scruple,  of 
his  interest  in  Christ.  In  this  way  he  was  early  taught  by  experience, 
to  place  little  confidence  in  any  of  those  sudden  and  transient  impres- 
sions which  are  often  made  on  the  mind  in  public  or  private  acts  of 
devotion.  Nor  was  he  uneasy  because  destitute  of  that  rapturous  joy 
which  some  persons  have  experienced ;  he  was  thankful  for  the  more 
calm  and  more  permanent  operations  of  divine  grace  on  the  mind,  by 
which  his  heart  was  kept  in  peace,  staid  upon  God,  and  watching 
imto  prayer. 

— May  28.  He  rose  in  great  heaviness,  which  neither  private  nor  joint 
prayer  with  others  could  remove.  At  last  he  betook  himself  to  inter- 
cession for  his  relations,  and  was  greatly  enlarged  therein,  particularly 
for  a  most  profligate  sinner.  He  spent  the  morning  with  James 
Hutton,  in  prayer,  singing  and  rejoicing.  In  the  afternoon  his  brother 
came,  and  after  prayer  for  success  on  their  ministry,  Mr.  John  Wesley 
set  out  intending  to  go  to  Tiverton,  and  Mr.  Charles  began  writing 
his  first  sermon  after  his  conversion,  In  the  name  of  Christ  his 
prophet." 

He  had  before  this  time  been  the  means  of  leading  several  persons 
to  a  knowledge  of  themselves,  and  to  a  sense  of  their  want  of  faith  in 
Christ:  he  was  now  the  instrument  in  the  hands  of  God  of  bringing 
one  to  an  experimental  knowledge  of  salvation  by  the  remission  of  sin, 
so  that  she  rejoiced  in  God  her  Saviour.  A  severe  exercise  of  faith 
and  patience  soon  followed.  June  the  1st,  he  found  his  mind  so 
exceedingly  dull  and  heavy  that  he  had  scarcely  any  power  to  pray. 
This  state  increased  upon  him  for  several  days,  till  at  length  he 
became  insensible  of  any  comfort,  or  of  any  impression  of  good  upon 
his  mind  in  the  means  of  grace.  He  was  averse  to  prayer,  and  though 
he  had  but  just  recovered  strength  sufficient  to  go  to  church,  yet  he 
almost  resolved  not  to  go  at  all :  when  he  did  go,  the  prayers  and 
sacrament  were  a  grievous  burden  to  him  :  instead  of  a  fruitful  field, 
he  found  the  whole  service  a  dreary  barren  wilderness,  destitute  of 
comfort  and  profit.  He  felt  what  he  calls,  "A  cowardly  desire  of 
death,"  to  escape  from  his  present  painful  feelings.  He  began  to 
examine  himself,  and  to  enquire  wherein  his  present  state  diflfered 
from  the  state  he  was  in  before  he  professed  faith.  He  soon  found 
there  was  a  diflference  in  the  following  particulars ;  he  observed  the 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY.  !## 

present  darkness  was  not  like  the  former;  there  was  no  guilt  in  it; 
he  was  persuaded  God  would  remove  it  in  his  own  time;  and  he  was 
confident  of  the  love  and  mercy  of  God  to  him  in  Christ  Jesus. — The 
former  state  was  night,  the  present  only  a  cloudy  day ;  at  length  the 
cloud  dispersed,  and  the  Sun  of  righteousness  again  shone  with  bright- 
ness on  his  soul. 

This  was  a  most  instructive  exercise.  It  showed  him,  1.  His  own 
utter  helplessness  in  the  work  of  his  salvation.  He  found  by  expe- 
rience that  he  could  not  produce  comfort  or  any  religious  affection  in 
himself  when  he  most  wanted  them.  The  work  is  God's  ;  when  he 
gives  light  and  strength,  man  may  work,  and  he  is  required  to  work 
out  his  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling ;  but  till  God  begin  the 
work,  man  cannot  move  a  step  in  it.  2.  It  taught  him  to  value  the 
gifts  of  God  which  nothing  can  purchase ;  and  to  guard  them  as  his 
treasure,  and  not  barter  them  for  the  goods  of  this  life.  3.  He  saw 
hereby,  that  if  he  could  not  produce  comfort  and  religious  affections 
in  himself,  he  was  still  less  able  to  produce  them  in  others,  and  there- 
fore, whenever  they  were  experienced  under  his  ministry,  the  work 
was  God's,  he  was  only  the  mean  humble  instrument  in  his  hand. 
Thus  God  prepared  him  for  great  usefulness  and  guarded  him  against 
pride.  When  the  trial  was  over,  he  saw  the  excellent  fruits  of  it,  and 
thanked  God  that  it  continued  so  long. 

June  the  7th,  Dr.  Byrom=^  called  upon  him.  Mr.  Wesley  had  a  hard 
struggle  with  his  bashfulness  before  he  could  prevail  on  himself  to 
speak  freely  to  the  doctor  on  the  things  of  God.  At  length  he  gave 
him  a  simple  relation  of  his  own  experience  :  this  brought  on  a  full 
explanation  of  the  doctrine  of  faith,  which  Dr.  Byrom  received  with 
wonderful  readiness. 

Mr.  Wesley  having  recovered  strength,  began  to  move  about  among 
his  friends.  He  went  to  Blendon,  and  to  some  other  places  in  the 
country,  and  found,  that  the  more  he  labored  in  the  work  of  the  min- 
istry, the  more  his  joy  and  happiness  in  God  was  increased.  He  was 
remarkably  diligent,  zealous,  and  successful  wherever  he  went, 
seldom  staying  a  night  or  two  in  any  place,  but  several  persons  were 
convinced  of  the  truth  and  converted  to  God.  In  this  journey  he  met 
with  the  Rev.  Mr.  Piers,  and  on  the  9th  of  this  month,  in  riding  to 
Bexley,  spake  to  him  of  his  own  experience,  with  great  simplicity, 

*  John  Byrom,  an  ingenious  poet  of  Manchester,  was  born  in  1691.  His  first  poetical 
essay  appeared  in  the  Spectator,  No.  603,  beginning,  "  My  time,  0  ye  Muses,  was  happily 
spent which,  with  two  humorous  letters  on  dreams,  are  to  be  found  in  the  eighth  volume. 
He  was  admitted  a  member  of  the  Royal  Society  in  1724.  Having  originally  entertained 
thoughts  of  practising  physic,  he  received  the  appellation  of  Doctor,  by  which  he  was 
always  known  ;  but  reducing  himself  to  narrow  circumstances  by  a  precipitate  marriage, 
he  supported  himself  by  teaching  a  new  method  of  writing  Short-hand,  of  his  own  inven- 
tion ;  until  an  estate  devolved  to  him  by  the  death  of  an  elder  brother.  He  was  a  man  of 
ready,  lively  wit,  of  which  he  gave  many  humorous  specimens,  whenever  a  favorable 
opportunity  tempted  him  to  indulge  his  disposition.  He  died  in  1763  ;  and  a  collectioa 
of  his  Miscellaneous  Poems  was  printed  at  Manchester,  in  two  volumes  octavo,  1773. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


but  with  confidence.  He  found  Mr.  Piers  ready  to  receive  the  faith. 
Greatest  part  of  the  day  was  spent  in  the  same  manner,  Mr.  Bray, 
who  was  with  Mr.  Wesley,  relating  the  dealings  of  God  with  his  own 
soul,  and  showing  what  great  things  God  had  done  for  their  friends 
in  London.  Mr.  Piers  listened  with  eager  attention  to  all  that  was 
said,  made  not  the  least  objection,  but  confessed  that  these  were 
things  which  he  had  never  experienced.  They  then  walked  and 
sung,  and  prayed  in  the  garden  :  he  was  greatly  affected,  and  testified 
his  full  conviction  of  the  truth,  and  desire  of  finding  Christ.  "  But," 
said  he,  "I  must  first  prepare  myself  by  long  exercise  of  prayer  and 
good  works." 

The  day  before  Mr.  Wesley  and  Mr.  Bray  arrived  at  Blendon,  Mr. 
Piers  had  been  led  to  read  the  homily  on  justification,  by  which  he 
was  convinced  that  in  him,  by  nature,  dwelt  no  good  thing.  This 
prepared  him  to  receive  what  these  messengers  of  peace  related,  con- 
cerning their  own  experience.  He  now  saw  that  all  the  thoughts  of 
his  heart  were  evil,  and  that  continually,  forasmuch  as  whatsoever  is 
not  of  faith  is  sin. 

June  the  10th.  He  became  earnest  for  present  salvation  ;  he  prayed 
to  God  for  comfort,  and  was  encouraged  by  reading  Luke  v.  23. 
"  Whether  is  it  easier  to  say,  thy  sins  be  forgiven  thee,  or  to  say,  rise 
up  and  walk  ?  But  that  ye  may  know  that  the  Son  of  man  hath 
power  on  earth  to  forgive  sins,  (he  said  unto  the  sick  of  the  palsy)  I 
say  unto  thee  arise,  and  take  up  thy  bed  and  go  unto  thine  house,"  <S6C. 
Mr.  Wesley  and  Mr.  Bray  now  conversed  with  him  on  the  power  of 
Christ  to  save,  and  then  prayed  with  him ;  they  afterwards  read  the 
65th  Psalm,  and  all  of  them  were  animated  with  hope  in  reading, 
"  Thou  that  hearest  prayer,  unto  thee  shall  all  flesh  come.  Blessed 
is  the  man  whom  thou  choosest,  and  receivest  unto  thyself;  he  shall 
dwell  in  thy  court,  and  shall  be  satisfied  with  the  plenteousness  of 
thy  house,  even  of  thy  holy  temple.  Thou  shalt  show  us  wonderful 
things  in  thy  righteousness,  O  God  of  our  salvation !  Thou  art  the 
hope  of  all  the  ends  of  the  earth,"  (fee.  In  the  continuance  of  these 
exercises  alternately,  of  conversing,  reading,  and  praying  together, 
Mr.  Piers  received  power  to  believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  had 
peace  and  joy  in  believing. 

The  next  day  Mr.  Piers  preached  on  death  :  and  in  hearing  him, 
Mr.  Wesley  observes,  "  I  found  great  joy  in  feeling  myself  willing,  or 
rather  desirous  to  die."  This  however  did  not  proceed  from  impa- 
tience, or  a  fear  of  the  afflictions  and  suff'erings  of  life,  but  from  a 
clear  evidence  of  his  acceptance  in  the  beloved.  After  sermon  they 
went  to  the  house  of  Mr.  Piers,  and  joined  in  prayer  for  a  poor  woman 
in  deep  despair  :  then  going  down  to  her,  Mr.  Wesley  asked  whether 
she  thought  God  was  love,  and  not  anger,  as  Satan  would  persuade 
her  ]  He  showed  her  the  gospel  plan  of  salvation ;  a  plan  founded  in 
mercy  and  love  to  lost  perishing  sinners.    She  received  what  he  said 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   CHARLES  WESLEY. 


113 


with  all  imaginable  eagerness.  When  they  had  continued  some  time 
together  in  prayer  for  her,  she  rose  up  a  new  creature,  strongly  and 
explicitly  declaring  her  faith  in  the  blood  of  Christ,  and  full  persuasion 
that  she  was  accepted  in  him. 

Mr.  Wesley  remained  weak  in  body,  but  grew  stronger  daily  in 
faith,  and  more  zealous  for  God  and  the  salvation  of  men,  great  power 
accompanying  his  exhortations  and  prayers.  On  the  evening  of  this 
day,  after  family  prayer,  he  expounded  the  lesson,  and  one  of  the 
servants  testified  her  faith  in  Christ  and  peace  with  God.  A  short 
time  afterwards  the  gardener  was  made  a  happy  partaker  of  the  same 
blessings.  Mr.  Piers  also  began  to  see  the  fruit  of  his  ministerial 
labors.  Being  sent  for  to  visit  a  dying  woman  in  despair,  because 
she  had  done  so  little  good,  and  so  much  evil ;  he  declared  to  her  the 
glad  tidings  of  salvation  by  grace,  and  showed  her,  that  if  she  could 
sincerely  repent  and  receive  Christ  by  a  living  faith,  God  would  par- 
don her  sins  and  receive  her  graciously.  This  opened  to  her  view  a 
solid  ground  of  comfort;  she  gladly  quitted  all  confidence  in  herself, 
to  trust  in  Jesus  Christ,  and  she  experienced  her  faith  in  him  by  a 
calm,  cheerful,  triumphant  expectation  of  death.  Her  fears  and 
agonies  were  at  an  end  ;  being  justified  by  faith  she  had  peace  with 
God,  and  only  entered  farther  into  her  rest,  by  dying  a  few  hours 
after.  The  spectators  of  this  awful  joyful  scene,  were  melted  into 
tears,  while  she  calmly  passed  into  the  heavenly  Canaan,  and  brought 
up  a  good  report  of  her  faithful  pastor,  who  under  Christ  saved  her 
soul  from  death. 

The  next  day,  June  the  14th,  Mr.  Wesley  returned  to  London,  and 
was  informed  that  his  brother,  Mr.  John  Wesley,  was  gone  to  Hern- 
huth.  The  news,  he  observes,  surprised,  but  did  not  disquiet  him. 
He  staid  only  two  days  in  London,  and  then  returned  with  J.  Dela- 
motte  to  Blendon,  and  from  thence  to  Bexley.  Here  his  complaints 
returned  upon  him,  and  he  was  obliged  to  keep  his  bed.  ''Desires 
of  death,"  says  he,  "often  rose  in  me,  which  I  labored  to  check,  not 
daring  to  form  any  wish  concerning  it."  His  pains  abated  ;  and  on 
the  21st,  I  find  him  complaining,  that  several  days  had  elapsed  and 
he  had  done  nothing  for  God  ;  so  earnestly  did  he  desire  to  be  inces- 
santly laboring  in  the  work  of  the  ministry. 

In  this  excursion  Mr.  Wesley  was  very  successful  in  doing  good ; 
but  he  met  with  strong  opposition  to  the  doctrine  of  justification  by 
faith  alone,  from  William  Delamotte,  whom  he  calls  his  scholar,  and 
from  Mrs.  Delamotte,  who  was  still  more  violent  against  it  than  her 
son ;  both  were  zealous  defenders  of  the  merit  of  good  works.  Mr. 
Delamotte  supposed,  that  if  men  were  justified  by  faith  alone,  with- 
out any  regard  to  works,  then  sinners  obtaining  this  justification,  and 
dying  soon  after,  would  be  equal  in  heaven  with  those  who  had 
labored  many  years  in  doing  good  and  serving  God.    But,  said  he, 

It  would  be  unjust  in  God  to  make  sinners  equal  with  us,  who  have 
10*  15 


114 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   CHARLES  WESLEY. 


labored  many  years."  The  Jews  of  old  reasoned  in  a  similar  man- 
ner concerning  the  reception  of  the  Gentiles  into  the  gospel  church, 
on  the  same  conditions  and  to  the  same  privileges  with  themselves. 
Their  disposition  towards  the  Gentiles  is  beautifully  described,  and 
gently  reproved,  in  the  parable  of  the  prodigal  son.  The  cases 
indeed  are  not  perfectly  similar ;  the  one  relating  to  our  state  in 
heaven,  the  other  to  the  blessings  and  privileges  of  the  gospel  in  this 
life.  Mr.  Delam.otte's  conclusion,  however,  does  not  follow  from  the 
doctrine  of  justification  by  faith.  As  all  men  have  sinned,  so  all 
men  must  be  justified,  or  pardoned,  and  be  admitted  to  a  participa- 
tion of  gospel  blessings,  as  an  act  of  mere  grace  or  favor ;  and  the 
condition  required  of  man,  is,  faith  alone ;  but  it  is  such  a  faith  as 
becomes  a  practical  principle  of  obedience  to  every  part  of  the  gos- 
pel, so  far  as  a  man  understands  it.  Thus  far  all  men,  who  hear  the 
gospel,  are  equal ;  they  must  be  pardoned  and  accepted  by  an  act  of 
grace  or  favor,  and  the  same  condition  of  receiving  these  blessings  is 
required  of  every  man,  without  any  regard  to  his  works,  which  are 
all  sinful.  Our  state  in  heaven  will  be  regulated  by  a  different  rule. 
All  who  are  saved,  will  not  be  treated  as  equal :  "  Every  man  will  be 
rewarded  according  to  his  works;"  that  is,  according  to  his  improve- 
ment in  practical  holiness,  on  gospel  principles.  Heaven  will  imdoubt- 
edly  be  a  state  of  society;  this  appears  evident,  not  only  from  some 
passages  of  Scripture,  but  from  the  faculties  of  men,  which  are  formed 
for  social  intercourse,  in  order  to  obtain  the  highest  degree  of  happi- 
ness. But  in  a  state  of  society,  the  members  occupy  difl^erent  ranks 
and  degrees ;  there  are  certain  honors  and  rewards  to  be  bestowed : 
in  heaven  these  will  all  be  distributed  in  proportion  to  our  works, 
and  the  conformity  to  Christ,  to  which  we  may  attain  in  this  life. 

Mr.  Delamotte,  however,  thought  his  conclusion  good,  and  was 
animated  with  zeal  against  this  new  faith,  as  it  was  then  commonly 
called.  He  collected  his  strong  reasons  against  it,  and  filled  two 
sheets  of  paper  with  them  :  but  in  searching  the  Scripture  for  passa- 
ges to  strengthen  his  arguments,  he  met  with  Titus  iii.  5.  "Not  by 
works  of  righteousness  Avhich  we  have  done,  but  according  to  his 
mercy  he  hath  saved  us."  This  passage  of  Scripture  cut  him  to  the 
heart,  destroyed  all  confidence  in  the  specious  reasoning  he  had  used 
on  this  subject,  and  convinced  him  he  was  wrong.  He  burned  his 
papers,  and  began  to  seek  in  earnest  that  faith  which  he  had  before 
opposed. 

Mrs.  Delamotte  continued  her  opposition.  In  reading  a  sermon, 
-one  evening  in  the  family,  Mr.  Wesley  maintained  the  doctrine  of 
faith:  Mrs.  Delamotte  opposed.  ''Madam,"  said  Mr.  Wesley,  "we 
cannot  but  speak  the  things  we  have  seen  and  heard  :  I  received  faith 
in  that  manner,  and  so  have  more  than  thirty  others  in  my  presence." 
Her  passion  kindled  ;  said  she  could  not  bear  this,  and  hastily  quitted 
ithe  room. — Mr.  Wesley  here  gives  us  some  idea  of  his  success  in 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   CHARLES  WESLEY. 


115 


conversing  and  praying  Avith  the  people.  A  month  had  now  elapsed 
since  his  justification.  A  part  of  this  time  he  had  been  confined  by 
sickness,  and  was  not  yet  able  to  preach.  Notwithstanding  this, 
more  than  thirty  persons  had  been  justified  in  the  little  meetings  al 
which  he  had  been  present !  Mrs.  Delamotte  was  afterwards  con- 
vinced of  the  truth,  and  cordially  embraced  it. 

June  the  30th,  Mr.  Wesley  received  the  following  letter  from  Mr. 
William  Delamotte. 

Dear  Sir, 

''God  hath  heard  your  prayers.  Yesterday  about  twelve,  he  put 
his  fiat  to  the  desires  of  his  distressed  servant;  and  glory  be  to  him, 
I  have  enjoyed  the  fruits  of  his  holy  Spirit  ever  since.  The  only 
uneasiness  I  feel,  is,  want  of  thankfulness  and  love  for  so  unspeaka- 
ble a  gift.  But  I  am  confident  of  this  also,  that  the  same  gracious 
hand  which  hath  communicated,  will  communicate  even  unto  the 
end. — O  my  dear  friend,  I  am  free  indeed !  I  agonized  some  time 
between  darkness  and  light ;  but  God  was  greater  than  my  heart, 
and  burst  the  cloud,  and  broke  down  the  partition  wall,  and  opened 
to  me  the  door  of  faith." 


CHAPTER  VI. 


SECTION  IV. 

CONTAINING  SOME  ACCOUNT  OF    MR.  CHARLES  WESLEy's   PUBLIC  MINISTRY. 

If  we  consider  how  necessary  the  gospel  is,  to  the  present  and 
future  happiness  of  men,  we  shall  readily  acknowledge  that  a  minis- 
ter of  it,  occupies  the  most  important  ofliice  in  society ;  and  hence  it 
becomes  a  matter  of  the  utmost  importance,  that  this  office  be  filled 
with  men  properly  qualified  for  it.  Christianity  is  a  practical  science, 
the  theory  of  its  principles  being  only  preparatory  to  the  practice  of 
those  duties  which  it  enjoins.  A  preacher  therefore  should  not  only 
understand  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  and  be  able  to  arrange  them 
according  to  the  natural  order  in  which  they  are  intended  to  influ- 
ence the  mind,  and  direct  the  conduct  of  life ;  but  he  ought  to  expe- 
rience their  influence  on  his  own  heart,  and  be  daily  conversant  in  a 
practical  application  of  them  to  every  duty  which  he  owes  to  God 
and  man.  Here,  as  in  every  other  practical  art  or  science,  principles 
and  practice  must  be  constantly  united ;  they  illustrate  and  confirm 


m 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


each  other.  Fimdamental  principles  must  first  be  learned;  they 
must  be  applied  to  the  heart,  so  as  to  awaken  the  conscience  to  a 
sense  of  the  evil  of  sin,  (fee.,  and  have  a  suitable  influence  on  our 
actions.  This  first  step  in  christian  knowledge  will  prepare  the  mind 
for  the  second ;  and  so  on  till  we  come  to  the  measure  of  the  stature 
of  the  fulness  of  Christ.  If  a  minister  of  the  gospel  be  unacquainted 
with  this  practical  application  of  the  principles  of  the  christian  reli- 
gion to  his  own  heart  and  life,  he  is  deficient  in  one  of  the  most 
essential  qualifications  for  his  office,  whatever  may  be  the  degree  of 
his  speculative  knowledge. 

The  observations  of  a  professor  of  divinity  in  a  foreign  university, 
on  the  qualifications  of  a  gospel  minister,  appear  to  me  so  just  and 
excellent,  that  I  shall  take  the  liberty  to  translate  them,  and  present 
them  to  the  reader. 
'  "  If,"  says  he,  "an  evangelical  pastor  be  only  a  voice,  a  voice 
/crying  in  the  temple,  and  nothing  more,  as  many  seem  to  thhik:  if 
he  be  nothing,  but  a  man  who  has  sufficient  memory  to  retain  a  dis- 
course, and  boldness  sufficient  to  repeat  it  before  a  large  congrega- 
tion— If  an  evangelical  pastor  be  only  an  orator,  whose  business  it  is 
to  please  his  audience  and  procure  applause — then  we  have  nothing 
to  do,  but  to  make  the  voice  of  our  pupils  as  pleasing  and  sonorous 
as  possible — to  exercise  their  memory,  and  to  give  them  a  bold  and 
hardened  countenance,  not  to  say  impudent — to  teach  them  a  rhet- 
oric adapted  to  the  pulpit  and  our  audiences;  and  by  perpetual 
declamation,  like  the  sophists  of  old,  render  them  prompt  and  ready 
in  speaking  with  plausibility  on  any  subject,  and  to  point  out  to 
them  the  sources  from  whence  they  may  draw  matter  for  declama- 
tion. But  the  pastor  whom  we  should  form  in  our  academies,  is 
something  much  greater  and  more  divine  than  all  this.  He  is  a  man 
of  God,  who  is  influenced  by  nothing  but  high  and  heavenly  thoughts, 
of  promoting  the  glory  of  God,  of  propagating  the  kingdom  of  Christ, 
and  destroying  the  power  of  satan  ;  of  obtaining  daily  a  more  perfect 
knoAvledge  of  that  sublime  science  on  which  eternal  happiness 
depends,  of  more  widely  diffusing  it,  and  more  efficaciously  persuad- 
ing others  to  embrace  it ;  of  restoring  fallen  Christianity,  binding  up 
the  wounds  of  the  church,  and  healing  her  divisions. — He  is  a 
man  whose  business  it  is  to  perform  and  direct  all  the  parts  of  divine 
worship  before  the  whole  church ;  to  offer  to  God,  the  desires,  the 
prayers,  the  praises  and  thanksgivings  of  the  people  assembled. — 
This  pastor  is  a  man  divinely  called,  an  ambassador  of  God  sent  to 
men,  that  he  may  bring  as  many  souls  as  possible,  from  darkness  to 
light,  from  the  world  to  Christ,  from  the  power  of  satan  to  God,  from 
the  way  of  perdition  to  the  way  of  salvation :  a  man  who,  by  public 
preaching  and  private  instruction,  faithfully  explains  the  word  of 
God,  especially  the  doctrines  of  salvation  contained  in  it,  and  by  the 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


117 


simplicity  and  clearness  of  explanation  adapts  them  to  the  capacity 
of  every  individual  person.    O  tremendous  employment !"  &/C.=^ 

I  have  no  intention,  by  these  observations,  to  reflect  on  any  denom- 
ination of  men  filling  the  sacred  office ;  I  have  introduced  them  merely 
with  a  view  to  show,  what  are  the  qualifications  essentially  necessary 
in  a  minister  of  the  gospel,  considering  them  as  distinct  from  those 
peculiarities  of  opinion  and  modes  of  worship  by  which  true  Chris- 
tians are  distinguished  from  one  another ;  and  to  illustrate  the  charac- 
ter of  Mr.  Wesley  as  a  true  gospel  minister.  He  possessed  the  requi- 
sites for  his  offi.ce  in  no  small  degree :  he  had  a  clear  view  of  the 
state  of  human  nature,  and  of  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  pointing 
out  God's  method  of  restoring  sinners  to  his  favor  and  image.  Sin 
blinds  the  understanding,  hardens  the  heart,  makes  the  conscience 
insensible  of  the  defilement  of  evil,  and  renders  a  man  careless  of  his 
spiritual  and  eternal  concerns.  Like  a  wise  master-builder,  he  ex- 
plained and  enforced  the  doctrines  of  repentance  towards  God,  and  of 
faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  as  first  principles  in  christian  experi- 
ence ;  as  the  entrance  into  it,  and  the  foundation  on  which  it  is  built. 
His  own  experience  illustrated  and  confirmed  the  scriptural  views  he 
had  obtained  of  these  doctrines:  he  spoke  of  them  in  their  proper 
order,  and  described  their  effects  with  clearness  and  firmness ;  not  as 
the  uncertain  conjectures  of  a  speculative  philosophy,  but  as  the  cer- 
tain practical  truths  of  divine  revelation.  He  was  now  in  the  habit 
of  giving  a  practical  application  to  the  higher  principles  of  the  gospel, 
in  the  government  of  his  heart  and  life,  and  was  daily  growing  in 
grat:e,  and  in  the  knowledge  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  in 
a  way  which  could  not  deceive  him,  where  theory  and  practice  were 
thus  combined.  He  was  therefore,  well  prepared  for  the  ministry, 
not  only  by  learning  and  deep  study,  in  which  he  had  been  conversant 
for  many  years,  but  also  by  such  exercises  of  the  heart,  as  led  him  to 
a  thorough  knowledge  of  human  nature,  and  of  the  method  of  salva- 
tion laid  down  in  the  gospel.  If  all  the  ministers  in  England,  of 
every  denomination,  were  thus  qualified  for  their  office,  and  animated 
with  the  same  zeal,  to  propagate  the  truths  of  religion  by  every  means 
in  their  power,  what  an  amazing  change  should  we  soon  see  in  the 
morals  of  the  people !  It  is  an  awful  consideration,  that  ministers, 
who  are  set  for  the  defence  of  the  gospel,  and  the  propagation  of  true 
christian  piety,  should  be  the  hinderances  of  it  in  any  degree,  through 
a  want  of  knowledge,  experience,  diligence  and  zeal.  It  would  be 
well  if  every  minister  would  seriously  examine  himself  on  these 
heads,  as  Mr.  Wesley  did,  and  keep  in  view  the  account  which  he 
must  soon  give  to  the  great  Shepherd  and  Bishop  of  souls. 

Though  Mr.  Wesley  had  been  very  diligent  in  his  Master's  service, 
since  the  21st  of  May,  he  had  not  yet  been  able  to  preach.    On  Sun- 

*  Werenfelsius  in  Dissert,  de  Scopo  Doctoris  Theologi. 


118  THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 

day,  July  2nd,  he  observes,  "  Being  to  preach  this  morning  for  the 
first  time,  I  received  strength  for  the  work  of  the  ministry.  The 
whole  service  at  Basingshavv  Church,  was  wonderfully  animating, 
especially  the  gospel,  concerning  the  miraculous  draught  of  fishes.  I 
preached  salvation  by  faith,  to  a  deeply  attentive  audience,  and  after- 
wards gave  the  cup.  Observing  a  woman  full  of  reverence,  I  asked 
her  if  she  had  forgiveness  of  sins?  She  answered  with  great  sweet- 
ness and  humility,  '  yes,  I  know  it  now,  that  I  have  forgiveness.'  " 

"  I  preached  again  at  London-Wall,  without  fear  or  weariness.  As 
I  was  going  into  the  church,  a  woman  caught  hold  of  my  hand  and 
blessed  me  most  heartily,  telling  me  she  had  received  forgiveness  of 
sins  while  I  was  preaching  in  the  morning."  In  the  evening  they 
held  a  meeting  for  prayer,  when  two  other  persons  found  peace  with 
God. 

July  10th,  Mr.  Wesley  was  requested  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Sparks  to 
go  to  Newgate :  he  went  and  preached  to  the  ten  malefactors  under 
sentence  of  death.  But  he  observes  it  was  with  a  heavy  heart.  "  My 
old  prejudices,"  says  he,  "against  the  possibility  of  a  death-bed  repent- 
ance, still  hung  upon  me,  and  I  could  hardly  hope  there  was  mercy 
for  those  whose  time  was  so  short."  But  in  the  midst  of  his  languid 
discourse,  as  he  calls  it,  his  mind  acquired  a  sudden  confidence  in  the 
mercy  of  God.  and  he  promised  them  all  pardon  in  the  name  of  Jesus 
Christ,  if  they  would  even  then,  as  at  the  last  hour,  repent  and  be- 
lieve the  gospel.  He  adds,  "  I  did  believe  they  would  accept  the 
proffered  mercy,  and  could  not  help  telling  them,  I  had  no  doubt  but 
God  would  give  me  every  soul  of  them."  He  preached  to  them 
again  the  next  day  with  earnestness,  from  the  second  lesson,  when 
two  or  three  began  to  be  deeply  affected. 

This  day  Mr.  Wesley  received  a  letter  from  Mr.  William  Dela- 
motte,  giving  an  account  of  his  mother.  "I  cannot  keep  peace," 
says  he;  "  the  mercies  of  God  come  so  abundantly  on  our  unworthy 
family,  that  I  am  not  able  to  declare  them.  Yet  as  they  are  his  bles- 
sings through  your  ministry,  I  must  inform  you  of  them,  as  they  will 
strengthen  your  hands,  and  prove  helpers  of  your  joy.  Great  then, 
I  believe,  was  the  struggle  in  my  mother,  between  nature  and  grace : 
but  God  who  knoweth  the  very  heart  and  reins,  hath  searched  her 
out.  Her  spirit  is  become  as  that  of  a  little  child.  She  is  converted, 
and  Christ  hath  spoken  peace  to  her  soul.  This  change  was  begun 
in  her  the  morning  you  left  us  (the  8th,)  though  she  concealed  it  from 
you.  The  next  morning  when  she  waked  the  following  words  of 
Scripture  were  present  to  her  mind  :  '  Either  what  woman,  having 
ten  pieces  of  silver,  if  she  lose  one  of  them,  doth  not  light  a  candle 
and  sweep  the  house  diligently  till  she  find  it.'  She  rose  immediately, 
took  up  Bishop  Taylor,  and  opened  on  a  place  which  so  strongly 
asserted  this  living  faith,  that  she  was  fully  convinced.  But  the  ene- 
my preached  humility  to  her,  that  she  could  not  deserve  so  great  a 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


119 


gift.  God.  however,  still  pursued,  and  she  could  not  long  forbear  to 
communicate  tlie  emotion  of  her  soul  to  me.  We  prayed,  read,  and 
conversed  for  an  hour.  The  Lord  made  use  of  a  mean  instrument 
to  convince  her  of  her  ignorance  of  the  v^ord  of  God.  Throughout 
that  day  she  was  more  and  more  enlightened  by  the  truth,  till  at 
length  she  broke  out,  'Where  have  I  been!  I  know  nothing;  I  see 
nothing;  my  mind  is  all  darkness;  how  have  I  opposed  the  Scrip- 
ture !'  See  was  tempted  to  think,  she  was  laboring  after  something 
that  was  not  to  be  attained  :  but  Clirist  did  not  suffer  her  to  fall :  she 
flew  to  him  in  prayer  and  singing,  and  continued  agonizing  all  the 
evening.  The  next  morning,  when  reading  in  her  closet,  she  received 
reconciliation  and  peace.  She  could  not  contain  the  joy  attending  it : 
nor  forbear  imparting  to  her  friends  and  neighbors,  that  she  had 
found  the  piece  which  she  had  lost.  Satan  in  vain  attempted  to  shake 
her ;  she  felt  in  herself, 

'  Faith's  assurance,  Hope's  increase, 
All  the  confidence  of  Love.'  " 

Mr.  Sparks  asked  him  if  he  would  preach  at  St.  Hellen's.  He 
agreed  to  supply  Mr.  Broughton's  place,  who  was  at  Oxford,  "  arm- 
ing our  friends,"  says  Mr.  Wesley,  ''  against  the  faith."  He  adds,  "  I 
preached  faith  in  Christ  to  a  vast  congregation,  with  great  boldness, 
adding  much  extempore."  In  his  discourses,  Mr.  Wesley  proposed 
the  doctrines  of  the  gospel  with  clearness,  and  illustrated  them  with 
great  strength  of  evidence  from  the  Scriptures,  in  which  he  was  re- 
markably ready ;  and  delivering  them  in  a  warm  animated  manner, 
he  generally  carried  conviction  to  the  minds  of  those  who  gave  him  a 
fair  and  candid  hearing.  After  this  sermon,  Mrs.  Hind,  with  whom 
Mr.  Broughton  lodged,  sent  for  Mr.  W^esley,  and  acknowledged  her 
agreement  with  the  doctrine  he  had  preached ;  she  wished  him  to 
come  and  talk  with  Mr.  Broughton,  Avho,  she  thought,  must  himself 
agree  to  it. 

The  next  day,  July  12th,  he  preached  at  Newgate  to  the  condemned 
felons.  He  visited  one  of  them  in  his  cell,  sick  of  a  fever,  a  poor 
black,  who  had  robbed  his  master.  ''I  told  him,"  says  Mr.  Wesley, 
"  of  one  who  came  down  from  heaven  to  save  lost  sinners,  and  him  in 
particular.  I  described  the  sufferings  of  the  Son  of  God ;  his  sorrows, 
agony  and  death.  He  listened  with  all  the  signs  of  eager  astonish- 
ment. The  tears  trickled  down  his  cheeks,  while  he  cried,  '  What ! 
was  it  for  me  ?  Did  the  Son  of  God  suffer  all  this  for  so  poor  a  crea- 
ture as  me?'    I  left  him  waiting  for  the  salvation  of  God." 

July  13th.  "I  read  prayers  and  preached  at  Newgate,  and  admin- 
istered the  sacrament  to  our  friends  and  five  of  the  felons.  I  was 
much  affected  and  assisted  in  prayer  for  them  with  comfort  and  con- 
fidence. July  14th,  I  received  the  sacrament  from  the  ordinary  and 
spake  strongly  to  the  poor  malefactors,  and  to  the  sick  negro  in  the 


120 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  FvEV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


condemned  hole  :  was  moved  by  his  sorrow  and  earnest  desire  of 
Christ  Jesus.  The  next  day,  July  15th,  I  preached  there  again,  with 
an  enlarged  heart :  and  rejoiced  with  my  poor  black,  who  now  be- 
lieves that  the  Son  of  God  loves  him,  and  gave  himself  for  him." 

"  July  17th,  I  preached  at  Newgate  on  death,  which  the  malefactors 
must  suffer,  the  day  after  to-morrow.  Mr.  Sparks  assisted  in  giving 
the  sacrament,  and  another  clergyman  was  present.  Newington 
asked  me  to  go  in  the  coach  with  him.  At  one  o'clock,  I  was  with 
the  black  in  his  cell,  when  more  of  the  malefactors  came  to  us.  I 
found  great  help  and  power  in  prayer  for  them.  One  of  them  rose  all 
in  a  sweat  (probably  with  the  agitation  of  his  mind)  and  professed 
faith  in  Christ.  I  found  myself  overwhelmed  with  the  love  of 
Christ  to  sinners.  The  negro  was  quite  happy,  and  another  crim- 
inal in  an  excellent  temper.  I  talked  with  one  more,  concerning 
faith  in  Christ :  he  was  greatly  moved.  The  Lord,  I  trust,  will  help 
his  unbelief  also."  The  clergymen  now  left  them,  and  Mr.  Wesley 
with  several  others,  joined  in  fervent  prayer  and  thanksgiving  at  Mr. 
Bray's.  At  six  in  the  evening,  he  returned  to  the  prisoners,  with  Mr. 
Bray.  They  talked  chiefly  with  Hudson  and  Newington.  They 
prayed  with  them,  and  both  seemed  deeply  affected.  Newington 
declared,  that  he  had  some  time  before,  felt  inexpressible  joy  and  love 
in  prayer,  but  was  much  troubled  at  its  being  so  soon  withdrawn. 

Mr.  Wesley  goes  on.  "July  18th,  the  ordinary  read  prayers  and 
preached ;  I  administered  the  sacrament  to  the  black  and  eight  more ; 
having  first  instructed  them  in  the  nature  of  it.  One  of  them  told  me 
in  the  cells,  that  whenever  he  oflfered  to  pray,  or  had  a  serious  thought, 
sometliing  came  and  hindered  him,  and  that  it  was  almost  continually 
with  him.  After  we  had  prayed  for  him,  he  arose  amazingly  com- 
forted ;  full  of  joy  and  love ;  so  that  we  could  not  doubt,  but  he  had 
received  the  atonement."  In  the  evening,  he  and  Mr.  Bray  were 
locked  in  the  cells.  "We  wrestled,"  says  he,  "  in  mighty  prayer  ;  all 
the  criminals  were  present,  and  cheerful.  The  soldier  in  particular, 
found  his  comfort  and  joy  increase  every  moment.  Another,  from  the 
time  he  communicated,  has  been  in  perfect  peace.  Joy  was  visible 
in  all  their  faces. — We  sang, 

'  Behold  the  Saviour  of  mankind, 

Nail'd  to  the  shameful  tree  ; 
How  vast  the  love  that  him  inclin'd, 

To  bleed  and  die  for  thee.' 

It  was  one  of  the  most  triumphant  hours  I  have  ever  known.  Yet, 
on  July  19th,  I  rose  very  heavy  and  backward  to  visit  them  for  the 
last  time.  At  six  in  the  morning,  I  prayed  and  sung  with  them  all  to- 
gether. The  ordinary  would  read  prayers,  and  he  preached  most 
miserably."  Mr.  Sparks  and  Mr.  Broughton  were  present;  the  latter 
of  whom  administered  the  sacrament,  and  then  prayed ;  Mr.  Wesley 
prayed  after  him.  At  half-past  nine  o'clock,  their  irons  were  knocked 
off.  and  their  hands  tied,  and  they  prepared  for  the  solemn  journey. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


121 


and  the  fatal  hour.  The  clergymen  went  in  a  coach,  and  about 
eleven  the  criminals  arrived  at  Tyburn.  Mr.  Wesley,  Mr.  Sparks, 
and  Mr.  Broughton  got  upon  the  cart  with  them  :  the  ordinary 
endeavored  to  follow ;  but  the  poor  prisoners  begged  that  he  would 
not,  and  the  mob  kept  him  down.  They  were  all  cheerful :  full  of 
comfort,  peace,  and  triumph  :  firmly  persuaded  that  Christ  had  died 
for  them,  had  taken  away  their  sins,  and  waited  to  receive  them  into 
paradise.  None  showed  any  natural  terror  of  death :  no  fear,  or 
crying  or  tear.  "I  never  saw,"  says  Mr.  Wesley,  "such  calm 
triumph,  such  incredible  indifference  to  dying.  We  sang  several 
hymns;  particularly, 

*  A  guilty,  weak  and  helpless  worm, 

Into  thy  hands  I  fall ; 
Be  thou  my  life,  my  righteousness, 

My  Jesus  and  my  all.' 

I  took  leave  of  each  in  particular.  Mr.  Broughton  bid  them  not  to 
be  surprised  when  the  cart  should  draw  away.  They  cheerfully 
replied,  they  should  not.  We  left  them  going  to  meet  their  Lord. 
They  were  turned  off  exactly  at  twelve  o'clock  ;  not  one  struggled  for 
life.  I  spoke  a  few  suitable  words  to  the  crowd,  and  returned  full 
of  peace  and  confidence  of  our  friends'  happiness." 

The  whole  of  this  awful  scene,  must  have  appeared  very  extra- 
ordinary. The  newness  and  singularity  of  it,  would  add  greatly  to 
its  effects,  not  only  on  the  minds  of  the  clergymen  concerned  in  it,  but 
on  the  populace,  at  the  place  of  execution.  Some,  well-meaning  per- 
sons, have  greatly  objected  to  the  publication  of  such  conversions  as 
these,  even  supposing  them  possible  and  real ;  apprehending  that  they 
may  give  encouragement  to  vice  among  the  lower  orders  of  the  people. 
The  possibility  of  such  conversions,  can  hardly  be  disputed,  by  those 
who  understand,  and  believe  the  New  Testament :  we  must  judge  of 
their  reality,  by  such  evidence,  as  the  circumstances  of  the  persons 
will  admit.  The  objection  against  their  publication  when  they  really 
happen,  for  fear  they  should  encourage  vice,  appears  to  me  without 
any  solid  foundation.  It  is  pretty  certain,  the  persons  who  commit 
crimes  that  bring  them  to  the  gallows,  have  no  thoughts  either  of 
heaven  or  hell,  which  have  any  influence  on  their  actions.  They 
are  so  far  from  paying  any  regard  to  the  publication  of  these  conver- 
sions, that  they  mock  and  laugh  at  them.  Conversion  is  the  turning 
of  a  sinner  from  his  sins  to  the  living  God:  it  is  a  change;  1.  In  ^, 
m3.n^s  judgment  of  himself,  so  that  he  condemns  his  former  course  of  r 
life,  and  the  principles  from  which  he  acted  even  in  his  best  wojrks.: 
2.  In  his  will;  he  now  chooses  God  and  the  ways  of  God,  in  prefer- 
ence to  vice,  under  any  of  its  enticing  forms :  3.  In  his  affections  ;  he 
hates  the  things  he  formerly  loved,  and  loves  the  things  which  lead 
to  God  and  heaven.  To  say,  that  the  publication  of  such  conversions, 
which  in  every  step  of  their  progress,  condemn  sin,  can  encourage  the 
11  16 


X28  THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   CHARLES  WESLEY. 

practice  of  it,  appears  to  me  little  less  than  a  contradiction.  Is  it 
possible,  that  any  person,  who  has  the  least  serious  thought  of  heaven, 
would  voluntarily  choose  to  go  thither  by  the  way  of  Tyburn  or 
Newgate  7  Can  we  for  a  moment  suppose,  that  a  person  who  thinks 
of  finally  going  to  heaven,  will  plunge  himself  deeper  into  sin  in  order 
to  get  there  ?  That  he  will  bring  himself  so  close  to  the  brink  of  hell 
as  Tyburn  or  Newgate,  (where  there  is  a  bare  possibility,  but  little 
probability,  that  he  will  not  fall  into  the  pit  of  destruction)  in  hopes  of 
conversion  and  heaven?  Such  a  conduct  would  be  a  proof  of  insanity. 
It  seems  to  me  as  certain  a  principle  as  any  from  which  we  can 
reason,  that  the  conversion  of  notorious  sinners  from  vice  to  virtue,  is 
a  public  condemnation  of  vice,  and  must  discourage  it,  in  proportion 
as  these  conversions  are  made  known,  and  firmly  believed  to  be 
genuine  and  real. 

July  20th,  Mr.  Wesley  was  at  the  morning  prayers  at  Islington, 
and  had  some  serious  conversation  with  Mr.  Stonehouse,  the  vicar. 
The  next  day,  Mr.  Robson  confessed  that  he  believed  there  was  such 
a  faith  as  Mr.  Wesley  and  his  friends  spake  of,  but  thought  it  impos- 
sible for  him  to  attain  it ;  he  thought  also  that  it  must  necessarily 
bring  on  a  persecution,  which  seems  to  have  had  a  very  unfavorable 
influence  on  his  mind,  though  convinced  in  his  judgment,  of  the  truth. 
In  the  evening  Mr.  Chapman,  who  had  embraced  the  doctrine  of  jus- 
tification by  faith,  came  from  Mr.  Broughton,  and  seemed  quite 
estranged  from  his  friends.  He  thought  their  present  proceedings 
would  raise  a  persecution,  and  he  insisted  that  there  was  no  necessity 
for  exposing  themselves  to  such  difficulties  and  dangers,  in  the 
present  circumstances  of  things.  This  kind  of  worldly  prudence  in 
propagating  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel  is  sure  to  produce  lukewarm- 
ness  and  a  cowardly  mind,  if  it  do  not  arise  from  them.  It  has 
occasioned  greater  evils  to  the  church  of  Christ,  than  all  the  perse- 
cutions that  ever  happened.  It  is  this  principle  of  worldly  prudence, 
that  has  induced  some  ministers  to  adulterate  the  most  important 
doctrines  of  grace,  with  the  prevailing  philosophy  of  the  age  in 
which  they  have  lived,  to  make  them  pleasing  and  palatable  to  the 
more  polite  and  learned  part  of  their  congregations.  By  this  means 
the  preacher  has  gained  reputation,  but  his  ministry  has  lost  its  au- 
thority and  power  to  change  the  heart  and  reform  the  life  :  the  natural 
powers  of  man  have  been  raised  to  a  sufficiency  for  every  duty 
required  of  him,  and  the  gospel  has  been  sunk  into  a  mere  collection 
of  moral  precepts  enforced  by  the  certain  prospect  of  future  rewards 
and  punishments.  In  this  way  the  true  doctrine  of  faith,  and  of  a 
divine  supernatural  influence,  accompanying  the  means  of  grace, 
have  been  gradually  lost  sight  of,  and  at  length  denied ;  and  the  gos- 
pel thus  mutilated  has  never  been  found  of  sufficient  efficacy  to 
accomplish  the  purposes  for  which  it  was  promulgated  to  the  world. 
It  is  remarkable  that  in  every  great  revival  of  religion,  these  doctrines 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


123 


have  been  particularly  insisted  upon,  and  have  generally  occasioned 
some  opposition,  both  from  the  wise  and  ignorant  among  mankind. 
And  when  the  professors  of  religion  of  any  denomination,  wishing  to 
avoid  persecution  and  become  more  respectable  in  the  eyes  of  men, 
have  either  concealed  the  truth,  or  debased  it  by  philosophical  expla- 
nations, the  offence  of  the  cross  indeed  ceased,  but  the  glory  of  the 
gospel  departed  from  them :  they  became  lukewarm,  and  gradually 
dwindled  away,  unless  held  together  by  some  temporal  consideration, 
having  a  name  to  live,  but  were  dead. 

I  cannot,  on  the  contrary,  commend  the  rash  intemperate  zeal  of 
some  young  converts  in  religion,  who  have  often,  both  in  ancient  ar^i 
modern  times,  invited  persecution  by  their  own  imprudence ;  either 
by  ill-timed  reproofs,  or  an  improper  introduction  of  their  religious 
sentiments  in  discourse.  Nor  can  I  approve  of  the  rude  vulgarity, 
which  has  sometimes  been  used  both  in  conversation  and  in  the  pulpit, 
under  a  pretence  of  speaking  the  plain  truths  of  the  gospel.  There 
is  a  medium  between  these  extremes  ;  and  I  would  say  to  myself,  and 
to  the  reader,  medio  tutissimus  ibis,  the  middle  path  is  the  safest, 
though  perhaps  the  most  difficult  to  keep  on  some  trying  occasions. 

Had  Mr.  Wesley  and  his  brother  listened  to  the  Syren  song  of  ease 
and  reputation,  they  would  never  have  been  the  happy  instruments 
of  so  much  good  as  we  have  seen  produced  by  their  means.  On  this 
occasion  Mr.  Wesley  said  to  Mr.  Chapman,  "  I  believe  every  doctrine 
of  God  must  have  these  two  marks,  1.  It  will  meet  with  opposition 
from  men  and  devils  ;  2.  It  will  finally  triumph  and  prevail.  I  ex- 
pressed my  readiness  to  part  with  him,  and  all  my  friends  and 
relations  for  the  truth's  sake.  I  avowed  my  liberty  and  happiness, 
since  Whitsunday  ;  made  a  bridge  for  a  flying  enemy,  and  we  parted 
tolerable  friends." 

July  24th,  he  preached  on  justification  by  faith,  at  Mr.  Stone- 
house's,  v/ho  could  not  yet  conceive  how  God  can  justify  the  ungodly, 
upon  repentance  and  faith  in  Christ,  without  any  previous  holiness. 
He  seemed  to  think  that  a  man  must  be  sanctified  before  he  can  know 
that  he  is  justified.  It  is  probable  Mr.  Stonehouse  did  not  consider, 
that,  to  justify,  in  the  language  of  St.  Paul,  is  to  pardon  a  repenting 
believing  sinner,  as  an  act  of  grace ;  not  for  the  sake  of  any  previous 
holiness  in  him,  but  in  and  by  Jesus  Christ,  with  whom  he  is  then 
united  by  a  living  faith,  and  entitled  to  such  gospel  blessings  as  may 
lead  him  on  to  true  holiness  of  heart  and  life.  This  day  Mr.  Wesley 
agreed  with  Mr.  Stonehouse,  to  take  charge  of  his  parish,  under  him 
as  curate;  after  which  he  read  prayers  at  Islington  almost  every 
day,  and  had  frequent  opportunities  of  conversing  with  Mr.  Stone- 
house, and  of  explaining  the  nature  of  justification,  and  of  justifying 
faith. 

July  26th,  Mr.  Wesley  was  at  Blendon.  Here  Mrs.  Delamotte 
called  upon  him  to  rejoice  with  her  in  the  experience  of  the  divine 


ISA  THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY, 

goodness.  She  then  confessed,  that  all  her  desire  had  been  to  affront 
or  make  him  angry :  she  had  watched  every  word  he  spake ;  had 
persecuted  the  truth,  and  all  who  professed  it,  fc. — A  fine  instance 
of  the  evidence  and  power  of  gospel  truth,  to  subdue  a  mind  blinded 
by  the  most  obstinate  prejudice. 

Mr.  Wesley  was  now  incessantly  employed  in  his  blessed  Master's 
service  ;  either  in  reading  prayers  and  preaching  in  the  churches,  or 
holding  meetings  in  private  houses,  for  prayer  and  expounding  the 
Scriptures ;  and  the  number  of  persons  convinced  of  sin,  and  con- 
verted to  God,  by  his  ministry,  was  astonishing. — August  3,  he  ob- 
serves, "I  corrected  Mr.  Whitefield's  Journal  for  the  press,  my  advice 
to  suppress  it,  being  overruled."  In  the  end  of  this  month  he  went 
to  Oxford,  where  he  saw  and  conversed  with  Mr.  Gambold,  Mr. 
Kinchin,  and  several  others  of  his  old  friends,  who  surprised  him  by 
their  readiness  to  receive  the  doctrine  of  faith. 

The  number  of  persons  who  attended  their  evening  meetings  in 
London,  were  now  much  increased.  September  the  10th,  he  tells  us, 
that,  after  preaching  at  Sir  George  Wheeler's  chapel  in  the  morning, 
and  at  St.  Botolph's  in  the  afternoon,  he  prayed  and  expounded  at 
Sims's  to  above  three  hundred  attentive  hearers.  Saturday,  Septem- 
ber 16th,  in  the  evening,  Mr.  John  Wesley  returned  from  Hernhuth, 
when  he  and  Mr.  Charles  Wesley  took  sweet  counsel  together,  and 
compared  their  experience  in  the  things  of  God.  On  the  22nd.  in 
expounding  the  first  chapter  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Ephesians,  at  Bray's, 
a  dispute  arose,  concerning  absolute  predestination.  This  is  the  first 
time  I  find  any  mention  of  this  mischievous  dispute.  Mr.  Wesley 
says,  "  I  entered  my  protest  against  that  doctrine." 

Mr.  Wesley,  by  the  daily  exercise  of  preaching,  expounding,  ex- 
horting, and  praying  with  the  people,  had  now  acquired  some  degree 
of  boldness  in  public  speaking ;  the  great  and  leading  doctrines  of  the 
gospel  were  become  familiar  to  his  mind,  and  expression  flowed 
natural  and  easy  in  conversing  on  them.  He  preached  at  Islington, 
October  15th,  and  added  to  his  notes,  a  good  deal  extempore.  On 
Friday  the  20th,  seeing  few  people  present,  at  St.  Antholin's,  he 
thought  of  preaching  extempore.  "  I  was  afraid,"  says  he,  "  yet 
ventured,  trusting  in  the  promise,  '  Lo !  I  am  with  you  always.'  I 
spoke  on  justification,  from  the  third  chapter  of  the  Epistle  to  the 
Romans,  for  three  quarters  of  an  hour,  without  hesitation.  Glory  be 
 to  God,  who  keepeth  his  promise  for  ever. 

This  day  he  and  his  brother  Mr.  John  Wesley  waited  on  Dr.  Gib- 
son,^ the  Bishop  of  London,  to  answer  the  complaints  which  he  had 

*  Dr.  Edmund  Gibson,  Bishop  of  London,  was  born  in  Westmoreland  in  1669.  He  ap- 
plied himself  early  and  vigorously  to  learning,  and  displayed  his  knowledge  in  several 
writings,  which  recommended  him  to  the  patronage  of  Archbishop  Tennison,  who  made 
him  his  domestic  chaplain.  Being  now  a  Member  of  Convocation,  he  engaged  in  a  con- 
troversy, in  which  he  defended  his  patron's  rights,  as  president,  in  eleven  pamphlets. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


125 


heard  alleged  against  them,  respecting  their  preaching  an  absohUe  as- 
surance of  salvation.  Some  of  the  bishop's  words  were,  "  If  by  assur- 
ance you  mean,  an  inward  persuasion,  whereby  a  man  is  conscious  in 
himself,  after  examining  his  life  by  the  law  of  God,  and  weighing  his 
own  sincerity,  that  he  is  in  a  state  of  salvation,  and  acceptable  to  God,  I 
do  not  see  how  any  good  Christian  can  be  without  such  an  assurance." 
They  answered,  "  We  do  contend  for  this,  but  we  have  been  charged 
with  Antinomianism,  because  we  preach  justification  by  faith  alone. 
Can  any  one  preach  otherwise,  who  agrees  with  our  Church  in  the 
Scriptures  7  "  Indeed  by  preaching  it  strongly,  and  not  sufficiently  in- 
culcating good  works  as  following  justification,  and  being  the  proper 
evidences  of  it,  some  have  been  made  Antinomians  in  theory  rather 
than  practice;  particularly  in  the  time  of  King  Charles.  "But," 
said  the  bishop,  "  there  is  a  very  heavy  charge  brought  against  us, 
bishops,  in  consequence  of  your  having  re-baptized  an  adult,  and 
alleged  the  archbishop's  authority  for  doing  it."  Mr.  John  Wesley 
answered,  that  he  had  expressly  declared  the  contrary,  and  acquitted 
the  archbishop  from  having  any  hand  in  the  matter ;  but  added,  "  If  a 
person  dissatisfied  with  lay -baptism,  should  desire  Episcopal,  I  should 
think  it  my  duty  to  administer  it,  after  having  acquainted  the  bishop, 
according  to  the  canon."  "  Well,"  said  the  bishop,  "  I  am  against 
it  myself,  when  any  one  has  had  baptism  among  the  Dissenters." — 
The  bishop  here  shows  that  he  possessed  a  candid  and  liberal  mind. 
— Mr.  Charles  Wesley  adds,  "My brother  enquired  whether  his  read- 
ing in  a  religious  society  made  it  a  conventicle?  His  lordship 
warily  referred  us  to  the  laws :  but,  on  urging  the  question,  '  Are 
religious  societies  conventicles?'  he  answered,  'No,  I  think  not: 
however  you  can  read  the  acts  and  laws  as  well  as  I ;  I  determine 
nothing.'    We  hoped  his  lordship  would  not,  henceforward,  receive 

He  aftemards  enlarged  them  on  a  more  comprehensive  plan,  containing  a  view  of  the 
legal  duties  and  rights  of  the  English  clergy,  which  was  published  under  the  title  of  Codex 
Juris  Ecclesiastici  Anglicani,  in  folio.  Archbishop  Tennison  dying  in  1715,  and  Dr.  Wake, 
Bishop  of  Lincoln,  being  made  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  Dr.  Gibson  succeeded  him  as 
Bishop  of  Lincoln  ;  and  in  1720,  was  promoted  to  the  Bishopric  of  London.  He  govern- 
ed his  diocese  with  the  most  exact  care,  but  was  extremely  jealous  of  the  least  privileges 
belonging  to  the  Church.  He  approved  of  the  toleration  of  Protestant  Dissenters,  but 
opposed  all  attempts  to  procure  a  repeal  of  the  Corporation  and  Test  Acts.  His  opposition 
to  those  licentious  assemblies,  called  masquerades,  gave  great  umbrage  at  Court,  and  pre- 
vented further  preferment.  His  pastoral  letters  are  justly  esteemed  masterly  productions. 
Beside  the  Codex  above-mentioned,  he  published,  1.  An  edition  of  Drummond's  Polemo- 
Middiana,  and  James  V.  of  Scotland's  Cantilena  Rustica,  with  notes.  2.  The  Cronicon 
Saxonicum,  with  a  Latin  translation,  and  notes.  3.  Eeliquics  Spelmanniance.  4.  An  edition 
of  Quinti/ian  de  Arte  Orotona,  with  notes.  5.  An  English  translation  of  Camden's  Britan- 
nia, with  additions,  2  vols,  folio.  6.  A  number  of  small  pieces  collected  together  and 
printed  in  3  vols,  folio. — He  died  in  September,  1748.  He  was  a  steady  friend  to  the 
established  Church,  but  a  great  enemy  to  persecution  :  a  great  economist,  but  liberal  and 
beneficent.  Dr.  Crow,  who  had  once  been  his  chaplain,  left  him  two  thousand  five  hun- 
dred pounds  ;  the  whole  of  which,  the  bishop  gave  to  Dr.  Crow's  own  relations  who  were 
very  poor.  He  corresponded  with  Dr.  Watts,  and  expressed  a  friendly  concern  for  the 
interests  of  religion,  among  Dissenters  as  well  as  in  his  own  Church. 


126 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   CHARLES  WESLEY. 


an  accusation  against  a  presbyter,  but  at  the  mouth  of  two  or  three 
witnesses.  He  said,  '  No,  by  no  means ;  and  you  may  have  free  access 
to  me  at  all  times.'    We  thanked  him  and  took  our  leave." 

Tuesday,  November  14th,  Mr.  Charles  AVesley  had  another  con- 
ference with  the  Bishop  of  London,  without  his  brother :  "I  have 
used  your  lordship's  permission,"'  said  he,  "  to  wait  upon  you.  A 
woman  desires  me  to  baptize  her,  not  being  satisfied  with  her  baptism 
by  a  Dissenter.  She  says,  sure  and  unsure  is  not  the  same."  He 
immediately  took  fire,  and  interrupted  me.  "  I  wholly  disapprove  of  it : 
it  is  irregular."  "  My  lord,"  said  Mr.  Wesley,  "I  did  not  expect  your 
approbation ;  1  only  came  in  obedience,  to  give  you  notice  of  my  inten- 
tion." "It  is  irregular;  I  never  receive  any  such  information,  but 
from  the  minister."  '-My  lord,  your  rubric  does  not  so  much  as  require 
the  minister  to  give  you  notice,  but  any  discreet  person.  I  have  the 
minister's  leave."  "  Who  gave  you  authority  to  baptize  ?  "  "  Your 
lordship;^  and  I  shall  exercise  it  in  any  part  of  the  known  world." 

Are  you  a  licensed  curate  ]  "  "I  have  the  leave  of  the  proper  min- 
ister." "  But  do  you  not  know,  that  no  man  can  exercise  parochial 
duty  in  London,  without  my  leave?  It  is  only  sub  silentio.^'  "  But 
you  know,  many  do  take  that  permission  for  authority;  and  you 
yourself  allow  it."  "  It  is  one  thing  to  connive,  and  another  to 
approve;  I  have  poAver  to  inhibit  you."  "  Does  your  lordship  exert 
that  power?  Do  you  now  inhibit  me 7  "  "O  why  will  you  push 
matters  to  an  extreme  ?  I  do  not  inhibit  you."  "  Why  then,  my  lord, 
according  to  your  own  concession,  you  permit  or  authorize  me."  "  I 
have  power  to  punish  and  to  forbear."  "To  punish:  that  seems  to 
imply,  that  I  have  done  something  worthy  of  punishment:  I  should 
be  gad  to  know,  that  I  may  answer.  Does  your  lordship  charge  me 
with  any  crime  ?  "  "  No,  no,  I  charge  you  with  no  crime."  "  Do  you 
then  dispense  with  my  giving  you  notice  of  any  baptisms  in  future  ?  " 
"  I  neither  dispense,  nor  not  dispense." — "  He  censured  Lawrence  on 
lay-baptism  ;  and  blamed  my  brother's  sermon  as  inclining  to  Anti- 
nomianism.  I  charged  Archbishop  Tillotson  with  denying  the  faith  ; 
he  allowed  it,  and  owned  they  ran  into  one  extreme  to  avoid  another." 
He  concluded  the  conference,  with  "Well,  sir,  you  knew  my  judg- 
ment before,  and  you  know  it  now;  good  morrow  to  you." 

November  22d,  Mr.  Wesley  set  out  in  the  coach,  to  visit  his  friends 
at  Oxford.  We  may  observe,  that  he  was  in  the  first  part  of  his 
ministry,  very  much  alone ;  having  preached  the  gospel,  fully,  and 
boldly,  in  many  of  the  churches,  in  Newgate,  and  at  Islington  :  while 
his  brother  was  in  Germany,  and  Mr.  Whitefield  in  America.  He 
had  met  with  little  opposition,  except  from  some  private  friends,  and 
at  Islington;  where  the  polite  part  of  his  congregation,  had  some- 
times shown  a  want  of  regard  to  decency  in  their  behavior,  and 


*  See  above,  page  77. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


127 


many  had  frequently  gone  out  of  the  church.  He  now  clearly  saw, 
that  a  faithful  discharge  of  his  duty,  would  expose  him  to  many 
hardships  and  dangers;  and  though  he  generally  had  great  confi- 
dence in  God,  yet  he  had  also  his  seasons  of  dejection,  when  he  was 
ready  to  sink  under  the  pressure  of  his  difficulties ;  which  made  him 
fully  sensible  of  his  weakness,  and,  that  he  must  be  supported  in  his 
work  by  a  power  not  his  own.  On  the  25th,  at  Oxford,  he  experi- 
enced great  depression  of  mind;  "  I  felt,"  says  he,  "a  pining  desire  ji 
to  die,  forseeing  the  infinite  dangers  and  troubles  of  life."  But  as  he 
was  daily  engaged  in  the  exercise  of  some  part  or  other  of  his  minis- 
terial office,  the  times  of  refreshing,  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord, 
frequently  returned  upon  him;  his  strength  was  renewed,  and  he 
was  again  enabled  to  go  on  his  way  rejoicing. 

Mr.  Whitefield  was  at  this  time,  at  Oxford,  and  was  earnest  with 
Mr.  Wesley  to  accept  a  college  living.  This  gives  pretty  cleai  evi- 
dence that  no  plan  of  itinerant  preaching  was  yet  fixed  on,  nor 
indeed  thought  of:  had  any  such  plan  been  in  agitation  among  them, 
it  is  very  certain  Mr.  Whitefield  would  not  have  urged  this  advice 
on  Mr.  Charles  Wesley,  whom  he  loved  as  a  brother,  and  whose 
labors  he  highly  esteemed. 

December  the  11th,  Mr.  Wesley  left  Oxford,  and  coming  to  Wick- 
ham  in  the  evening,  took  up  his  lodgings  with  a  Mr.  Hollis,  to  whom, 
I  suppose,  he  had  been  recommended.  "  He  entertained  me,"  adds 
Mr.  Wesley,  "with  his  French  prophets,  who  in  his  account,  are 
equal,  if  not  superior,  to  the  prophets  of  the  Old  Testament.  While 
we  were  undressing,  he  fell  into  violent  agitations,  and  gabbled  like 
a  turkey-cock.  I  was  frightened,  and  began  exorcising  him,  with. 
Thou  deaf  and  dumb  devil,  6cc.  He  soon  recovered  from  his  fit  of 
inspiration. — I  prayed  and  went  to  bed,  not  half  liking  rny  bed-fellow: 
nor  did  I  sleep  very  sound  with  satan  so  near  me."  He  escaped, 
however,  without  harm,  and  came  safe  to  London  the  next  day, 
where  he  heard  a  glorious  account  of  the  success  of  the  gospel  at 
Islington,  some  of  the  fiercest  opposers  being  converted. 

January  5th,  1739,  Mr.  Wesley  gives  us  another  convincing  proof, 
that  no  plan  of  becoming  itinerants,  was  yet  formed.  He  says,  "  My 
brother,  Mr.  Seward,  Hall,  Whitefield,  Ingham,  Kinchin,  and  Hutch- 
ins,  all  set  upon  me  to  settle  at  Oxford."  But  he  could  not  agree  to 
their  proposal,  without  being  more  fully  satisfied  that  it  was  the 
order  of  Providence.  This  advice,  however,  and  a  similar  instance 
above-mentioned,  plainly  show,  that  their  views  at  present  extended 
no  further  than  to  preach  the  gospel  in  the  churches,  wherever  they 
had  opportunity. 

About  this  time  some  persons  being  greatly  affected  under  the  pub- 
He  prayers  and  preaching,  fell  into  violent  convulsive  motions,  accom- 
panied with  loud  and  dismal  cries.  This  gave  great  ofience  to  many, 
and  occasioned  disputes.    Mr.  Charles  Wesley  mentions  this  circum- 


128 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


Stance  in  his  Journal  on  the  10th  of  January.  "  At  the  society,'*  says 
he,  "we  had  some  discourse  about  agitations:  no  sign  of  grace,  in 
my  humble  opinion." 

February  21st,  Mr.  Wesley  and  his  brother  thought  it  prudent  to 
wait  on  Dr.  Potter,  then  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  to  prevent  any  ill 
impression  which  the  various  false  reports  of  their  proceedings  might 
produce  on  his  mind.  "  He  showed  us,"  says  Mr.  Wesley,  "  great 
affection ;  spoke  mildly  of  Mr.  Whitefield ;  cautioned  us  to  give  no 
more  umbrage  than  was  necessary  for  our  own  defence :  to  forbear 
exceptionable  phrases ;  to  keep  to  the  doctrines  of  the  Church.  We 
told  him,  we  expected  persecution  would  abide  by  the  Church  till  her 
articles  and  homilies  were  repealed.  He  assured  us,  he  knew  of  no 
design  in  the  governors  of  the  Church,  to  innovate ;  and  neither 
should  their  be  any  innovation  while  he  lived.  He  avowed  justifica- 
tion by  faith  alone ;  and  signified  his  gladness  to  see  us,  as  often  as 
we  pleased." 

"  From  him  we  went  to  the  Bishop  of  London  ;  who  denied  that 
he  had  condemned,  or  even  heard  much  concerning  us.  He  said  Mr. 
Whitefield's  Journal  was  tainted  with  enthusiasm,  though  he  him- 
self was  a  pious  well-meaning  youth.  He  warned  us  against  Anti- 
nomianism,  and  dismissed  us  kindly." 

"March  28th.  We  dissuaded  my  brother  from  going  to  Bristol; 
from  an  unaccountable  fear  that  it  would  prove  fatal  to  him.  He  of- 
fered himself  willingly,  to  whatever  the  Lord  should  appoint.  The 
next  day  he  set  out,=^  recommended  by  us  to  the  grace  of  God.  He 
left  a  blessing  behind  him.    I  desired  to  die  with  him." 

Soon  after  this,  a  Mr.  Shaw  began  to  give  some  disturbance  to 
their  little  society,  by  insisting,  that  there  is  no  priesthood ;  that  is, 
there  is  no  order  of  men  in  the  christian  ministry,  who,  properly 
speaking,  exercise  the  functions  of  a  priest :  that  he  himself  had  as 
good  a  right  to  baptize  and  administer  the  sacrament,  as  any  other 
man.  It  appears  by  his  claiming  a  right  to  baptize,  &c.  that  he  was 
a  layman :  and  it  must  be  acknowledged  by  all  parties,  that  chris- 
tian ministers,  considered  as  an  order  in  the  Church  distinguished  by 
their  oflice  from  other  believers,  are  no  where,  in  the  New  Testament, 
called  priests.  "I  tried  in  vain,"  says  Mr.  Wesley,  "to  check  Mr. 
Shaw  in  his  wild  rambling  talk  against  a  christian  priesthood.  At 
last  I  told  him,  I  would  oppose  him  to  the  utmost,  and  either  he  or 
I,  must  quit  the  society.  In  expounding,  I  warned  them  strongly 
against  schism ;  into  which  Mr.  Shaw's  notions  must  necessarily  lead 
them.  The  society  were  all  for  my  brother's  immediate  return. 
April  19th,  I  found  Mr.  Stonehouse  exactly  right  (that  is,  in  his  no- 
tions on  the  priesthood) ;  warned  Mrs.  Vaughan  and  Brookmans,  against 

*  This  exactly  accords  with  IVIr.  John  Wesley's  printed  Journal.  See  his  Works,  vol. 
xxvii.  page  64. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


129 


Shaw's  pestilent  errors.  I  spoke  strongly  at  the  Savoy  society,  in 
behalf  of  the  Church  of  England." 

April  24thj  Mr.  Whitefield  preached  at  Fetter  Lane  ;  being  returned 
from  Bristol,  where  he  first  preached  in  the  open  air,  and  in  some 
sense  opened  the  way  to  an  itinerant  ministry,  which  was  sure  to 
follow  this  step ;  but  of  which  none  of  them  hitherto,  seem  to  have 
entertained  the  least  conception.  It  seems  that  Howel  Harris  came 
to  London  with  him;  "A  man,"  says  Mr.  Wesley,  "after  my  own 
heart.  Mr.  Whitefield  related  the  dismal  effects  of  Shaw's  doctrine 
at  Oxford.  Both  he  and  Howel  Harris  insisted  on  Shaw's  expulsion 
from  the  society.  April  26th,  Mr.  Whitefield  preached  in  Islington 
church-yard :  the  numerous  audience,  could  not  have  been  more  af- 
fected within  the  walls.  Saturday  the  28th,  he  preached  out  again. 
After  him,  Mr.  Bowers  got  up  to  speak.  I  conjured  him  not :  but  he 
beat  me  down,  and  followed  his  impulse.  I  carried  many  away  with 
me."  This  last  circumstance,  is  the  more  worthy  of  notice,  as  it  is, 
so  far  as  I  can  find,  the  first  instance  of  a  layman  attempting  to 
preach  among  the  Methodists.  It  must  be  observed  however,  that  it 
was  not  with  approbation,  but  by  violence.  He  was  not  discouraged, 
however,  by  this  opposition :  and  it  is  probable,  that,  about  this  time, 
several  other  laymen  began  to  expound  or  preach;  for  on  the  16th 
of  May,  a  dispute  arose  at  the  society  in  Fetter-Lane,  about  lay- 
preaching;  which  certainly  implies  that  some  laymen  had  begun  to 
preach,  and  that  the  practice  was  likely  to  become  more  general.  Mr. 
Wesley  observes,  that  he  and  Mr.  Whitefield  declared  against  it. 

May  25th,  Mr.  Clagget  having  invited  Mr.  Wesley  to  Broadoaks, 
he  went  thither,  and  preached  to  four  or  five  hundred  attentive  hear- 
ers. May  29th,  "  A  farmer,"  says  he,  "  invited  me  to  preach  in  his 
field.  I  did  so,  to  about  five  hundred ;  on,  '  Repent  for  the  kingdom 
of  heaven  is  at  hand.'  On  the  31st,  a  Quaker  sent  me  a  pressing 
invitation  to  preach  at  Thackstead.  I  scrupled  preaching  in  anoth- 
er's parish,  till  I  had  been  refused  the  church.  Many  Quakers,  and 
near  seven  hundred  others,  attended,  while  I  declared  in  the  high- 
ways, the  scripture  hath  concluded  all  under  sin." 

June  the  6th,  Two  or  three  who  had  embraced  the  opinions  of 
Shaw,  declared  themselves  no  longer  members  of  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land. "Now,"  says  Mr.  Wesley,  "am  I  clear  of  them  :  by  renoun- 
cing the  Church,  they  have  discharged  me."  About  this  time  the 
French  Prophets  raised  some  disturbance  in  the  society,  and  gained 
several  proselytes,  who  warmly  defended  them.  June  12th,  two  of 
them  were  present  at  a  meeting,  and  occasioned  much  disputing.  At 
length  Mr.  Wesley  asked,  "Who  is  on  God's  side?  Who  for  the 
old  Prophets,  rather  than  the  new  ?  Let  them  follow  me.  They  fol- 
lowed me  into  the  preaching-room.  I  expounded  the  lesson ;  several 
gave  an  account  of  their  conversion ;  dear  brother  Bowers  confessed 

17 


130 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


his  errors ;  and  we  rejoiced  and  triumphed  in  the  name  of  the  Lord 
our  God." 

June  the  19th,  Mr.  Wesley  was  at  Lambeth,  with  the  archbishop, 
who  treated  him  with  much  severity.  His  Grace  declared  he  would 
not  dispute ;  nor  would  he,  as  yet,  proceed  to  excommunication.  It 
does  not  appear  that  the  archbishop  condemned  the  doctrines  Mr. 
Wesley  preached,  but  the  manner  of  preaching  them  :  it  was  irregu- 
lar, and  this  was  judged  a  cause  sufficient  for  condemning  him.  Reg- 
ularity is  undoubtedly  necessary,  in  the  government  both  of  church 
and  state.  But  when  a  system  of  rules  and  orders  purely  human,  is 
so  established  for  the  government  of  the  Church,  as  to  be  made  per- 
petual, whatever  changes  may  take  place  in  the  state  of  the  people  ; 
it  must,  in  many  cases,  become  injurious  rather  than  useful.  And 
when  conformity  to  such  an  establishment,  is  considered  as  compre- 
hending almost  all  virtue,  and  made  the  only  road  to  favor  and  pre- 
ferment in  the  Church  ;  and  a  deviation  from  it,  is  marked  with  dis- 
grace; it  becomes  an  idol,  at  whose  altar  many  will  be  tempted  to 
sacrifice  their  judgment,  their  conscience,  and  their  usefulness.  Civil 
government  knows  nothing  of  this  perpetual  sameness  of  its  regula- 
tions and  laws,  in  all  circumstances  of  the  people.  And  why  should 
the  Church,  in  regulations  which  are  purely  human,  and  prudential? 
The  end  of  regularity,  or  conformity  to  a  certain  established  order  in 
the  government  of  the  Church,  is,  the  propagation  of  christian  knowl- 
edge, and  the  increase  of  true  religion :  but  if  a  minister  be  so  cir- 
cumstanced, that  regularity  would  obstruct,  rather  than  promote  his 
usefulness  in  these  respects,  irregularity  becomes  his  duty,  and  ought 
not  to  be  condemned  by  others,  when  no  essential  principle  of  religion 
is  violated,  nor  any  serious  inconvenience  follows  from  it.  In  this 
case,  the  end  to  be  attained,  is  infinitely  more  important  than  any 
prudential  rules  to  direct  the  means  of  attaining  it :  which  should 
always  admit  of  such  alterations  as  circumstances  require,  to  pro- 
mote the  end  intended. 

Mr.  Wesley  bore  the  archbishop's  reproof  with  great  firmness, 
while  in  his  presence ;  but  after  leaving  him,  he  fell  into  great  heavi- 
ness, and  for  several  days  suffered  a  severe  inward  conflict.  He  per- 
ceived that  it  arose  from  the  fear  of  man.  Mr.  Whitefield  urged  him 
to  preach  in  the  fields  the  next  Sunday  :  by  this  step  he  would  break 
down  the  bridge,  render  his  retreat  difficult  or  impossible,  and  be 
forced  to  fight  his  way  forward  in  the  work  of  the  ministry.  This 
advice  he  followed.  June  24th,  "I  prayed,"  says  he,  "and  went 
forth,  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ.  I  found  near  a  thousand  helpless 
sinners,  waiting  for  the  word  in  Moorfields.  I  invited  them  in  my 
Master's  words,  as  well  as  name ;  '  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labor  and 
are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest.'  The  Lord  was  with  me, 
even  me.  the  meanest  of  his  messengers,  according  to  his  promise.  At 
St.  Paul's,  the  psalms,  lesson  &c.  for  the  day,  put  new  life  into  me : 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY.  281 

and  so  did  the  sacrament.  My  load  was  gone,  and  all  my  doubts  and 
scruples.  God  shone  on  my  path,  and  I  knew  this  was  his  will  con- 
cerning me.  I  walked  to  Kennington-common,  and  cried  to  multi- 
tudes upon  multitudes,  '  Repent  ye  and  believe  the  gospel.'  The 
Lord  was  my  strength,  and  my  mouth,  and  my  wisdom.  O  that  all 
would  therefore  praise  the  Lord,  for  his  goodness ! " 

June  29th,  He  was  at  Wickham,  in  his  way  to  Oxford.  Here," 
says  he,  I  heard  of  much  disturbance  occasioned  by  Bowers'  preach- 
ing in  the  streets."  Thus  early,  it  appears  that  lay-preaching  had 
commenced,  even  beyond  the  societies  in  London,  though  not  with 
the  consent  of.  any  of  the  clergymen.  The  next  day  he  reached 
Oxford,  and  waited  on  the  Dean,  who  spoke  with  unusual  severity 
against  field-preaching,  and  Mr.  Whitefield,  who  may  be  called  the 
author  or  founder  of  field-preaching ;  it  is  perhaps  on  this  account, 
that  he  has  so  often  been  supposed  to  be  the  founder  of  Methodism. 
July  1st,  he  preached  a  sermon  on  justification,  before  the  university, 
with  great  boldness.  All  were  very  attentive  :  one  could  not  help  weep- 
ing. July  2d,  Mr.  Gambold  came  to  him,  who  had  been  with  the  vice- 
chancellor,  and  well  received.  "  I  waited,"  says  Mr.  Wesley,  "  on 
the  vice-chancellor,  at  his  own  desire.  I  gave  him  a  full  account  of 
the  Methodists,  which  he  approved,  but  objected  to  the  irregularity 
of  doing  good  in  other  men's  parishes.  He  charged  Mr.  Whitefield 
with  breach  of  promise,  appealed  to  the  Dean,  and  appointed  a  second 
meeting  there.  All  were  against  my  sermon,  as  liable  to  be  misunder- 
stood. July  3d,  Mr.  Bowers  had  been  laid  hold  of,  for  preaching  in 
Oxford.  To-day  the  beadle  brought  him  to  me.  I  talked  to  him 
closely ;  he  had  nothing  to  reply,  but  promised  to  do  so  no  more,  and 
thereby  obtained  his  liberty.  At  night  I  had  another  conference  with 
the  Dean,  who  cited  Mr.  Whitefield  to  judgment.^^  I  said,  '  Mr.  Dean, 
he  shall  be  ready  to  answer  the  citation.'  He  used  the  utmost  address 
to  bring  me  ofi"  from  preaching  abroad,  from  expounding  in  houses, 
and  from  singing  psalms.  He  denied  justification  by  faith,  and  all 
vital  religion." 

July  4th,  Mr.  Wesley  returned  to  London.  On  the  8th,  he  preached 
to  near  ten  thousand  hearers,  by  computation,  in  Moorfields,  and  the 
same  day  at  Kennington-common.  His  labors  now  daily  increased 
upon  him ;  and  his  success,  in  bringing  great  numbers  from  darkness 
to  light,  and  in  rousing  the  minds  of  vast  multitudes  to  a  serious 
enquiry  after  religion,  was  beyond  anything  we  can,  at  present,  easily 
conceive.  In  such  circumstances  as  these,  it  is  almost  impossible  for 
a  minister,  to  keep  his  mind  quite  free  from  all  thoughts  of  self-ap- 
plause. He  will  be  led,  at  first  almost  insensibly,  to  think  more 
highly  of  himself  than  he  ought,  to  attribute  some  part  of  his  success 
to  his  own  superior  excellences,  and  to  think  too  meanly  of  others. 
If  his  judgment  be  rightly  informed,  and  his  conscience  tender,  he  is 
shocked  when  he  discovers  these  workings  of  his  mind,  and  endeav- 
*  I  suppose  for  some  breach  of  order. 


IW  THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 

ors  to  suppress  them ;  but  he  soon  finds  that  the  thoughts  and  pro- 
pensities of  his  heart,  are  not  under  the  control  of  his  judgment ; 
they  present  themselves  on  every  occasion  against  his  will,  and  are 
not  a  little  strengthened  by  the  commendations  and  praises  of  those 
who  have  been  benefited  by  him.  The  natural  temper  of  the  mind, 
is  sometimes  so  far  awakened  on  these  occasions,  as  to  produce 
a  severe  inward  conflict,  bring  on  great  distress,  and  make  a  man 
ashamed  of  himself  in  the  presence  of  God.  Mr.  Wesley  felt  the  full 
force  of  the  temptations  which  arose  from  the  success  of  his  ministry. 
July  22d,  he  says,  "  Never,  till  now,  did  I  know  the  strength  of 
temptation  and  energy  of  sin.  Who,  that  consults  oi;ily  the  quiet  of 
his  own  mind,  would  covet  great  success?  I  live  in  a  continual 
storm  ;  my  soul  is  always  in  my  hand ;  the  enemy  thrusts  sore  at 
me  that  I  may  fall,  and  a  worse  enemy  than  the  Devil,  is,  my  own 
heart.  Miror  quemquam  prcedicatorem  salvari.  I  wonder  any  preacher 
of  the  gospel  is  saved.  August  the  7th,  I  preached  repentance  and 
faith  at  Plaistow,  and  at  night  expounded  on  Lazarus  dead  and  raised, 
in  a  private  house.  The  next  day,  called  onThomas  Keen,  a  mild  and 
candid  Quaker.  Preached  at  Marybone. — Too  well  pleased  with  my 
success,  which  brought  upon  me  strong  temptations.  August  10th,  I 
gave  Mr.  Whitefield  some  account  both  of  my  labors  and  conflicts." 

"  Dear  George, 

"  I  forgot  to  mention  the  most  material  occurrence  at  Plaistow; 
namely,  that  a  clergyman  was  there  convinced  of  sin.  He  stood 
under  me.  and  appeared  throughout  my  discourse,  under  the  greatest 
perturbation  of  mind.  In  our  return  we  were  much  delighted  with 
an  old  spiritual  Quaker,  who  is  clear  in  justification.  Friend  Keen 
seems  to  have  experience,  and  is  right  in  the  foundation.  I  cannot 
preach  out  on  the  week  days,  for  the  expense  of  coach-hire :  nor  can 
I  accept  of  dear  Mr.  Steward's  ofljer,  to  which  I  should  be  less  back- 
ward, would  he  follow  my  advice;  but  while  he  is  so  lavish  of  his 
Lord's  goods,  I  cannot  consent  that  his  ruin  should  in  any  degree  seem 
to  be  under  my  hand.  I  am  continually  tempted  to  leave  off"  preaching, 
and  hide  myself  like  J.  Hutchins.  I  should  then  be  free  from  temp- 
tation, and  have  leisure  to  attend  to  my  own  improvement.  God  con- 
tinues to  work  by  me,  but  not  in  me,  that  I  perceive.  Do  not  reckon 
upon  me,  my  brother,  in  the  work  God  is  doing  ;  for  I  cannot  expect 
that  he  should  long  employ  one,  who  is  ever  longing  and  murmur- 
ing to  be  discharged." 

"  To-day,"  says  Mr.  Wesley,  I  took  J.  Bray  to  Mr.  Law,  whore- 
solved  all  his  experience  into  fits,  or  natural  affection  or  fits ;  and 
desired  him  to  take  no  notice  of  his  comforts,  which  he  had  better  be 
without,  than  have.  He  blamed  Mr.  Whitefield' s  Journal  and  way  of 
proceeding ;  said,  he  had  great  hopes  that  the  Methodists  would  have 
been  dispersed  by  little  and  little,  into  livings,  and  have  leavened  the 
whole  lump.    I  told  him  my  experience  :  '  then,'  said  he,  '  I  am  far 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   CHARLES  WESLEY. 


below  you  (if  you  are  right)  not  worthy  to  wipe  your  shoes.*  He 
agreed  to  our  notion  of  faith,  but  would  have  it,  that  all  men  held  it. 
He  was  fully  against  the  laymen's  expounding,  as  the  very  worst 
thing  both  for  themselves  and  others.  I  told  him  he  was  my  school- 
master to  bring  me  to  Christ ;  but  the  reason  why  I  did  not  come 
sooner  to  Christ  was,  I  sought  to  be  sanctified  before  I  was  justified. 
I  disclaimed  all  expectation  of  becoming  some  great  one.  Among 
other  things  he  said,  '  Were  I  so  talked  of,  as  Mr.  Whitefield  is,  I  should 
run  away,  and  hide  myself  entirely.'  I  answered,  '  you  might,  but 
God  would  bring  you  back,  like  Jonah.'  He  told  me,  joy  in  the  Holy 
Ghost  was  the  most  dangerous  thing  God  could  give.  I  replied,  '  but 
cannot  God  guard  his  own  gifts  ?'  He  often  disclaimed  advising  us, 
seeing  we  had  the  Spirit  of  God :  but  mended  on  our  hands,  and  at 
last  came  almost  quite  over  to  us." 

It  is  really  wonderful  that  Mr.  Law  should  talk  in  this  manner ! 
He  who  wrote  the  spirit  of  prayer,  the  spirit  of  love,  and  an  address 
to  the  clergy,  besides  many  other  pieces,  in  which  he  shows,  with 
great  force  of  reasoning,  that  a  person  can  have  no  true  religion, 
without  a  supernatural  influence  of  the  Spirit  of  God  upon  his  mind  ; 
in  which  he  certainly  lays  a  foundation  for  christian  experience. 

August  12th,  He  observes,  I  received  great  power  to  explain  the 
good  Samaritan  :  communicated  at  St.  Paul's,  as  I  do  every  Sunday : 
convinced  multitudes  at  Kennington-common,  from,  *  Such  were  some 
of  you,  but  ye  are  washed,  &c.'  And  before  the  day  was  past,  felt 
my  own  sinfulness  so  great,  that  I  wished  I  had  never  been  born." 

August  13th,  Mr.  Wesley  wrote  to  Mr.  Seward  as  follows.  "  I 
preached  yesterday  to  more  than  ten  thousand  hearers.  I  am  so  buf- 
feted both  before  and  after,  that  were  I  not  forcibly  detained,  I  should 
fly  from  every  human  face.  If  God  does  make  a  way  for  me  to 
escape,  I  shall  not  easily  be  brought  back  again.  I  cannot  love  ad- 
vertising; it  looks  like  sounding  a  trumpet.  I  hope  our  brother 
Hutchins  will  come  forth  at  last,  and  throw  away  my  mantle  of 
reserve,  which  he  seems  to  have  taken  up." 

Mr.  Whitefield  was  now  on  the  point  of  returning  to  America,  and 
on  the  15th  of  August  Mr.  Wesley  wrote  to  him.  "  Let  not  Cossart's 
opinion  of  your  letter  to  the  bishop,  weaken  your  hands.  Ahundans 
cautio  nocet:^  it  is  the  Moravian  infirmity.  To-morrow  I  set 
out  for  Bristol.  I  pray  you  may  all  have  a  good  voyage,  and  that 
many  poor  souls  maybe  added  to  the  church  by  your  ministry,  before 
we  meet  again.    Meet  again  I  am  confident  we  shall,  perhaps  both 

*  Too  much  caution  is  hurtful.  Some  persons  perhaps  may  think,  that  neither  Mr. 
Whitefield,  nor  any  of  them  stood  in  need  of  this  admonition ;  of  this,  however,  we  are  not 
very  proper  judges  at  this  distance  of  time.  It  is  evident  that  on  many  occasions  they  did  ' 
nse  much  caution.  Mr.  Wesley  speaks  as  though  he  had  some  thoughts  of  going  again  to 
America,  and  he  mentions  such  intentions  in  several  places  :  but  they  never  came  to  any- 
thmg  fixed  and  determined. 


12 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   CHARLES  WESLEY. 

here  and  in  America.  The  will  of  the  Lord  be  done,  with  us  and  by 
us,  in  time  and  in  eternity  ! " 


CHAPTER  VI. 


SECTION  V. 

CONTAINING    SOME    ACCOUNT    OF    MR.    CHARLES  WESLEY's    LABORS    AS  AN 
ITINERANT  PREACHER. 

August  16th,  Mr.  Wesley  entered  on  the  itinerant  plan.  He  rode 
to  Wickham,  and  being  denied  the  church,  would  have  preached  in 
a  private  house  ;  but  Mr.  Bowers  having  been  preaching  there  in  the 
streets,  had  raised  great  opposition,  and  effectually  shut  the  door 
against  him.  The  next  day  he  went  to  Oxford,  and  the  day  follow- 
ing reached  Evesham.  After  being  here  two  or  three  days,  he  wrote 
to  his  brother  as  follows. 

"  Dear  Brother, 
"  We  left  the  brethren  at  Oxford  much  edified,  and  two  gowns- 
men thoroughly  awakened.  On  Saturday  afternoon  God  brought  us 
hither,  Mr.  Seward  being  from  home,  there  was  no  admission  for  us, 
his  wife  being  an  opposer,  and  having  refused  to  see  Mr.  Whitefield 
before  me.  At  seven  in  the  evening  Mr.  Seward  found  us  at  the  inn, 
and  took  us  home.  At  eight  I  expounded  in  the  school-room,  which 
holds  about  two  hundred  persons. — On  Sunday  morning  I  preached 
from  George  Whitefield's  pulpit,  the  wall,  on,  "  Repent  ye  and 
believe  the  gospel."  The  notice  being  short,  we  had  only  a  few  hun- 
dreds, but  such  as  those  described  in  the  morning  lesson,  '  These 
were  more  noble  than  those  of  Thessalonica,  in  that  they  received 
the  word  with  all  readiness  of  mind.'  In  the  evening  I  showed,  to 
near  two  thousand  hearers,  their  Saviour  in  the  good  Samaritan. — 
Once  more  God  strengthened  me,  at  nine,  to  open  the  new  covenant, 
at  the  school-house,  which  was  crowded  with  deeply  attentive  sin- 
ners." 

He  goes  on.  "  August  20th,  I  spoke  from  Acts  ii.  37,  to  two  or 
three  hundred  market  people  and  soldiers,  all  as  orderly  and  decent 
as  could  be  desired. — I  now  heard,  that  the  mayor  had  come  down 
on  Sunday,  to  take  a  view  of  us.  Soon  after,  an  officer  struck  a 
countryman  in  the  face,  without  any  provocation.  A  serious  woman 
besought  the  poor  man,  not  to  resist  evil,  as  the  other  only  wanted  to 
make  a  riot.  He  took  patiently  several  repeated  blows,  telling  the 
officer,  he  might  beat  him  as  long  as  he  pleased." 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


**  To-day  Mr.  Seward's  cousin  told  us  of  a  young  lady,  who  was 
here  on  a  visit,  and  had  been  deeply  affected  on  Sunday  night  under 
the  word,  seeing  and  feeling  her  need  of  a  physician,  and  earnestly 
desired  me  to  pray  for  her. — After  dinner  I  spoke  with  her.  She 
burst  into  tears,  and  told  us,  she  had  come  hither  thoughtless,  dead 
in  pleasures  and  sin,  and  fully  resolved  against  ever  being  a  Metho- 
dist. That  she  was  first  alarmed  about  her  own  state,  by  seeing  us 
so  happy  and  full  of  love :  had  gone  to  the  society,  but  was  not 
thoroughly  awakened  to  a  knowledge  of  herself,  till  the  word  came 
home  to  her  soul.  That  all  the  following  night  she  had  been  in  an  * 
agony  and  distress ;  could  not  pray,  could  not  bear  our  singing,  nor 
have  any  rest  in  her  spirit.  We  betook  ourselves  to  prayer  for  her; 
she  received  forgiveness,  and  triumphed  in  the  Lord  her  God." 

jiugust  23d.  "  By  ten  last  night  we  reached  Gloucester,  through 
many  dangers  and  difficulties.  In  mounting  my  horse  I  fell  over 
him,  and  sprained  my  hand  :  riding  in  the  dark  I  bruised  my  foot: 
we  lost  our  way  as  often  as  we  could  :  there  were  only  two  horses 
between  three  of  us :  when  we  had  got  to  Gloucester,  we  were  turn- 
ed back  from  a  friend's  house,  on  account  of  his  wife's  sickness:  and 
my  voice  and  strength  were  quite  gone.  To-day  they  are  hi  some 
measure  restored.  At  night  I  with  difficulty  got  into  the  crowded 
society,  where  I  preached  the  law  and  the  gospel,  which  they  receiv- 
ed with  all  readiness.  Three  clergymen  were  present.  Some  without, 
attempted  to  make  a  disturbance,  but  in  vain." 

August  25th.  Before  I  went  into  the  streets  and  highways,  I 
sent,  according  to  my  custom,  to  borrow  the  use  of  the  church.  The 
minister,  being  one  of  the  better  disposed,  sent  back  a  civil  message, 
that  he  would  be  glad  to  drink  a  glass  of  wine  with  me,  but  durst 
not  lend  me  his  pulpit  for  fifty  guineas.  Mr.  Whitefield^  however, 
durst  lend  me  his  field,  which  did  just  as  well.  For  near  an  hour  and 
half,  God  gave  me  voice  and  strength  to  exhort  about  two  thousand 
sinners,  to  repent  and  believe  the  gospel. — Being  invited  to  Pains- 
wick,  I  waited  upon  the  Lord,  and  renewed  my  strength.  We  found 
near  a  thousand  persons  gathered  in  the  street.  I  discoursed  from, 
God  was  in  Christ,  reconciling  the  world  unto  himself.  I  besought 
them  earnestly  to  be  reconciled,  and  the  rebels  seemed  inclined  to  lay 
down  their  arms.    A  young  Presbyterian  teacher  cleaved  to  us." 

On  returning  to  Gloucester,  Mr.  Wesley  received  an  invitation 
from  F.  Drummond ;  he  dined  with  her,  and  several  of  the  Friends ; 
particularly  he  mentions  "  Josiah  Martin,  a  spiritual  man,"  says  he, 

as  far  as  I  can  discern.  My  heart  was  enlarged,  and  knit  to  them 
in  love." — Going  in  the  evening,  to  preach  in  the  field,  Mrs.  Kirk- 
man,  an  old  and  intimate  acquaintance,  whose  son  had  been  with 
him  and  his  brother  at  Oxford,  put  herself  in  his  way;  and 

*  I  suppose  a  brother  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  George  Whitefield. 


136 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   CHARLES  WESLEY. 


addressed  him,  with,  "  What,  Mr.  Wesley,  is  it  you  I  see  !  is  it  pos- 
sible that  you,  who  can  preach  at  Christ-church,  St.  Mary's,  (fcc. 
should  come  hither  after  a  mob  !"  He  gave  her  a  short  answer,  and 
went  to  his  mob ;  or  to  put  it  in  the  phrase  of  the  Pharisees,  to  this 
people,  which  is  accursed.  Thousands  heard  him  gladly,  while  he 
explained  the  blessings  and  privileges  of  the  gospel,  and  exhorted  all 
to  come  to  Christ  as  lost  sinners  that  they  might  enjoy  them.  I  can- 
not but  observe  here,  that  the  more  ignorant  and  wicked  the  common 
people  were  at  this  time,  the  greater  was  the  charity  and  kindness  of 
those  who  endeavored  to  instruct  them  in  their  duty  to  God  and 
man,  and  by  this  means  reform  their  manners.  The  reader  will 
easily  perceive,  that  it  required  no  small  degree  of  resolution,  to 
expose  himself  to  the  ignorant  rudeness  of  the  lowest  of  the  people, 
to  the  contemptuous  sneers  of  those  of  respectability  and  influence, 
and  to  the  severe  censures  of  his  particular  friends.  Yet  this,  both 
he,  his  brother,  and  Mr.  Whitefield  did,  in  adopting  the  plan  of 
itinerant  preaching.  It  is  almost  impossible  to  imagine,  that  in  their 
circumstances,  they  could  act  from  any  other  motive,  than  a  pure 
desire  of  doing  good.  Travelling  from  place  to  place,  and  every 
where  preaching  in  the  open  air,  was  a  plan  of  proceeding  well 
adapted  to  difl'use  knowledge  among  the  common  people,  and  to 
awaken  a  concern  for  religion.  But  it  was  extraordinary  and  new ; 
and  the  novelty  of  it  would  naturally  engage  the  attention  of  the 
public  so  much,  that  few  persons  would,  at  first,  form  a  true  judg- 
ment of  its  importance,  and  the  difficulties  and  hardships  attending 
it.  Had  these  two  points  been  considered  and  rightly  understood,  I 
am  persuaded  that  neither  Mr.  Charles  Wesley,  nor  his  brother,  nor 
Mr.  Whitefield,  would  have  been  blamed  for  adopting  the  plan  of 
itinerancy,  and  preaching  in  the  open  air;  on  the  contrary  they 
would  have  been  commended  by  every  person  of  a  liberal  mind.  At 
present,  I  shall  only  hint  at  one  or  two  particulars,  to  show  the  impor- 
tance of  their  proceedings,  and  the  hardships  they  had  to  encounter. 
The  laboring  poor  are  the  most  numerous  class  of  people  in  every 
country.  They  are  not  less  necessary  to  the  happiness  and  pros- 
perity of  a  nation,  than  the  higher  orders  of  society.  At  the  period 
of  which  I  am  now  speaking,  their  education  was  almost  wholly 
neglected;  and  as  they  advanced  in  years,  they  had  fewer  opportu- 
nities of  instruction  and  less  capacity  for  it,  than  those  who  had 
received  a  better  education,  and  had  more  leisure.  The  public  dis- 
courses of  the  regular  clergy,  had  little  or  no  influence  upon  this 
class  of  people ;  as  many  of  them  never  went  to  church,  and  most 
of  those  who  did,  neither  understood,  nor  felt  themselves  interested, 
in  what  the  preachers  delivered  from  the  pulpit.  Darkness  covered 
the  earth,  and  gross  darkness  the  people.  Nor  was  there  any  pros- 
pect of  doing  them  good,  except  by  some  extraordinary  method  of 
proceeding,  as  their  ignorance  and  vicious  habits,  placed  them  beyond 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   CHARLES  WESLEY. 


137 


the  reach  of  any  salutary  influence  from  the  ordinary  means  of 
improvement  appointed  by  government.  But  it  certainly  is  a  matter 
of  national  importance,  that  so  large  a  body  of  people  as  the  labor- 
ing poor,  should  be  instructed  in  the  principles  of  religion,  and  have 
the  way  to  happiness,  both  here  and  hereafter,  pointed  out  to  them, 
in  such  a  manner  as  to  engage  their  attention,  and  inform  their 
understandings.  A  true  knowledge  of  religion  enlarges  and  strength- 
ens the  faculties  of  their  minds,  and  prepares  them  for  a  due  per- 
formance of  every  duty  religious  and  civil.  It  opens  to  their  view 
sources  of  happiness  unknown  to  them  before ;  it  teaches  them 
to  form  a  true  estimate  of  their  privileges  and  blessings  temporal  and 
spiritual ;  to  view  affliction,  not  as  peculiar  to  their  situation,  but  as 
infinitely  diversified,  and  distributed  for  wise  purposes,  through  all 
the  orders  of  society ;  thus  it  leads  them  on  to  contentment  and  hap- 
piness in  their  humble  situations,  and  disposes  them  to  industry  and 
peace,  by  which  they  largely  contribute  to  the  prosperity  and  happi- 
ness of  the  nation.  Viewing  the  effects  of  itinerant  preaching  in  this 
point  of  light,  we  see  its  importance,  and  must  acknowledge  that  the 
authors  of  it  deserve  great  praise ;  especially  as  they  introduced  it 
by  their  own  example,  under  many  difficulties  and  hardships.  Their 
prospects  in  life,  from  their  learning,  their  abilities,  and  their  rank  in 
society,  were  all  sacrificed  to  the  plan  of  itinerancy.  In  all  human 
appearance,  they  had  every  thing  to  lose  by  it;  reputation,  health, 
and  the  esteem  of  their  friends ;  and  nothing  in  this  world  to  gain, 
but  great  bodily  fatigue,  ill  usage  from  the  mob,  and  general  contempt. 
As  only  three  persons  united  together  at  first  in  the  plan  of  itinerancy, 
they  could  not  expect  to  form  any  extensive  or  very  permanent 
establishment.  It  was  impossible  to  conceive  that  the  seed  they  were 
sowing,  would  produce  so  plentiful  a  crop  of  lay-preachers  as  we 
have  seen  spring  up  from  it,  without  whom  the  work  must  have  been 
very  limited  indeed.  But  it  is  very  evident  that  these  three  servants 
of  God,  did  not  look  forward  to  any  very  distant  consequences  of 
their  present  proceedings ;  they  contented  themselves  with  perform- 
ing a  present  duty,  and  doing  as  much  good  as  possible  in  the  way 
which  opened  before  them,  committing  themselves  and  their  work  to 
God,  who  has  taken  good  care  of  them. 

Mr.  Wesley  pursued  his  plan,  and  on  the  26th  of  August  was  at 
Painswick.  The  minister  was  so  obliging  as  to  lend  him  his  pulpit. 
But  the  church  would  not  hold  the  people;  it  was  supposed  there 
were  two  thousand  persons  in  the  church-yard.  Mr.  Wesley  stood 
at  a  window  which  was  taken  down,  and  preached  to  the  congre- 
gation within  the  walls,  and  without.  They  listened  with  eager  at- 
tention, while  he  explained,  "God  so  loved  the  world  that  he  gave 
his  only  begotten  Son,"  <fcc. 

In  the  afternoon,"  says  he,  ''I  preached  again  to  a  Kennington 
congregation.    It  was  the  most  beautiful  sight  I  ever  beheld.  The 
12*  18 


138 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   CHARLES  WESLEY. 


people  filled  the  gradually  rising  area,  which  was  shut  up  on  three 
sides  by  a  vast  hill.  On  the  top  and  bottom  of  this  hill,  was  a  great 
row  of  trees.  In  this  amphitheatre  the  people  stood  deeply  attentive, 
while  I  called  upon  them  in  Christ's  words,  '  Come  unto  me  all  ye 
that  labor  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest.'  The  tears 
of  many  testified,  that  they  were  ready  to  enter  into  that  rest.  It  was 
with  difficulty  we  made  our  way  through  this  most  loving  people,  and 
returned  amidst  their  prayers  and  blessings  to  Ebly,  where  I  expounded 
the  second  lesson  for  two  hours." 

A  good  old  Baptist  had  invited  Mr.  Wesley  to  preach  at  Stanley, 
in  his  way  to  Bristol.  Accordingly,  on  the  27th,  he  rode  thither 
through  the  rain,  and  preached  to  about  a  thousand  attentive  hearers  ; 
they  were  so  much  afi"ected  by  the  sermon,  that  he  appointed  them  to 
meet  him  again  in  the  evening.  I  mention  with  pleasure,  these  in- 
stances of  persons  among  the  Friends,  the  Presbyterians,  and  the 
Baptists,  who  showed  a  friendly  disposition  to  Mr.  Wesley,  and 
countenanced  his  proceedings.  Their  conduct  discovers  a  stronger 
attachment  to  the  essential  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  than  to  the 
peculiarities  of  opinion  and  modes  of  worship,  in  which  they  differed 
from  him  and  from  one  another;  and  marks  a  liberality  of  sentiment, 
which  reflects  honor  on  the  different  denominations  of  Christians  to 
which  they  belonged. 

He  returned  to  Mr.  Ellis's  at  Ebly.  This  was  a  most  agreeable 
family;  every  one  having  received  the  faith,  except  one  young  man 
who  still  remained  an  abandoned  sinner.  His  mother  mourned  and 
lamented  over  him,  with  parental  affection  and  religious  concern. 
Mr.  Oakley,  who  travelled  with  Mr.  Wesley,  now  informed  him  that 
he  had  been  able  to  fasten  some  degree  of  conviction  of  sin  on  the 
young  man's  mind.  His  convictions  and  seriousness  were  increased 
by  Mr.  Wesley's  sermon.  By  persevering  prayer  he  was  brought  to 
the  knowledge  of  God,  and  received  peace  and  joy  in  believing.  Mr. 
Wesley  adds,  "  Sing  ye  heavens  for  the  Lord  hath  done  it ;  shout  ye 
lower  parts  of  the  earth  !  In  the  morning  I  had  told  his  mother  the 
story  of  St.  Austin's  conversion  :  now  I  carried  her  ihe  joyful  news, 
'This  thy  son  was  dead  and  is  alive  again;  he  was  lost  and  is 
found.' '' 

He  arrived  in  Bristol,  August  28th ;  and  his  brother  having  set  out 
for  London,  on  the  31st  he  entered  on  his  ministry  at  Weaver's  Hall. 
"I  began,"  says  he,  " by  expounding  Isaiah  with  great  freedom. 
They  were  melted  into  tears  all  around;  and  again  when  the  bands 
met  to  keep  the  Church-fast.  We  were  all  of  one  heart  and  of  one. 
mind.  I  forgot  the  contradiction  wherewith  they  grieved  my  soul  in 
London,  and  could  not  forbear  saying,  '  It  is  good  for  me  to  be  here.'  " 

The  places  where  Mr.  Wesley  had  now  to  preach,  in  Bristol,  Kings- 
wood,  and  the  neighborhood,  were  numerous ;  and  he  seldom  passed 
a  day  without  preaching  or  expounding,  two  or  three  times.    The  con- 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


139 


gregations  were  large,  and  his  word  was  with  power ;  so  that  many 
testified  daily,  that  the  gospel  is  the  power  of  God  to  salvation  to  all 
who  bcheve.  September  the  4th,  he  preached  in  Kingsvvood  to  some 
thousands,  colliers  chiefly,  and  held  out  the  promises  from  Isaiah 
XXXV  ;  "  The  wilderness  and  the  solitary  place  shall  be  glad  for  them  ; 
and  the  desert  shall  rejoice  and  blossom  as  the  rose."  He  adds,  "I 
triumphed  in  the  mercy  of  God  to  these  poor  outcasts,  (for  he  hath 
called  them  a  people  who  were  not  a  people)  and  in  the  accomplish- 
ment of  that  scripture,  '  Then  the  eyes  of  the  blind  shall  be  opened, 
and  the  ears  of  the  deaf  shall  be  unstopped  ;  then  shall  the  lame  man 
leap  as  an  hart,  and  the  tongue  of  the  dumb  sing:  for  in  the  wilder- 
ness shall  waters  break  out,  and  streams  in  the  desert.'  How  gladly 
do  the  poor  receive  the  gospel !    We  hardly  knew  how  to  part." 

September  5th.  "  I  was  much  discouraged  by  a  discovery  of  the 
disorderly  walking  of  some,  who  have  given  the  adversary  oc- 
casion to  blaspheme.  I  am  a  poor  creature  upon  such  occasions, 
being  soon  cast  down.  Yet  I  went  and  talked  to  them,  and  God  filled 
me  with  such  love  to  their  souls  as  I  have  not  known  before.  They 
could  not  stand  before  it.  I  joined  with  Oakley  and  Cennick  in  prayer 
for  them.  M.  trembled  exceedingly  :  the  others  gave  us  great  cause 
to  hope  for  their  recovery." 

"  September  the  7th,  at  Weaver's  Hall,  I  expounded  the  third  chap- 
ter of  Isaiah,  where  the  prophet  alike  condemns  notorious  profligates, 
worldly-minded  men,  and  well-dressed  ladies."  By  well-dressed 
ladies,  Mr.  Wesley  certainly  meant  much  more  than  the  phrase  im- 
ports. He  doubtless  had  in  view,  a  fanciful,  useless,  expensive 
conformity  to  the  changeable  modes  of  dress ;  which  is  unbecoming, 
if  not  criminal,  in  a  person  professing  godliness.  The  prophet  is  there 
speaking  of  ladies  of  the  first  rank  in  the  kingdom ;  he  mentions 
paint,  a  variety  of  useless  ornaments,  and  a  mode  of  dress  hardly  con- 
sistent with  modesty.=^  What  added  to  their  guilt  was,  that,  while  thy 
were  adorning  themselves  in  every  fanciful  and  wanton  method  they 
could  invent,  the  poor  of  the  land  were  oppressed  beyond  measure ; 
and  God  denounces  heavy  judgments  against  them  for  their  oppres- 
sion and  wantonness.  It  has  often  been  said,  by  persons  too  fond  of 
dress,  that  religion  does  not  consist  in  the  peculiar  shape  or  cut  of 
our  clothes.  This  undoubtedly  is  true.  But  when  the  mode  of  dress 
is  voluntary,  and  regulated  purely  by  choice,  it  is  a  picture,  which 
gives  a  visible  representation  of  the  temper  and  disposition  of  the 
mind.  The  choice  of  our  dress,  like  the  choice  of  our  amusements  or 
companions,  discovers  what  kind  of  objects  are  most  pleasing  and 
gratifying  to  us.  The  case  is  very  diflferent  where  the  mode  of  dress 
is  characteristic  of  a  profession,  or  where  a  woman  is  under  the  con- 
trol of  her  husband. 

September  11th.  He  rode  with  two  friends  to  Bradford,  near  Bath, 

*  See  Bishop  Lowth,  on  the  third  chapter  of  Isaiah. 


•MO  THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 

and  preached  to  about  a  thousand  persons  who  seemed  deeply  affected. 
On  the  15th  he  says,  "  Having  been  provoked  to  speak  unadvisedly 
with  my  lips,  I  preached  on  the  Bowling-green  in  great  weakness,  on. 
*  Lazarus,  come  forth  ! '  I  was  surprised  that  any  good  should  be 
done.  But  God  quickens  others  by  those  who  are  dead  themselves. 
A  man  came  to  me  and  declared  he  had  now  received  the  spirit  of 
life ;  and  so  did  a  woman  at  the  same  time,  which  she  openly  de- 
clared at  Weaver's  Hall.  We  had  great  power  among  us  while  I 
displayed  the  believer's  privileges  from  the  eighth  chapter  of  the 
Epistle  to  the  Romans.  On  the  16th,  I  met  between  thirty  and  forty 
colliers,  with  their  wives,  at  Mr.  Willis's,  and  administered  the  sacra- 
ment to  them ;  but  found  no  comfort  myself,  in  that  or  any  other 
ordinance.  I  always  find  strength  for  the  work  of  the  ministry  ;  but 
when  my  work  is  over,  my  bodily  and  spiritual  strength  both  leave 
me.  I  can  pray  for  others,  not  for  myself.  God,  by  me,  strengthens 
the  weak  hands,  and  confirms  the  feeble  knees  ;  yet  am  I  as  a  man 
in  whom  is  no  strength.  I  am  weary  and  faint  in  my  mind,  contin- 
ually longing  to  be  discharged." — Soon  after,  however,  he  found  power 
to  pray  for  himself,  and  confessed  it  was  good  for  him  to  be  in  desertion. 
He  was  greatly  strengthened  and  comforted  by  opening  his  Bible  on 
Isaiah  liv.  7,  8.  "For  a  small  moment  have  I  forsaken  thee;  but 
with  great  mercies  will  I  gather  thee.  In  a  little  wrath  I  hid  my  face 
from  thee  for  a  moment ;  but  with  everlasting  kindness  will  I  have 
mercy  on  thee,  saith  the  Lord  thy  Redeemer." 

Many  persons  now  came  to  him  for  advice  daily,  who  had  been, 
either  awakened  or  justified  under  his  ministry.  This  greatly  in- 
creased his  labor,  but  it  strengthened  his  hands  for  the  Avcrk  in  which 
he  was  engaged.  September  25th.  He  preached  again  at  Bradford, 
to  about  two  thousand  hearers.  "I  described,"  says  he,  "  their  state 
by  nature  and  grace.  I  did  not  spare  those  who  were  whole,  and 
had  no  need  of  a  physician.  They  bore  it  surprisingly.  I  received 
invitations  to  several  neighboring  towns.  May  I  never  run  before 
God's  call,  nor  stay  one  moment  after  it.  We  baited  at  a  good  Dis- 
senter's near  Bath,  who  seems  to  have  the  root  of  the  matter  in  him." 
The  next  day,  two  persons  came  to  him  who  had  been  clearly  con- 
vinced of  sin,  and  received  peace  and  joy  in  believing ;  but  they  had 
never  been  baptized.  On  this  occasion  Mr.  W^esley  observes,  "  I  now 
require  no  further  proof,  that  one  may  be  an  inward  Christian  without 
baptism.    They  are  both  desirous  of  it;  and  who  can  forbid  water?  " 

"  Sarah  Pearce  declares,  that  she  first  received  comfort  on  hearing 
me  explain  the  fifth  chapter  of  the  Romans.  She  had  the  witness  of 
her  own  spirit,  or  conscience,  that  all  the  marks  I  mentioned  were  upon 
her ;  and  the  Spirit  of  God,  with  his  testimony,  put  it  beyond  the  pos- 
sibility of  a  doubt.  Some  of  her  words  were ;  '  I  was  extremely 
bigoted  against  my  brethren  the  Dissenters,  but  am  now  enlarged 
towards  them  and  all  mankind,  in  an  inexpressible  manner.    I  do  not 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   CHARLES  WESLEY. 


141 


depend  upon  a  start  of  comfort ;  but  find  it  increase  ever  since  it  be- 
gan. I  perceive  a  great  change  in  myself;  and  expect  a  greater.  I 
feel  a  divine  attraction  in  my  soul  to  heavenly  things.  I  was  once  so 
afraid  of  death  that  I  durst  not  sleep,  but  now  I  do  not  fear  it  at  all. 
I  desire  nothing  on  earth ;  I  fear  nothing,  but  sin.  God  suffers  me  to 
be  strongly  tempted ;  but  I  know,  where  he  gives  faith  he  will  try  it.' 
See  here  the  true  assurance  of  faith  !  How  consistent!  An  humble, 
not  doubting  faith  ;  a  filial,  not  servile  fear  of  oflending.  I  desire  not 
such  an  assurance  as  blots  out  these  scriptures,  '  Be  not  high-minded, 
but  fear:'  'work  out  your  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling,' &c. 
God  keep  me  in  constant  fear,  lest  that  by  any  means,  when  I  have 
preached  to  others,  I  myself  should  be  a  cast-away." 

"  I  spoke  plainly  to  the  women  bands,  of  their  unadvisedness,  their 
want  of  love,  and  not  bearing  one  another's  burdens.  We  found  an 
immediate  effect.  Some  were  convinced  they  had  thought  too  highly 
of  themselves ;  and  that  their  first  love,  like  their  first  joy,  was  only 
a  foretaste  of  that  temper  which  continually  rules  in  a  new  heart." 

Though  there  had  been  no  riots,  nor  any  open  persecution  of  the 
Methodists  in  Bristol ;  yet  many  individuals,  who  became  serious  and 
changed  the  whole  course  of  their  lives,  suffered  considerably.  This 
was  partly  occasioned  by  the  inflammatory  discourses  of  some  of  the 
clergy,  who  represented  them  as  Papists,  Jesuits,  friends  of  the  Pre- 
tender, &c.  On  this  subject,  Mr.  Wesley  makes  the  following  obser- 
vations. "  Christianity  flourishes  under  the  cross.  None  who  follow 
Christ  are  without  that  badge  of  discipleship.  Wives  and  children 
are  beaten  and  turned  out  of  doors ;  and  the  persecutors  are  the  com- 
plainers.  It  is  always  the  lamb  that  troubles  the  waters.  Every 
Sunday,  damnation  is  denounced  against  all  who  hear  us :  for  we  are 
'  Papists,  Jesuits,  seducers,  and  bringers-in  of  the  Pretender.'  The 
clergy  murmur  aloud  at  the  number  of  communicants,  and  threaten 
to  repel  them.  Yet  will  not  the  world  bear  that  we  should  talk  of 
persecution  :  no,  for  '  the  world  now  is  christian !  and  the  offence  of 
the  cross  has  ceased.'  Alas!  what  would  they  do  further?  Some 
lose  their  bread ;  some  their  habitations :  One  suffers  stripes,  another 
confinement ;  yet  we  must  not  call  this  persecution.  Doubtless  they 
will  find  some  other  name  for  it,  when  they  shall  think  they  do  God 
service  by  killing  us." 

October  8th.  He  preached  at  the  brick-yard.  A  Mr.  Williams, 
from  Kidderminster,  who  had  written  to  Mr.  Wesley  some  time  be- 
fore to  go  down  thither,  was  present,  and  much  edified  and  strength- 
ened by  the  sermon.  "I  know  not,"  says  Mr.  Wesley,  "of  what 
denomination  he  is,  nor  is  it  material;  for  he  has  the  mind  which 
was  in  Christ." 

Mr.  Wesley's  sermon,  when  last  at  Bradford,  had  been  misunder- 
stood or  misrepresented.  It  was  reported  that  he  was  a  high  Calvin- 
ist,  and  great  pains  had  been  taken  to  represent  him  as  such.  His 


142 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   CHARLES  WESLEY. 


brother  Mr.  John  Wesley,  coming  to  Bristol  this  evening,  it  was  the 
opinion  of  both  that  he  ought  to  preach  again  at  Bradford,  and  de- 
clare his  sentiments  openly  on  this  point.  The  next  day.  October  the 
9th,  ^  they  went  to  Bradford,  where  Mr.  Charles  Wesley  preached  to 
a  congregation  of  about  two  thousand  people.  Mr.  John  Wesley 
prayed  first,  when  Mr.  Charles  began  abruptly,  If  God  be  for  us, 
who  can  be  against  us  ?  He  that  spared  not  his  own  Son,  but  deliv- 
ered him  up  for  us  all,  how  shall  he  not  with  him  also  freely  give  us 
all  things."  He  spake  with  great  boldness  and  freedom  for  an  hour 
and  a  half,  holding  forth  Christ  a  Saviour  for  all  men.  He  flattered 
himself  that  he  had  done  so  much  injury  to  satan's  kingdom,  by 
beating  down  sin,  that  he  says,  "I  believe  he  will  no  more  slander 
me  with  being  a  Predestinarian"  in  the  modern  notion  of  that  word. 

October  11th.  He  preached  for  the  first  time  in  the  open  air  by 
night,  in  a  yard  belonging  to  a  widow  Jones.  He  observes,  "  The 
yard  contained  about  four  hundred  persons ;  the  house  was  likewise 
full.  Great  power  was  in  the  midst  of  us.  Satan  blasphemed  with- 
out, but  durst  not  venture  his  children  too  near  the  gospel,  when  I 
offered  Christ  Jesus  to  them.  The  enemy  hurried  them  away,  and 
all  we  could  do,  was  to  pray  for  them." 

"October  15th.  I  waited,  with  my  brother,  on  a  minister  about 
baptizing  some  of  his  parishioners.  He  complained  heavily  of  the 
multitudes  of  our  communicants,  and  produced  the  canon  against 
strangers.  He  could  not  admit  as  a  reason  for  their  coming  to  his 
church,  that  they  had  no  sacrament  at  their  own.  I  offered  my  assis- 
tance to  lesson  his  trouble,  but  he  declined  it.  He  told  us  there  were 
hundreds  of  new  communicants  last  Sunday.  We  bless  God  for  this 
cause  of  offence,  and  pray  it  may  never  be  removed." 

"  October  19th.  I  read  part  of  Mr.  Law  on  regeneration  to  our  so- 
ciety. How  promising  the  beginning,  and  how  lame  the  conclusion ! 
Christianity,  he  rightly  tells  us,  is  a  recovery  of  the  Divine  image ; 
and  a  Christian  is,  a  fallen  spirit  restored,  and  re-instated  in  paradise ; 
a  living  mirror  of  Father,  Son  and  Holy  Ghost.  After  this  he  sup- 
poses it  possible  for  him  to  be  insensible  of  such  a  change :  to  be  hap- 
py and  holy,  translated  into  Eden,  renewed  in  the  likeness  of  God, 
and  not  to  know  it.  Nay  we  are  not  to  expect,  nor  bid  others  expect 
any  such  consciousness,  if  we  listen  to  him.  What  wretched  incon- 
sistency !  " 

When  Mr.  Wesley  baptized  adults,  professing  faith  in  Christ,  he 
chose  to  do  it  by  trine  immersion,  if  the  persons  would  submit  to  it ; 
judging  this  to  be  the  apostolic  method  of  baptizing.  October  26th, 
He  says,  "I  baptized  Mr.  Wigginton  in  the  river,  by  Baptist-mills, 
and  went  on  my  way  rejoicing  to  French-Hay.  October  27th,  I  took 
occasion  to  show  the  degeneracy  of  our  modem  Pharisees.  Their 

*  See  ihe  agreement  between  this  account  and  Mr.  John  "Wesley's  printed  Journal  in 
his  Works,  vol.  xxvii.  page  142. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


IIS 


predecessors  fasted  twice  a  week ;  but  they  maintain  their  (Character 
for  hoUness  at  a  cheaper  rate.  In  reverence  for  the  Church,  some 
keep  their  pubhc  day  on  Friday :  none  regard  it,  though  enjoined  as 
a  fast.  Their  neglect  is  equally  notorious  in  regard  to  prayer  and  the 
sacrament.  And  yet  these,  men  cry  out,  '  The  Church,  the  Church  ! ' 
when  they  themselves  will  not  hear  the  Church;  but  despise  her  au- 
thority, trample  upon  her  orders,  teach  contrary  to  her  articles  and 
homilies,  and  break  her  canons,  even  every  man  of  those,  who  of 
late  pretend  to  enforce  their  observance." 

"  October  13th,  I  wrote  to  the  Bishop  of  Bristol,  as  follows: 

"  My  Lord, 

"  Several  persons  have  applied  to  me  for  baptism. It  has  pleased 
God  to  make  me  instrumental  in  their  conversion.  This  has  given 
them  such  a  prejudice  for  me,  that  they  desire  to  be  received  into  the 
Church  by  my  ministry.  They  choose  likewise  to  be  baptized  by 
immersion,  and  have  engaged  me  to  give  your  lordship  notice,  as  the 
Church  requires." 

''November  2.  I  received  a  summons  from  Oxford,  to  respond  in 
divinity  disputations ;  which,  together  with  other  concurrent  provi- 
dences, is  a  plain  call  to  that  place." 

On  the  6th,  Mr.  Wesley's  Journal  breaks  off,  and  does  not  com- 
mence again  till  March  14th,  1740.  Mr.  John  Wesley  informs  us, 
that  he  and  his  brother  left  Oxford  on  the  15th  of  November,  and 
taking  Bristol  in  their  way,  they  arrived  at  Tiverton  on  the  21st,  a  few 
days  after  the  funeral  of  their  brother  Samuel.  Having  preached  at 
Exeter  during  their  short  stay  in  these  parts,  they  returned  to  Bristol 
on  the  28th  of  the  same  month. 

March  14th,  1740,  Mr.  Wesley  came  to  Gloucester,  in  company 
with  Thomas  Maxfield,  who  travelled  with  him  most  part  of  this  year. 
The  next  day  he  went  to  Bengeworth,  in  hopes  of  seeing  his  old 
friend,  Mr.  Benjamin  Seward.  But  here  he  met  with  a  disappoint- 
ment, which  he  did  not  expect.  Mr.  Seward  had  been  ill  of  a  fever. 
His  relations  taking  advantage  of  his  situation  had  intercepted  all  his 
letters :  they  called  his  fever  madness ;  and  now,  when  he  was 
recovering,  placed  his  servants  over  him  as  spies,  to  prevent  any 
Methodist  from  coming  to  him.  His  brother,  Mr.  Henry,  came  to  Mr. 
Wesley  and  gave  him  plenty  of  abuse,  calling  him  scoundrel,  rascal, 
pick-pocket,  6lc.  Mr.  Wesley  made  little  reply,  but  ordered  notice 
to  be  given  that  he  would  preach  next  day.  March  16th,  at  the 
usual  place,  which  was  near  Mr.  Seward's  house.  Mr.  Henry  came 
to  him  to  dissuade  him  from  attempting  it,  telling  him  that  four  con- 
stables were  ordered  to  apprehend  him  if  he  came  near  his  brother's 
wall.  Mr.  Wesley  however  was  not  to  be  deterred  from  his  purpose 
by  such  threateningSj  and  when  the  time  of  preaching  drew  near, 


*  He  mentioned  the  names  of  seven  persons. 


144 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   CHARLES  WESLEY. 


walked  forward  towards  the  place.  In  his  way  thither,  a  mayor's 
officer  met  him,  and  desired  he  would  go  with  him  to  the  mayor. 
Mr.  Wesley  answered,  that  he  would  first  wait  on  his  Lord,  and  then 
on  the  mayor,  whom  he  reverenced  for  the  sake  of  his  office.  Mr. 
Henry  now  met  him  with  threatenings  and  revilings.  Mr.  Wesley 
began  singing,  '-'Shall  I  for  fear  of  feeble  man,"  &c.  This  enraged 
Mr.  Henry,  who  ran  about  raving  like  a  madman,  and  quickly  got 
some  fellows  fit  for  his  purpose.  These  laid  hold  on  Mr.  Wesley, 
who  asked,  by  what  authority  they  did  it  ?  Where  was  their  war- 
rant? Let  them  show  that  and  he  would  save  them  the  trouble  of 
using  violence.  They  said  they  had  no  warrant,  but  he  should  not 
preach  there,  and  dragged  him  away  amidst  the  cries  of  the  people. 
Mr.  Henry  cried  out,  "Take  him  away,  and  duck  him."  "I  broke 
out,"  says  Mr.  Wesley,  "into  singing,  with  Thomas  Maxfield,  and 
suflfered  them  to  carry  me  whither  they  pleased.  At  the  bridge  in 
the  lane  they  left  me  :  then  I  stood  out  of  the  liberty  of  the  corpo- 
ration, and  gave  out, 

'  Angel  of  God,  whate'er  betide, 
Thy  summons  I  obey  !'  &c. 

Some  hundreds  followed,  whom  they  could  not  hinder  from  hearing 
me,  on,  '  If  God  be  for  us,  who  can  be  against  us?'  Never  did  I  feel 
so  much  what  I  spoke,  and  the  word  did  not  return  empty. 

I  then  waited  on  Mr.  Mayor,  the  poor  sincere  ones  following  me 
trembling.  He  was  a  little  warm  at  my  not  coming  before.  I  gave 
him  the  reason,  and  added,  that  I  knew  of  no  law  of  God  or  man, 
which  I  had  transgressed ;  but  if  there  was  any  such  law,  I  desired 
no  favor.  He  said,  he  should  not  have  denied  me  leave  to  preach, 
even  in  his  own  yard ;  but  Mr.  Henry  SeAvard,  and  the  apothecary, 
had  assured  him,  it  would  quite  cast  his  brother  down  again.  I  an- 
swered, it  would  tend  to  restore  him.  Here  a  clergyman  spoke  much 
— and  nothing.  As  far  as  I  could  pick  out  his  meaning,  he  grumbled 
that  Mr.  Whitefield  had  spoken  against  the  clergy  in  his  Journal.  I 
told  him,  if  he  were  a  carnal,  worldly-minded  clergyman.  I  might  do 
what  he  would  call  railing,  I  might  warn  God's  people  to  beware  of 
false  prophets.  I  did  not  say,  because  I  did  not  know,  he  was  one 
of  those  shepherds  who  fed  themselves,  not  the  flock  ;  but  if  he  was, 
I  was  sorry  for  him,  and  must  leave  that  sentence  of  Chrysostom 
with  him,  '  Hell  is  paved  with  the  skulls  of  christian  priests.'  I 
turned  from  him,  and  asked  the  mayor  whether  he  approved  of  the 
treatment  I  had  met  with  ?  He  said,  '  by  no  means,  and  if  I  com- 
plained, he  would  bind  the  men  over  to  answer  it  at  the  Sessions.' 
I  told  him,  I  did  not  complain,  neither  would  I  prosecute  them,  as 
they  well  knew.  I  assured  him,  that  I  waited  on  him,  not  from 
interest,  for  I  wanted  nothing  ;  not  from  fear,  for  I  had  done  no  wrong  ; 
but  from  true  respect,  and  to  show  him  that  I  believed,  '  The  powers 
that  be  are  ordained  of  God.'  " 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


145 


March  17th,  he  preached  again,  when  a  troop  poured  in  upon  him 
and  the  quiet  congregation,  and  made  much  disturbance.  "  I  enjoyed," 
says  he,  "  a  sweet  calm  within,  even  while  I  preached  the  gospel  with 
much  contention.  These  slighter  conflicts  must  fit  me  for  greater." 
The  next  day,  before  preaching,  he  received  a  message  from  the  min- 
ister, informing  him  that  if  he  did  not  hnmediately  quit  the  town,  Mr. 
Henry  Seward  could  easily  raise  a  mob,  and  then  he  must  look  to 
himself.  Mr.  Canning,  and  others  of  his  friends,  dissuaded  him  from 
going  to  the  society,  for  his  enemies  were  determined  to  do  him  a  mis- 
chief, which  they  thought  he  should  avoid  by  going  out  of  the  Avay 
for  a  while.  But  Mr.  Wesley  was  not  intimidated  by  threatenings. 
He  adds,  "  I  went,  and  set  upon  the  opposers.  I  bid  them  to  rejoice 
and  glory,  for  now  they  had  terrified  me ;  I  was  really  afraid — to 
leave  Evesham  :  I  durst  no  more  do  it,  than  forsake  my  Captain,  or 
deny  my  Master,  while  anyone  of  them  opened  his  mouth  against  the 
truth.  No  man  answered  a  word,  or  oftered  to  disturb  me  in  my 
following  exhortation.  I  received  great  comfort  from  those  words  in 
the  first  lesson,  'Then  the  men  of  the  city  said  unto  Joash,  Bring  out 
thy  son,  that  he  may  die,  because  he  hath  cast  down  the  altar  of 
Baal.  And  Joash  said  unto  all  that  stood  against  him.  Will  ye  plead 
for  Baal  7  If  he  be  a  god  let  him  plead  for  himself,  because^  one  hath 
cast  down  his  altar.'  In  the  afternoon  there  was  none  to  plead  for 
him,  or  to  molest  me  in  the  work  of  God,  while  I  showed  God's 
method  of  saving  souls ;  'For  he  maketh  sore  and  bindeth  up;  he 
woundeth,  and  his  hand  maketh  Avhole.'  The  tears  that  were  shed 
gave  comfortable  evidence  that  I  had  not  labored  in  vain." 

Mr.  Wesley  went  from  hence  to  Westcot,  Idbury,  and  Oxford,  where 
he  labored  with  his  usual  success.  He  then  returned  to  Evesham, 
saw  his  friend  Mr.  Benjamin  Seward,  and  preached  without  molest- 
ation. April  3d,  he  arrived  in  London,  and  preached  at  the  Foundery, 
on,  "The  kingdom  of  God  is  not  meat  and  drink,  but  righteousness, 
peace  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost."  He  observes,  "  My  heart  was 
enlarged  in  prayer  for  the  infant  society." 

The  society  in  London  was  at  this  time  terribly  distracted  with 
foolish  and  hurtful  disputations.  Mr.  Bray,  one  Bell,  and  several 
others  who  had  influence  among  the  people,  had  imbibed  a  notion 
from  Molther,  the  Moravian,  that  there  are  no  degrees  of  faith,  that 
he  who  has  any  doubt  has  no  faith  at  all ;  that  there  are  no  means  of 
grace,  but  Christ :  that  a  believer  is  under  no  obligation  to  use  the^ 
ordinances  ;  that  an  unbeliever  ought  to  be  stilly  and  neither  read  the 
Scriptures,  nor  pray,  nor  use  any  of  the  ordinances ;  because  he  cannot* 
do  these  things  without  trusting  in  them,  and  that  would  hinder  him 
from  receiving  faith,  &c.  Mr.  Wesley  opposed  these  teachers  with 
great  firmness  and  perseverance.  His  journal,  during  his  stay  in 
London,  is  filled  with  disputations  on  these  subjects,  which  I  shall 
not  transcribe.  The  following  particulars,  as  they  throw  some  light- 
13  19 


146 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   CHARLES  WESLEY. 


on  the  state  of  things  at  this  time,  and  on  the  success  of  Mr.  Wesley's 
ministry,  seem  worthy  of  being  preserved. 

April  16th,  he  received  the  following  letter.  "  I  beg  leave  to  ask 
your  opinion  about  my  state.  I  do  not  doubt  myself ;  for  through 
the  grace  given  me,  I  am  confident,  God  for  Christ's  sake  has  for- 
given my  sins,  and  made  me  free.  But  it  has  been  questioned 
whether  I  have  faith  or  not. 

"  I  was  brought  up  an  heathen  in  the  house  of  a  D.  D.  After  that 
I  went  to  the  Lord's  table,  and  then  thought  myself  a  good  Christian. 
But  blessed  be  God  I  now  see  that  I  was  an  abominable  Pharisee. 
For  my  pride  God  cast  me  out  of  his  house,  and  I  fell  into  the  foulest 
crimes  I  could  commit.  After  some  time  I  had  a  sight  of  my  dam- 
nable estate,  and  that  I  was  nothing  but  sin  :  I  daily  dreaded  God's 
vengeance :  I  durst  not  offer  to  pray,  knowing  my  prayer  was  an 
abomination  to  that  God  who  is  of  purer  eyes  than  to  behold  iniquity. 
I  could  not  think  it  possible  there  should  be  forgiveness  for  me : 

'I  had  my  punishment  in  view, 
I  felt  a  thousand  hells  my  due.' 

I  went  twice  to  hear  Mr.  Whitefield,  but  thought  it  did  not  signify. 
My  misery  still  increased.  But  it  pleased  God,  that  the  last  time  you 
preached  at  Kennington,  my  blessed  Saviour  was  revealed  in  me,  in 
so  glorious  a  manner,  that  I  rather  thought  myself  in  heaven  than  on 
earth.  I  thought  I  could  meet  death  with  boldness.  I  was  ready  to 
cry  out  to  every  one,  O  !  taste  and  see  how  good  the  Lord  is.  I  would 
not  for  a  thousand  worlds  be  in  my  former  state  again.  May  God 
prolong  your  life  and  health,  in  his  kingdom  and  service." 

Hitherto  the  government  of  the  society  had  been  vested  wholly  in 
the  people.  At  their  different  meetings,  they  made  such  rules  and 
orders  as  they  thought  necessary  and  proper,  without  paying  any 
particular  deference  to  the  ministers.  In  one  or  two  instances,  men- 
tioned in  these  journals,  they  threatened  to  expel  Mr.  Wesley  him- 
self, when  he  did  not  conform  to  the  rules  they  had  made.  But  on 
the  20th  of  April  this  year,  it  was  agreed,  1.  That  no  order  should  be 
valid  unless  the  minister  be  present  at  the  making  of  it.  2.  That, 
whosoever  denies  the  ordinances  to  be  commands,  shall  be  expelled  the 
society. 

One  or  two  of  the  leaders  in  this  new  doctrine  concerning  ordinances 
and  means  of  grace,  thinking  Mr.  John  Wesley  more  favorable  to  their 
opinions  than  Mr.  Charles,  wrote  to  him  at  Bristol,  desiring  him  to 
come  immediately  to  London.  He  arrived  on  the  22d,=^  and  on  the 
24th,  Mr.  Charles  Wesley  wrote  to  a  friend  at  Bristol  as  follows. 
"  My  brother  came  most  critically.  The  snare  we  trust  will  now  be 
broken,  and  many  simple  souls  be  delivered.  Many  here  insist,  that 
a  part  of  their  christian  calling  is  liberty  from  obeying,  not  liberty  to 

*  See  also  Mr.  John  Wesley's  printed  Journal  in  his  "Works,  vol.  xivii.  p.  205. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   CHARLES  WESLEY. 


147 


obey.  The  unjustified,  say  they,  are  to  be  still ;  that  is,  not  to  search 
the  Scriptures,  not  to  pray,  not  to  communicate,  not  to  do  good,  not  to 
endeavor,  not  to  desire ;  for  it  is  impossible  to  use  means  without 
trusting  in  them.  Their  practice  is  agreeable  to  their  principles. 
Lazy  and  proud  themselves,  bitter  and  censorious  towards  others, 
they  trample  upon  the  ordinances  and  despise  the  commands  of 
Christ.  I  see  no  middle  point  wherein  we  can  meet." 
May  2d,  Mr.  Wesley  received  the  following  letter. 

"  My  Reverend  Father  in  Christ, 

I  first  received  the  gift  of  faith  after  I  had  seen  myself  a  lost  sinner, 
bound  with  a  thousand  chains,  and  dropping  into  hell.  Then  I  heard 
his  voice,  '  Be  of  good  cheer,  thy  sins  are  forgiven  thee.'  I  saw  the 
son  of  God  loved  me,  and  gave  himself  for  me.  I  thought  I  saw  him 
at  the  right  hand  of  the  Father,  making  intercession  for  me.  I  went 
on  in  great  joy  for  four  months.  Then  pride  crept  in,  and  I  thought  the 
work  was  finished,  when  it  was  but  just  begun.  There  I  rested,  and 
in  a  little  time  fell  into  doubts  and  fears,  whether  my  sins  were  really 
forgiven  me,  till  I  plunged  myself  into  the  depth  of  misery.  I  could 
not  pray,  neither  had  I  any  desire  to  do  it,  or  to  read  the  word.  Then 
did  I  see  my  own  evil  heart,  and  feel  my  helplessness,  so  that  I  could 
not  so  much  as  think  a  good  thought.  My  love  was  turned  into 
hatred,  passion,  envy,  &;c.  I  felt  a  thousand  hells  my  due,  and  cried 
out  in  bitter  anguish  of  spirit,  '  Save  Lord,  or  I  perish.'  In  my  last 
extremity  I  saw  my  Saviour  full  of  grace  and  truth  for  me,  and  heard 
his  voice  again,  whispering,  Peace,  be  still.  My  peace  returned,  and 
greater  sweetness  of  love  than  I  ever  knew  before.  Now  my  joy  is 
calm  and  solid,  my  heart  drawn  out  to  the  Lord  continually.  I  know 
that  my  Redeemer  liveth  for  me.  He  is  my  strength  and  my  rock, 
and  will  carry  on  his  work  in  my  soul  to  the  day  of  redemption. 
Dear  sir,  I  have  spoken  the  state  of  my  heart  as  before  the  Lord.  I 
beg  your  prayers,  that  I  may  go  on  from  strength  to  strength,  from 
conquering  to  conquer,  till  death  is  swallowed  up  in  victory." 

•'G.  Murray." 

May  8,  H.  Harris  being  in  town,  Mr.  Wesley  observes,  "  He  de- 
clared his  experience  before  the  society.  O !  what  a  flame  was 
kindled.  No  man  speaks  in  my  hearing  as  this  man  speaketh.  What 
a  nursing  father  God  has  sent  us  !  He  has  indeed  learned  of  the  good 
Shepherd  to  carry  the  lambs  in  his  bosom.  Such  love,  such  power, 
such  simplicity,  was  irresistible."  At  this  meeting  H.  Harris  invited  ^ 
all  lost  sinners,  justified  or  not  justified,  to  the  Lord's  table.  "  I 
would  not,"  said  he,  "  for  ten  thousand  worlds,  be  the  man  who 
should  keep  any  from  it.  There  I  first  found  him  myself:  that  is  the 
place  of  meeting."  "  He  went  on,"  adds  Mr.  Wesley,  "  in  the  power 
of  the  Most  High.  God  called  forth  his  witnesses  ;  several  declared 
they  had  found  Christ  in  the  ordinances." 


148 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   CHARLES  WESLEY. 


May  29th.  ''I  dined,"  says  Mr.  Wesley,  "at  friend  Keen's,  a 
Quaker  and  a  Christian;  and  read  over  George  Whitefield's  account 
of  God's  deahngs  with  him.  The  love  and  esteem  he  expressed  for 
me,  filled  me  with  confusion,  and  brought  back  my  fear,  lest  after 
having  preached  to  others,  I  myself  should  be  a  cast-away." 

June  11th.  To  put  an  end  to  vain  disputings.  and  to  stop  the 
further  progress  of  the  hurtful  opinions  which  then  prevailed,  Mr. 
John  Wesley  proposed  to  new-model  the  bands,  and  to  put  those  by 
themselves,  who  were  still  for  the  ordinances.  This  proposal  raised 
a  great  clamor:  "The  noisy  still  ones,"  adds  Mr.  Wesley,  "well 
knew,  that  hitherto  they  had  carried  their  point,  by  wearying  out 
the  sincere  ones  scattered  among  them,  one  or  two  in  a  band  of  dis- 
puters,  who  had  harassed  and  sawn  them  asunder,  so  that  a  remnant 
scarcely  was  left.  Mr.  Ingham  seconded  us,  and  we  obtained  that 
the  names  should  be  called  over,  and  as  many  as  were  aggrieved, 
should  be  put  into  new  bands.  We  gathered  up  our  wreck,  rari 
nantes  in  gurgite  vasto,  floating  here  and  there  on  the  vast  abyss ; 
for  nine  out  of  ten  were  swallowed  up  in  the  dead  sea  of  stillness. 
O  why  was  not  this  done  six  months  ago  !  How  fatal  was  our  delay 
and  false  moderation.  I  told  them  plainly,  I  should  continue  with 
them  so  long  as  they  continued  in  the  Church  of  England." 

June  17th.  "  We  had  an  extraordinary  meeting  of  the  society, 
increased  from  twelve,  to  three  hundred.  I  took  my  leave  of  them 
with  hearty  prayer." — The  next  day  he  set  out  for  Bristol,  where  he 
arrived  on  the  2lst,  having  called  at  Oxford  in  his  way  thither. 
"My  first  greeting  at  Kingswood,"  says  he,  "  was  by  a  daughter  of 
one  of  our  colliers.  In  the  evening  was  at  the  malt-room,  and  ad- 
dressed myself  to  those  in  the  wilderness.  O  what  simplicity  is  in 
this  childlike  people !  A  spirit  of  contrition  and  love  ran  through 
them.    Here  the  seed  has  fallen  upon  good  ground." 

"  Sunday,  June  22d,  I  went  to  learn  Christ  among  our  colliers,  and 
drank  into  their  spirit.  We  rejoiced  for  the  consolation.  O  that  our 
London  brethren,  would  but  come  to  school  to  Kingswood !  These 
are,  what  they  of  London  pretend  to  be.  God  knows  their  poverty; 
but  they  are  rich,  and  daily  entering  into  his  rest.  They  do  not 
hold  it  necessary  to  deny  weak  faith  in  order  to  get  strong.  Their 
souls  truly  wait  upon  God,  in  his  ordinances.  Ye  many  masters, 
come  learn  Christ  of  these  outcasts ;  for  know,  that  except  ye  be 
converted,  and  become  like  these  little  children,  ye  cannot  enter  into 
the  kingdom  of  heaven. — I  met  several  of  those  whom  I  had  baptiz- 
ed and  found  them  growing  in  grace." 

"  June  30th,  I  now  spent  a  week  at  Oxford,  to  little  purpose,  but 
that  of  obedience  to  man,  for  the  Lord's  sake.  In  the  hall  I  read  my 
two  lectures  on  the  cxxxth  Psalm,  preaching  repentance  towards  God, 
and  faith  in  Christ  Jesus.  But  learned  Gallio  cared  for  none  of 
these  things." 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   CHARLES  WESLEY. 


149 


July  16th.  Being  returned  to  Bristol,  he  observes,  "  While  I  was 
meeting  the  bands,  my  mouth  was  opened  to  reprove,  rebuke,  and 
exhort,  in  words  not  my  own.  All  trembled  before  the  presence  of 
God.  I  was  forced  to  cut  off  a  rotten  member ;  but  felt  such  love 
and  pity  at  the  time,  as  humbled  me  into  the  dust.  It  was,  as  if  one 
crimhial  was  executing  another.  We  betook  ourselves  to  fervent 
prayer  for  him,  and  the  society.  The  spirit  of  prayer  was  poured 
out  upon  us,  and  we  returned  to  the  Lord,  with  weeping  and  mourn- 
ing."— See  here,  the  true  Apostolical  spirit  of  church  discipline. 

Many  of  the  colliers,  who  had  been  abandoned  to  every  kind  of 
wickedness,  even  to  a  proverb,  were  now  become  pious  and  zealous 
for  the  things  of  God.  A  great  number  of  these,  at  this  time,  came 
to  the  churches  in  Bristol  on  a  Lord's-day,  for  the  benefit  of  the 
sacrament.  But  most  of  the  Bristol  ministers  repelled  them  from  the 
table,  because  they  did  not  belong  to  their  parishes.  Setting  religion 
aside,  common  humanity  would  have  taught  them  to  rejoice  in  so 
remarkable  a  reformation  among  these  wretched  people.  But  these 
watchmen  of  Israel  did  not  choose  to  have  any  increase  of  trouble. 
Can  we  wonder,  that  the  Methodists  tiad  such  great  success  in 
preaching  the  gospel  to  the  middling  and  lower  orders  of  the  people, 
when  such  lazy  drones  as  these,  had  the  care  of  most  of  the  parishes 
in  England  ?  The  case,  I  believe,  is  now  greatly  altered.  At  pre- 
sent, there  is  more  religious  knowledge,  more  candor,  and  greater 
attention  to  propriety  of  conduct,  both  among  the  clergy  and  the  peo- 
ple, than  there  was  at  that  time ;  and  the  Methodists  have  been  the 
principal  means  of  producing  the  change. 

July  25.  He  began  to  speak  to  every  member  of  the  society  in  par- 
ticular. A  woman  came  to  him,  crying  out,  that  she  was  born  of 
God  ;  that  she  had  a  new  heart,  &c.  But  on  examination,  she  could 
give  no  account  of  her  faith  ;  no  satisfactory  proof  of  her  pretensions. 
Mr.  Wesley  observes  on  this  occasion,  "  How  exceedingly  cautious 
ought  we  to  be,  in  receiving  people's  testimony  of  themselves." 
Another  came  to  him,  who  seems  to  have  been  puffed  up  with  her 
religious  comforts  and  enjoyments.  "  I  plainly  see,"  says  he,  why 
many  lose  their  first  comfort ;  it  is  expedient  for  them  that  it  should 
go  away."  In  this  case,  as  he  observes,  nature  will  feed  on  the  gift, 
instead  of  the  giver.  We  see  some,  who  look  at  their  joy,  and  com- 
pare their  state  with  others,  till  they  become  high-minded,  lose  sight 
of  Christ,  and  then  sink  into  great  darkness  and  distress,  without 
perceiving  the  reason  of  it.  One  part  of  these,  generally  recover 
their  former  experience,  after  much  suffering :  another  part,  content 
themselves  with  the  externals  of  religion,  and  much  religious  talk, 
while  their  passions  have  the  same  dominion  over  them,  they  former- 
ly had :  and  a  third,  look  upon  all  experience  as  mere  imagination, 
ridicule  it  in  the  terms  they  had  been  accustomed  to  use,  and  cast  off 
13* 


150 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


religion  altogether.  These  cases  therefore,  require  the  most  serious 
and  early  attention  of  every  experienced  minister  of  the  gospel. 

July  27.  "I  heard  a  miserable  sermon,"  says  Mr.  Wesley,  "at 
Temple  church,  recommendmg  religion  as  the  most  likely  way  to  raise 
a  fortune.  After  sermon,  proclamation  was  made,  that  all  should  de- 
part who  were  not  of  the  parish.  While  the  shepherd  was  driving 
away  the  lambs,  I  staid,  suspecting  nothing,  till  the  clerk  came  to  me 
and  said,  '  Mr.  Beacher  bids  you  go  away,  for  he  will  not  give  you 
the  sacrament.'  I  went  to  the  vestry  door,  and  mildly  desired  Mr. 
Beacher  to  admit  me.  He  asked,  '  Are  you  of  this  parish  ?  '  I  an- 
swered, 'sir,  you  see  that  I  am  a  clergyman.'  Then  dropping  his 
first  pretence,  he  charged  me  with  rebellion  in  expounding  the  Scrip- 
ture without  authority ;  and  said  in  express  words,  '  I  repel  you  from 
the  sacrament.'  I  replied,  'I  cite  you  to  answer  this,  before  Jesus 
Christ  at  the  day  of  judgment.'  This  enraged  him  ahove  measure : 
he  called  out,  'Here,  take  away  this  man.'  The  constables  were 
ordered  to  attend,  I  suppose,  lest  the  furious  colliers  should  take  the 
sacrament  by  force;  but  I  saved  them  the  trouble  of  taking  away 
'  this  man,'  and  quietly  retired." — These  things  are  but  poor  eviden- 
ces, that  the  Bristol  ministers  were  the  true  successors  of  the  Apostles  ! 

In  August  Mr.  Wesley  had  a  very  dangerous  fever.  It  was  report- 
ed, and  published  in  the  papers,  that  he  was  dead.  Upon  his  recov- 
ery, he  observes,  "I  found  myself  after  this  gracious  visitation,  more 
desirous  and  able  to  pray ;  more  afraid  of  sin ;  more  earnestly  long- 
ing for  deliverance,  and  the  fulness  of  christian  salvation."  Soon 
afterwards,  two  or  three  of  the  society  died,  in  the  triumph  of  faith, 
and  full  assurance  of  hope ;  which  strengthened  the  hands  and  com- 
forted the  hearts  of  those  who  were  left  behind. 

September  22d,  Mr.  Wesley  was  informed  that  the  colliers  were 
risen  ;  and  riding  out  from  Bristol,  he  met  about  a  thousand  of  them 
at  Lawrence-hill.  The  occasion  of  their  rising  was  the  dearness 
of  corn.  He  went  up  to  an  eminence,  and  began  to  talk  to  them. 
Many  seemed  inclined  to  go  back  with  him  to  the  school,  which  some 
of  the  most  desperate  perceiving,  they  rushed  violently  upon  the  oth- 
ers, beating,  tearing,  and  driving  them  every  way  from  Mr.  Wesley. 
He  adds,  "I  rode  up  to  a  ruffian,  who  was  striking  one  of  our  col- 
liers,^ and  prayed  him  rather  to  strike  me.  He  answered,  '  no,  not 
for  all  the  world,'  and  was  quite  overcome.  I  turned  upon  another, 
who  struck  my  horse,  and  he  also  sunk  into  a  lamb.  Wherever  I  turn- 
ed, Satan's  cause  lost  ground,  so  that  they  were  obliged  to  make  one 
■general  assault,  and  the  violent  colliers  forced  the  quiet  ones  into  the 
town.  I  seized  one  of  the  tallest,  and  earnestly  besought  him  to 
-follow  me:  yes,  he  said,  that  he  would,  all  the  world  over.  I  press- 
.ed  about  isix  into  Christ's  service.    We  met  several  parties,  and  stopt 


♦  He  means  a  collier,  -who  was  in  the  Methodists'  society. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


151 


and  exhorted  them  to  follow  us ;  and  gleaning  some  from  every  com- 
pany, we  increased  as  we  marched  on  singing,  to  the  school.  From 
one  till  three  o'clock,  we  spent  in  prayer,  that  evil  might  be  pre- 
vented, and  the  lion  chained.  Then  news  was  brought  us,  that  the 
colliers  were  returned  in  peace.  They  had  walked  quietly  into  the 
city,  without  sticks  or  the  least  violence.  A  few  of  the  better  sort  of 
them  went  to  the  mayor,  and  told  their  grievance :  then  they  all  re- 
turned as  they  came,  without  noise  or  disturbance.  All  who  saw  it 
were  amazed.  Nothing  could  more  clearly  have  shown  the  change 
wrought  among  them,  than  this  conduct  on  such  an  occasion." 

•'I  found  afterwards,  that  all  our  colliers  to  a  man  had  been  forced 
away.  Having  learned  of  Christ  not  to  resist  evil,  they  went  a  mile 
with  those  who  compelled  them,  rather  than  free  themselves  by  vio- 
lence. One  man  the  rioters  dragged  out  of  his  sick-bed,  and  threw 
him  into  the  fish  ponds.  Near  twenty  of  Mr.  WiUis's  men  they  had 
prevailed  on,  by  threatenining  to  fill  up  their  pits,  and  bury  them 
alive,  if  they  did  not  come  up  and  bear  them  company."  It  was  a 
happy  circumstance  that  they  forced  so  many  of  the  Methodist  col- 
liers to  go  with  them ;  as  these,  by  their  advice  and  example,  would 
restrain  the  savage  fury  of  the  others.  This  undoubtedly  was  the 
true  cause,  why  they  all  returned  home  without  making  any  distur- 
bance. 

November  6th,  he  set  out  for  Wales.  Here,  vain  disputings  and 
janglings  about  predestination,  had  done  much  harm  in  several  socie- 
ties :  even  H.  Harris,  embracing  this  doctrine,  had  been  greatly  es- 
tranged from  his  friend.  Any  doctrine  comes  poorly  recommended 
to  us,  when  it  almost  uniformly  diminishes  christian  love  and  friend- 
ship, in  the  minds  of  those  who  embrace  it.  This  is  an  eff'ect  so  con- 
trary to  the  general  end,  and  manifest  tendency  of  the  gospel,  that 
the  doctrine  which  produces  it,  should  be  viewed  with  suspicion  and 
approached  with  caution.  That  the  diminution  of  christian  love 
was  on  the  part  of  H.  Harris,  is  evident  from  the  following  letter, 
which  Mr.  Wesley  sent  him  from  Cardiff,  on  the  10th  of  November. 

My  DEAREST  Friend  and  Brother, 
"  In  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  I  beseech  you,  if  you  have  his  glory 
and  the  good  of  souls  at  heart,  to  come  immediately  to  meet  me  here. 
I  trust  we  shall  never  be  two,  in  time  or  in  eternity.  O  !  my  brother, 
I  am  grieved  that  satan  should  get  a  moment's  advantage  over  us ; 
and  am  ready  to  lay  my  neck  under  your  feet  for  Christ's  sake.  If 
your  heart  be  as  my  heart,  hasten,  in  the  name  of  our  dear  Lord,  to 
your  second  self." 

This  letter  shows  a  mind  susceptible  of  the  strongest  attachments 
of  friendship,  and  does  Mr.  Wesley  great  honor.  Howel  Harris  how- 
ever, did  not  come  to  him  till  the  18th,  when  he  was  at  Lantrissant, 
and  preparing  to  leave  Wales.    Mr.  Wesley  adds,  ''AH  misunder- 


152 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   CHARLES  WESLEY. 


Standing  vanished  at  the  sight  of  each  other,  and  our  hearts  were  knit 
together  as  at  the  beginning.  Before  the  society  met,  several  persons 
were  with  me,  desiring  that  as  I  had  now  got  him  I  would  reprove 
him  openly.  Some  wanted  me  to  preach  against  lay-preaching ; 
some  against  predestination,  &c.  In  my  discourse,  a  gentleman,  who 
had  come  thither  on  purpose,  interrupted  me  by  desiring  I  would  now 
speak  to  Mr.  Harris,  since  I  was  sent  for  to  disprove  his  errors.  1 
quashed  all  further  importunity  by  declaring,  'I  am  unwilling  to 
speak  of  my  brother  Harris,  because  when  I  begin,  I  know  not  where 
to  leave  off,  and  should  say  so  much  good  of  him  as  some  of  you 
could  not  bear.'  " 

Before  Mr.  Wesley  left  Wales,  a  violent  opposition  was  raised 
against  him,  which  threatened  danger.  During  the  sermon  on  Sun- 
day, while  Mr.  Wesley  was  describing  the  state  of  the  Pharisee,  a 
physician  of  the  place  found  himself  hurt,  and  got  up  and  walked 
out  of  the  church.  On  the  Tuesday  following,  being  unusually  heat- 
ed with  wine,  and  urged  on  by  a  company  of  players,  determined  on 
mischief,  he  came  to  the  house  where  the  people  were  assembled,  to 
demand  satisfaction  for  the  injury  he  supposed  that  he  had  received. 
He  struck  Mr.  Wesley  and  several  of  the  women  with  his  cane,  and 
raged  like  a  madman,  till  the  men  forced  him  out  of  the  room,  and 
shut  the  door.  Soon  after,  it  was  broke  open  by  a  justice  of  the 
peace,  and  the  bailiff,  or  head  magistrate.  "  The  latter  began  expos- 
tulating with  me,"  says  Mr.  Wesley,  "upon  the  affront  offered  the 
doctor.  He  said  as  it  was  a  public  injury,  I  ought  to  make  him  a 
public  satisfaction.  I  answered,  '■  Mr.  Bailiff,  I  honor  you  for  your 
office'  sake;  but  were  you,  or  his  Majesty  King  George  among  my 
hearers,  I  should  tell  you  both,  that  you  are  by  nature  sinners,  or 
children  of  wrath,  even  as  others.  In  the  church  while  preaching,  I 
have  no  superior  but  God,  and  shall  not  ask  man  leave  to  tell  him  of 
his  sins.  As  a  ruler,  it  is  your  duty  to  be  a  terror  to  evil  doers,  but 
a  praise  to  them  that  do  well.'  Upon  thus  speaking  to  him,  he  be- 
came exceedingly  civil,  assured  me  of  his  good  will,  and  that  he  had 
come  to  prevent  me  from  being  insulted,  and  no  one  should  touch  a 
hair  of  my  head." 

"  While  we  were  talking,  the  doctor  made  another  attempt  to  break 
in  and  get  at  me,  but  the  two  justices  and  others,  with  much  trouble 
got  him  away  ;  and  we  continued  our  triumph  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord  our  God.  The  shout  of  a  king  was  among  us.  We  sang  un- 
concerned, though  the  players  had  beset  the  house,  were  armed,  and 
threatened  to  burn  it.  The  ground  of  their  quarrel  with  me  was, 
that  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  had  starved  them.  We  prayed  and 
sang  with  great  tranquillity  till  one  in  the  morning :  then  I  lay  down 
till  three.  I  rose  again,  and  was  scarcely  got  into  the  room  when 
they  discovered  a  player  just  by  me,  who  had  stolen  in  unobserved. 
They  seized  him,  and  F.  Farley  wrested  the  sword  from  him.  There 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


153 


was  no  need  of  drawing  it,  for  the  point  and  blade  were  stript  of  the 
scabbard,  about  an  hand's  breadth.  Great  was  our  rejoicing  within, 
and  the  uproar  of  the  players  without.  My  female  advisers  were  by 
no  means  for  my  venturing  out,  but  wished  me  to  defer  my  journey. 
I  preferred  Mr.  Wells's  advice,  of  going  with  him  through  the  midst 
of  our  enemies.  We  called  on  the  poor  creature  they  had  secured. 
On  sight  of  me  he  cried  out,  '  Indeed  Mr.  Wesley,  I  did  not  intend  to 
do  you  any  harm.'  '  That,'  I  answered,  '  was  best  known  to  God 
and  his  own  heart ;'  but  told  him  that  my  principle  was  to  return  good 
for  evil,  and  therefore  desired  he  might  be  released.  I  assured  him 
of  my  good  Avishes,  and  with  Mr.  Wells  walked  down  to  the  water 
side,  no  man  forbidding  me."  The  next  day,  November  the  20th,  he 
arrived  safe  in  Bristol. 

He  goes  on.  "  November  30th,  I  gave  the  sacrament  to  our  sister 
Taylor,  dying  in  triumph.  Here  is  another  witness  to  the  truth  of 
the  gospel  we  preach.  Commend  me  to  a  religion,  upon  which  I  can 
trust  my  soul,  while  entering  into  eternity." 

"  December  2d,  I  preached  on  the  three-fold  office  of  Christ,  at 
Kingswood,  but  never  with  greater  power.  It  constrained  even  the 
separatists  (the  Calvinists)  to  own  that  God  was  with  us  of  a  truth. 
I  rode  back  in  a  glorious  storm  of  thunder,  lightning  and  rain ;  my 
spirit  rejoicing  in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God.  He  opened  my  mouth 
again  in  the  society,  and  I  spoke  in  much  grief,  of  our  desolate  moth- 
er, the  Church  of  England.  My  heart  yearns  towards  her,  when  I 
think  upon  her  ruins ;  and  it  pitieth  me  to  see  her  in  the  dust." 

"  December  5th,  I  was  much  refreshed  in  spirit  among  some  of 
my  friends  the  (Quakers,  by  a  writer  of  theirs,  who  strongly  insists 
on  the  perfect  death  unto  sin,  and  life  unto  righteousness,  which  every 
Christian  experiences.  Death  must  precede  life,  and  condemna- 
tion, justification.  This  he  as  clearly  teaches  as  any  of  our  first  re- 
formers." 

December  24th,  he  set  out,  with  Thomas  Maxfield,  for  London, 
where  they  arrived  the  next  day.  On  the  27th,  he  says,  "  Six  or 
seven  hundred  of  us  met  from  eleven  o'clock  till  one,  to  praise  God 
with  the  voice  of  joy  and  thanksgiving.  He  hath  done  great  things 
for  us  already ;  but  we  shall  see  greater  things  than  these.  I  dined 
at  the  house  of  a  Dissenter,  who  was  armed  cap-a-pie  with  her  faith 
of  adherence,  brimfull  of  the  five  points,  and  going  on  to  the  perfec- 
tion described  in  Romans  the  seventh.  On  the  28th,  I  earnestly 
warned  the  bands  not  to  fancy  they  had  new  hearts  before  they  had 
seen  the  deceitfulness  of  the  old ;  not  to  think  they  would  ever  be 
above  the  necessity  of  prayer ;  not  to  yield  for  one  moment  to  the 
spirit  of  judging.  Mr.  Aspernel  told  me  strange  things,  and  I  fear 
true,  of  some  new  creatures  of  their  own  making,  who  have  been 
caught  in  gross  lies." 

April  4th,  1741.  Mr.  Wesley  set  out  for  Bristol,  and  arrived  there 

20 


W4(  THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 

in  safety  the  next  day.  April  7th,  he  says,  "I  prayed  by  one  sup- 
posed to  be  at  the  point  of  death.  He  rejoiced  to  meet  the  king  of 
terrors ;  and  appeared  so  sweetly  resigned,  so  ready  for  the  bride- 
groom, that  I  longed  to  change  places  with  him.  April  11th,  found 
a  dying  sinner  rejoicing  in  God  her  Saviour.  At  sight  of  me,  she 
cried  out,  '  O  how  loving  is  God  to  me  !  But  he  is  loving  to  every 
man :  he  loves  every  soul  as  well  as  he  loves  mine.'  Many  like 
words  she  uttered  in  triumphant  faith,  and  witnessed  in  death  the 
universal  love  of  Jesus  Christ."  April  12th,  To-day  he  called  forth 
another  of  his  dying  witnesses.  "The  young  woman  whom  at  my 
last  visit,  I  left  in  utter  despair,  this  morning  broke  out  into  the  fol- 
lowing expressions ;  '  I  see,  I  see  it  now,  that  Jesus  Christ  died  for 
me;  and  for  all  the  world.'  Some  of  her  words  to  me  were  'death 
stares  me  in  the  face,  but  I  fear  him  not,  he  cannot  hurt  me : '  and 
again,  '  death  may  shake  his  dart  in  vain ;  God  is  love,  pure  love,  love 
to  every  man  !  '    The  next  I  saw,  was  our  brother  S — , 

'  With  joyful  eyes,  and  looks  divine, 
Smiling  and  pleased  in  death.'  " 

April  13th.  "I  gave  the  sacrament  to  the  bands  of  Kingswood,  not 
of  Bristol :  in  obedience,  as  I  told  them,  to  the  Church  of  England, 
which  requires  a  weekly  sacrament  at  every  cathedral.  But  as  they 
had  it  not  there,  and  as  on  this  particular  Sunday,  they  were  refused 
it,  at  Temple  church,  (I  myself,  with  many  of  them,  having  been 
repelled,)  I  therefore  administered  it  to  them  in  our  school ;  and  had 
we  wanted  a  house,  would  justify  doing  it  in  the  midst  of  the  wood. 
I  strongly  urged  the  duty  of  receiving  it,  as  often  as  they  could  be 
admitted  to  the  churches.  Such  a  sacrament,  I  never  was  present  at 
before.  We  received  the  sure  pledges  of  our  Saviour's  dying  love; 
and  were  most  of  us,  filled  with  all  joy  and  peace  in  believing."  This 
it  seems,  was  the  beginning  of  the  practice  of  administering  the  sacra- 
ment at  Kingswood. 

April  20th.  "  Returning  from  Baptist  Mills,  I  heard  that  our  sister 
Richardson  had  finished  her  course.  My  soul  was  filled  with  strong 
consolation,  and  struggled,  as  it  were,  to  go  out  after  her,  '  as  heaven- 
ward endeavoring.'  Jesus,  my  time  is  in  thy  hand:  only  let  me  fol- 
low her.  as  she  has  followed  thee !  The  voice  of  joy  and  thanks- 
giving was  in  the  congregation,  while  I  spake  of  her  death.  April 
22d,  I  hastened  to  the  joyful  funeral.  The  new  room  was  crowded 
within  and  without.  I  spake  largely  of  her  whose  faith  they  might 
safely  follow.  Great  was  my  glorying  and  rejoicing  over  her.  She 
being  dead,  yet  spake  in  words  of  faith  and  love,  which  ought  to  be 
had  in  remembrance.  We  were  in  a  measure,  partakers  of  her  joy,  a 
joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory.  The  whole  society  followed  her 
to  the  grave,  through  all  the  city.  Satan  raged  exceedingly  in  his 
children,  who  threw  dirt  and  stones  at  us.  After  the  burial  we  joined 
in  the  following  hymn. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


155 


'  Come  let  us,  who  in  Christ  believe, 
With  saints  and  angels  join/  <^:c." 

May  1st,  I  visited  a  sister  dying  in  the  Lord.  Then  two  others, 
one  mourning  after,  the  other  rejoicing  in,  God  her  Saviour.  I  was 
now  informed  that  another  of  our  sisters,  E.  Smith,  is  gone  home  in 
triumph.  She  witnessed  a  good  confession  of  tlie  universal  Saviour, 
and  gave  up  her  spirit  with  these  words,  'I  go  to  my  heavenly 
Father,'  6cc.  May  4th,  I  rejoiced  over  our  sister  Hooper.  The  out- 
ward man  decayeth,  but  the  inner  man  is  renewed.  For  one  whole 
night  she  had  wrestled  with  all  the  powers  of  darkness :  but  having  done 
all,  she  stood  unshaken.  From  henceforth  she  was  kept  in  perfect 
peace,  and  that  wicked  one  touched  her  not.  I  saw  her  again  in  great 
bodily  weakness,  but  strong  in  the  Lord,  and  in  the  power  of  his 
might.  I  spoke  with  her  physician,  who  said  he  had  little  hope  of 
her  recovery  ;  '  only,'  added  he,  '  she  has  no  dread  upon  her  spirits, 
vv^hich  is  generally  the  worst  symptom.  Most  people  die  for  fear  of 
dying;  but  I  never  met  with  such  people  as  yours.  They  are  none 
of  them  afraid  of  death ;  but  calm  and  patient,  and  resigned  to  the 
last.'  He  had  said  to  her,  '  Madam,  be  not  cast  down.'  She  answered 
smiling,  'Sir,  I  shall  never  be  cast  down.'  " 

May  6th,  "  Found  our  sister  Hooper  just  at  the  haven.  She  ex- 
pressed, while  able  to  speak,  her  fulness  of  confidence  and  love :  and 
her  desire  to  be  with  Christ.  At  my  next  visit,  I  saw  her  in  the  last 
conflict.  The  angel  of  death  was  come,  and  there  were  but  a  few 
moments  between  her  and  a  blessed  eternity.  We  poured  out  our 
souls  to  God,  for  her,  her  children,  ourselves,  the  church  and  minis- 
ters, and  for  all  mankind.  My  soul  was  tenderly  affected  for  her 
sufferings,  but  the  joy  swallowed  up  the  sorrow.  How  much  then  did 
her  consolations  abound !  The  servants  of  Christ,  comparatively 
speaking,  suffer  nothing.  I  asked  her,  whether  she  was  not  in  great 
pain  ]  Yes,  she  answered,  but  in  greater  joy.  I  would  not  be  with- 
out either."  "  But  do  you  not  prefer  life  or  death  7  "  She  replied  "  all 
is  alike  to  me ;  let  Christ  choose,  I  have  no  will  of  my  own.  Her 
spirit  ascended  to  God,  and  we  kneeled  down  and  gave  God  thanks 
from  the  ground  of  our  heart.  Then  we  had  recourse  to  the  book  of 
comfort,  and  found  it  written,  '  Let  us  therefore  labor  to  enter  into 
that  rest ; '  even  so,  come  Lord  Jesus,  and  give  us  an  inheritance 
among  all  them  that  are  sanctified." 

May  8th,  "We  solemnized  the  funeral^  of  our  sister  Hooper,  and 
rejoiced  over  her  with  singing.  A  great  multitude  attended  her  to 
the  grave.  There  we  sang  another  hymn  of  triumph.  I  found  myself 
pressed  in  spirit  to  speak  to  those  who  contradicted  and  blasphemed. 
While  I  reasoned  on  death  and  judgment  to  come,  many  trembled ; 
one  woman  cried  out  in  horrible  agony.    We  returned  to  the  room, 

*  This  was  a  very  early  interment  j  but  I  suppose  the  state  of  the  body  made  it  neces- 
sary. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 

and  continued  our  solemn  rejoicings,  all  desiring  to  be  dissolved  and 
to  be  with  Christ." 

May  14th.  He  now  visited  Mrs.  Lellington,  drawing  near  the  end 
of  her  journey  through  life.  She  had  received  peace  and  joy  in  be- 
lieving, and  all  fear  of  hell,  death  and  sin,  were  fled  away.  He  adds, 
"I  saw  two  more  of  our  sick  sisters;  then  two  of  the  brethren  in 
Kingswood,  who  were  all  rejoicing  in  hope  of  a  speedy  dissolution. 
Preached  at  Kendalshire,  and  visited  one  of  the  bands  there,  who 
walked  through  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death,  and  feared  no 
evil.  I  prayed  by  a  seventh  in  Bristol,  who  triumphed  over  the  King 
of  terrors.    If  God  be  not  with  us,  who  hath  begotten  us  these?" 

May  20th,  "  I  Avas  called  to  a  dying  woman,  who  confessed  she  had 
often  railed  at  me  in  her  health,  but  was  now  constrained  to  send  for 
me,  and  ask  my  pardon,  or  she  could  not  die  in  peace.  We  prayed 
our  Lord  to  speak  peace  and  pardon  to  her  soul.  Several  such  in- 
stances we  have  had  of  scoffers,  when  their  feet  stumble  on  the 
dark  mountains.  May  22d,  I  preached  a  funeral  sermon  for  our 
sister  Lellington,  and  attended  the  corpse  to  the  grave,  where  we 
rejoiced  in  hope  of  quickly  following  her.  I  gave  an  exhortation  to 
repentance,  though  satan  greatly  withstood  me :  thereby  teaching 
me,  never  to  let  go  unwarned,  the  poor  sinners  that  come  on  such 
occasions.  Passed  the  night  with  my  brother  at  Kingswood,  in 
watching  unto  prayer.  I  wish  this  primitive  custom  were  revived 
among  all  our  brethren.  The  word  of  God  encourages  us,  to  be  in 
watchings  often.  By  two  o'clock  I  returned  to  Bristol,  and  at  five 
found  strength  to  expound  in  the  new  room."    May  30th,  he  observes, 

I  passed  an  hour  with  a  spiritual  Quaker,  and  rejoiced  to  find,  we 
were  both  of  the  same  religion." — I  apprehend  that  all  men,  who 
have  true  christian  experience,  are  of  the  same  religion  ;  however 
they  may  difter  in  opinion  or  modes  of  worship.  They  are  the  one 
fold,  under  the  one  true  Shepherd.  If  all  true  Christians  would 
consider  this  point  as  they  ought,  there  would  soon  be  an  end  of 
disputation  among  them,  and  brotherly  love  would  take  place. 

May  3Ist,  "  Throughout  this  day,  I  found  my  strength  increase 
with  my  labor.  I  read  in  the  society,  my  account  of  Hannah  Rich- 
ardson.^ She  being  dead,  yet  spake  so  powerfully  to  our  hearts,  that 
my  voice  was  lost  in  the  sorrowful  sighing  of  such  as  be  in  captivity. 
To  several,  God  showed  himself  the  God  of  consolation ;  particularly 
to  two  young  Welchmen,  whom  his  providence  sent  hither  from 
Caermarthen.  They  had  heard  most  dreadful  stories  of  us,  Arminians, 
Freewillers,  Perfectionists,  Papists,  which  all  vanished  like  smoke, 
when  they  came  to  hear  with  their  own  ears.  God  applied  to  their 
hearts  the  word  of  his  power.  I  took  them  to  my  lodgings,  and 
stocked  them  with  books  ;  then  sent  them  away,  recommended  to  the 
grace  of  God,  which  bringeth  salvation  to  all  men." 

*  This  account  was  printed.   See  Mr.  John  Wesley's  Works,  vol.  xiii.  p.  213. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY.  Hf' 

June  16th,  "  I  preached  in  Kingswood,  on  the  dreadful  words, 
'  SELL  ALL.'  How  has  the  devil  baffled  those  teachers,  who  for  fear 
of  setting  men  upon  works,  forbear  urging  this  first  universal  duty  ! 
If  enforcing  Christ's  words  be  to  preach  works,  I  hope  I  shall  preach 
works  as  long  as  I  live."  It  is  certain  however,  that  Mr.  Wesley  did 
not  luidcrstand  our  Lord's  words  literally,  but  as  teaching  us  to  put 
away  every  thing  we  know  to  be  sinful,  how  advantageous  soever  it 
may  be  to  our  temporal  interest,  or  agreeable  to  our  inclination;  and 
that  we  should  omit  no  opportunity  of  doing  all  the  good  in  our 
power. 

July  11th,  Mr.  Wesley  preached  five  times  this  day:  at  Bristol, 
twice  at  Kingswood,  at  a  place  called  Sawford,  and  at  Bath.  He 
observes,  "  Satan  took  it  ill  to  be  attacked  in  his  head  quarters,  that 
Sodom  of  our  land,  Bath.  He  raged  horribly  in  his  children.  They 
went  out,  and  came  back  again,  and  mocked,  and  at  last  roared,  as 
if  each  man's  name  had  been  Legion.  The  sincere  were  melted  into 
tears,  and  strong  desires  of  salvation."  It  is  pleasing  to  reflect  on  the 
change  which  has  taken  place  in  Bath,  since  the  time  of  which  Mr. 
Wesley  is  here  speaking.  God  has  raised  up  many  faithful  witnesses 
of  his  truth,  both  among  the  Methodists,  and  among  Lady  Hunting- 
don's people,  who  have  been  ornaments  to  the  christian  profession : 
and  at  present  the  gospel  is  preached  there,  without  molestation. 

July  13th,  he  set  out  for  Cardiff",  and  on  the  15th,  rode  on  with 
Mr.  Wells,  Mr.  Hodges,  and  others  to  Fonmon  Castle.  Mr.  Wesley 
adds,  "  Mr.  Jones,  who  had  sent  forme,  received  me  very  courteously. 
He  civilly  apologized  for  the  first  question,  which  he  asked  me 
as  a  magistrate  :  *  Whether  I  was  a  Papist  ?  or  whether  I  was  a 
member  of  the  Established  Church  of  England?"  He  was  fully  satis- 
fied with  my  answers ;  and  I  found  we  were  cotemporaries  at  the 
same  college.  After  dinner  he  sent  to  Porthkerry,  where,  at  his  desire, 
Mr.  Richards  the  minister  lent  me  his  pulpit.  I  preached,  on,  '  God  so 
loved  the  world,'  &c.  Never  hath  he  given  me  more  convincing  words. 
The  flock  and  their  shepherd  were  deeply  aflected.  After  sermon, 
Mr.  Richards  begged  my  pardon  for  having  believed  the  strange  re- 
ports circulated  concerning  me.  God  had  now  spoken  the  contrary 
to  his  heart,  and  to  the  hearts  of  his  people.  I  yielded  to  Mr.  Jones's 
importunity,  and  agreed  to  delay  my  return  to  Bristol,  that  I  might 
preach  here  once  more,  and  spend  a  night  at  the  castle." 

July  17th,  he  met  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jones  at  Mr.  Richards's,  where 
he  again  preached,  and  in  the  evening  went  to  the  castle.  Mr.  Wes- 
ley adds,  "  We  ate  our  bread  with  gladness  and  singleness  of  heart, 
and  at  seven  o'clock  I  preached  to  some  hundreds  in  the  court-yard. 
My  three  brethren,  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Richards,  Wells,  and  Hodges, 
stood  in  the  midst  of  the  people,  and  kneeled  on  the  ground  in  prayer, 
and  cried  after  the  Son  of  David.  He  breathed  into  our  souls  strong 
desires.  O !  that  he  may  confirm,  increase,  and  satisfy  them.  The 
14 


158 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  KEV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


voice  of  thanksgiving  was  heard  in  this  place.  Before  and  after  sup- 
per, we  sang,  and  blessed  God  with  joyful  lips.  They  in  the  parlor 
and  kitchen,  were  continually  honoring  him,  by  offering  up  praise. 
I  thought  it  looked  like  the  house  of  faithful  Abraham.  The  next 
day,  July  18th,  I  took  sweet  counsel  with  Mr.  Jones  alone.  The  seed 
is  sown  in  his  heart,  and  will  bring  forth  fruit  unto  perfection.  His 
wife  joined  us,  and  I  commended  them  to  the  grace  of  God  in  earnest 
prayer,  and  then  went  on  my  way  rejoicing." 

Mr.  Wesley  now  returned  to  Bristol :  and  on  August  the  3d,  he 
preached  the  funeral  sermon  of  Mrs.  Peacock,  who  died  in  the  Lord 
most  triumphantly.  He  observes,  "  She  was  always  praising  God 
for  giving  her  such  patience.  All  her  desires  were  unto  the  Lord, 
and  she  continued  calling  upon  him,  in  all  the  confidence  of  love,  till 
he  received  her  into  his  more  immediate  presence.  At  the  sight  of 
her  coffin,  my  soul  was  moved  within  me,  and  struggled  as  a  bird  to 
break  its  cage.  Some  relief  I  found  in  tears ;  but  still  was  so  over- 
powered, that,  unless  God  had  abated  the  vehemence  of  my  desires, 
I  could  have  had  no  utterance.  The  whole  congregation  partook  with 
me,  in  the  blessedness  of  mourning.  August  6th,  coming  to  pray  by 
a  poor  Welch  woman,  she  began  with  me,  '  Blessed  be  God  that 
ever  I  heard  you  !  Jesus,  my  Jesus,  has  heard  me  on  a  bed  of  sick- 
ness. He  is  in  my  heart ;  he  is  my  strength ;  none  shall  pluck  me 
out  of  his  hands.  I  cannot  leave  him,  and  he  will  not  leave  me.  O  ! 
do  not  let  me  ask  for  death,  if  thou  wouldst  have  me  live.  I  know 
thou  canst  keep  me.  If  thou  wouldst  have  me  live,  let  me  live 
humbly  with  thee  all  my  days.'  I  sat  and  heard  her  sing  the  new 
song,  till  even  my  hard  heart  was  melted.  She  glorified  the  Saviour 
of  the  world,  who  would  have  all  men  to  be  saved.  '  I  know  it,' 
said  she  ;  '  he  would  not  have  one  sinner  lost.  Believe,  and  he  will 
give  you  all  that,  which  he  has  given  me.'  "  Surely  the  doctrine 
which  these  men  preached,  was  the  true  gospel  of  God  our  Saviour. 
It  not  only  improves  the  understanding,  but  it  gives  strength  and 
firmness  of  mind  to  the  most  weak  and  ignorant,  enabling  them  to 
triumph  over  the  severest  afflictions  to  which  human  life  is  subject. 
Here  is  a  poor  illiterate  Welch  woman,  who  not  only  rises  superior  to 
sickness  and  death,  but  talks  in  a  rational  scriptural  manner,  of  the 
deep  things  of  God  !  Show  me  any  system  of  philosophy,  any  mere 
speculative  notions  of  divinity,  any  other  way  of  preaching  the  gospel, 
which  produces  the  same  eff'ects  on  the  human  mind  in  the  same  cir- 
cumstances :  then  I  may  doubt  whether  this  be  the  true  gospel. 

On  the  24th  of  this  month  Mr.  Wesley,  in  company  with  F.  Farley, 
paid  another  visit  to  his  friends  in  Wales,  and  again  in  September, 
staying  only  a  few  days  each  time.  Mr.  Jones,  of  Fonmon  castle, 
accompanied  him  in  his  return  from  the  last  visit ;  being  desirous  to 
see  the  wonderful  effects  of  the  gospel  among  the  wild  ignorant 
colliers  of  Kingswood.    Thither  Mr.  Wesley  took  him  on  the  20th  of 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


169 


September,  and  says,  "  It  was  a  glorious  time  at  the  society,  where 
God  called  forth  his  witnesses.  Our  guest  was  filled  with  consolation, 
and  acknowledged  that  God  was  with  us  of  a  truth.  I  met  the  bands, 
and  strongly  urged  them  to  press  towards  the  mark.  Read  them  a 
letter  full  of  threatenings  to  take  our  house  by  violence.  We  laughed 
our  enemies  to  scorn  :  faith  saw  the  mountain  full  of  horsemen  and 
chariots  of  fire.  Our  brother  from  W ales  was  compelled  to  bear  his 
testimony,  and  declare  before  all  what  God  had  done  for  his  soul. 
He  warned  us  to  prepare  for  the  storm  which  would  surely  fall  upon 
us,  if  the  work  went  on.  His  artless  Avords  were  greatly  blessed  to 
us  all ;  and  our  hearts  were  bowed  and  warmed  by  the  spirit  of  love, 
as  the  heart  of  one  man." 

September  22.  "  Mr.  Jones  wished  to  take  me  to  some  of  his  great 
friends  in  the  city ;  particularly  to  a  counsellor,  about  the  threatened 
seizure  of  our  school.  I  feared  nothing  but  trusting  to  an  arm  of 
flesh  :  our  safety  is,  to  be  still.  However,  at  his  importunity  I  went 
with  him  a  little  way,  then  turned  back,  and  at  last  agreed  to  go  with 
him  to  Justice  C  r,  the  most  forward  of  our  adversaries.  He  re- 
ceived us  courteously.  I  said,  I  came  to  wait  upon  him  in  respect  to  his 
office,  having  heard  his  name  mentioned  among  some,  who  were  of- 
fended at  the  good  we  did  to  the  poor  colliers :  that  I  should  be  sorry  to 
give  any  just  cause  of  complaint,  and  was  willing  to  know  if  any  had 
been  made  :  that  many  idle  reports  were  spread,  as  if  he  should  coun- 
tenance the  violence  of  those  who  had  seized  the  house  of  Mr.  C  

and  now  threatened  to  take  away  the  colliers'  school.  He  said  'it 
would  make  a  good  workhouse.'  I  caught  hold  of  the  expression, 
and  replied  it  is  a  workhouse  already.  '  Ay,'  said  he, '  but  what  work 
is  done  there?'  I  answered,  '  we  work  the  works  of  God,  which  man 
cannot  hinder.'  '  But  you  occasion  the  increase  of  the  poor.'  '  Sir,  you 
are  misinformed ;  the  reverse  of  that  is  true.  None  of  our  society  are 
chargeable  to  you ;  even  those  who  were  so,  before  they  heard  us, 
are  not  so  now ;  the  men  who  spent  all  their  wages  at  the  alehouse, 
now  never  go  there  at  all,  but  keep  their  money  to  maintain  their 
families,  and  have  to  give  to  those  who  want.  Notorious  swearers, 
have  now  only  the  praises  of  God  in  their  mouths.  The  good  done 
among  them  is  indisputable ;  our  worst  enemies  cannot  deny  it.  No 
one  who  hears  us,  continues  either  to  swear  or  drink.'  '  If  I  thought 
so,'  he  hastily  replied,  {in  eodem  luio  hcesitans)  '  I  would  come  and 
hear  you  myself  I  desired  he  would  ;  and  said,  the  grace  of  God 
was  as  sufficient  for  him  as  for  our  colliers,  and  who  knew  but  he 
might  be  converted  among  us? 

"  I  gave  him  to  understand,  that  Mr.  Jones  was  in  the  commission 
of  the  peace,  who  then  asked  him  on  what  pretence  they  had  seized 

Mr.  C  's  house?    He  utterly  denied  having  had  any  hand  in  it, 

and  said  he  should  not  at  all  concern  himself.  '  For  if  what  you  do, 
you  do  for  gain,  you  have  your  reward  :  if  for  the  sake  of  God,  he  will 


1§$\  THE  LIFE  OF  THE  EEV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 

recompense  you.  I  am  of  Gamaliel's  mind,  if  this  comisel  or  work 
be  of  men,  it  will  come  to  nought,  but  if  it  be  of  God — '  I  proceeded, 
'  ye  cannot  overthrow  it,  lest  haply  ye  be  found  to  fight  against  God. 
Follow  therefore  Gamaliel's  advice ;  take  heed  to  yourselves,  refrain 
from  these  men,  and  let  them  alone.'  He  seemed  determined  so  to  do, 
and  thus,  through  the  blessing  of  God,  we  parted  friends. 

In  our  way  home  I  admired  the  hand  which  directs  all  our  paths. 
In  the  evening  at  Bristol,  we  found  under  the  word,  that  there  is  none 
like  unto  the  God  of  Jeshurun.  It  was  a  time  of  sweet  refreshment. 
Just  when  I  had  done,  my  brother  came  in  from  London,  as  if  sent 
on  purpose  to  be  comforted  together  with  us.^  He  exhorted  and 
prayed  with  the  congregation  for  another  half  hour.  Then  we  went  to 
our  friend  Vigers,  and  for  an  hour  or  two  longer  our  souls  were  satis- 
fied as  with  marrow  and  fatness,  while  our  mouth  praised  God  with 
joyful  lips." 

I  find  no  account  of  Mr.  Wesley's  labors  for  the  year  1742.  In  the 
beginning  of  February,  1743,  he  was  employed  with  his  brother  Mr. 
John  Wesley  in  visiting  the  classes  in  London, f  and  makes  an  obser- 
vation, which  deserves  the  most  serious  consideration  both  of  preach- 
ers and  people.  "  One  among  the  classes."  says  he,  told  my  brother, 
that  she  had  a  constant  sense  of  forgiveness ;  and  he  let  her  pass.  I 
could  not  help  proving  her  further  ;  and  then  the  justified  sirmer  ap- 
peared full  of  the  gall  of  bitterness.  She  said  again  and  again, 
of  a  sister  present,  I  do  not  love  her,  I  hate  her,  &c.  I  assured  her 
that  if  an  angel  from  heaven  told  me  she  was  justified,  I  would  not 
believe  him,  for  she  was  a  murderer.  As  such  we  prayed  for  her, 
and  she  was  convinced  of  unbelief  I  fear  we  have  many  such  believers 
among  us."  Mr.  Wesley  was  no  friend  to  an  over  hasty  admission 
of  members  into  the  society,  which  he  thought  hurtful.  He  clearly 
saw  two  errors  into  which  the  Methodist  preachers  are  continually  in 
danger  of  falling.  Every  assistant  is  desirous  of  making  the  numbers 
in  the  diff'erent  societies  over  which  he  has  presided,  appear  as 
high  as  possible,  at  the  yearly  conference.  This  becomes  a  strong 
temptation  to  take  improper  persons  into  the  society,  whose  life  and 
conversation  do  no  credit  to  religion.  Every  preacher  in  the  Metho- 
dist connexion,  is  desirous  of  making  as  many  friends  to  himself  as 
possible  among  the  people ;  and  this  becomes  a  temptation  to  omit 
reproof  where  it  is  necessary,  to  flatter  the  professions  of  some,  who 
deserve  no  credit,  and  to  speak  of  others  as  being  in  a  state  of  grace, 
to  which  they  have  no  claim.  I  sincerely  wish  that  every  preacher 
may  carefully  avoid  these  dreadful  precipices,  where  he  is  in  constant 
danger  of  destroying  both  himself  and  others. 

In  the  latter  end  of  February,  Mr.  Wesley  went  down  to  Bath  and 
Bristol :  and  here,  and  in  the  neighboring  places,  perhaps  also  in 

*  This  exactly  accords  with  Mr.  John  Wesley's  printed  Journal.  See  his  Works,  vol. 
xxxviii.  p.  5. 

t  See  again,  vol.  xxxviii.  p.  133. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY.  fM 

Wales  (for  his  Journal  does  not  mention  particulars)  he  continued  his 
labors  till  the  17th  of  May,  when  he  set  out  for  the  North.  He 
preached  at  Painswick,  admitted  twelve  new  members  into  the  soci- 
ety, and  then  visited  Stroud,  Evesham,  and  several  other  places  ;  and 
on  the  20th,  he  observes,  "I  got  once  more  to  our  dear  colliers  at 
Wednesbury.  Here  the  seed  has  taken  root,  and  many  are  added  to 
the  church.  A  society  of  more  than  three  hundred,  are  seeking  full 
redemption  in  the  cleansing  blood  of  Christ.  The  enemy  rages  ex- 
ceedingly, and  preaches  against  them.  A  few  here  have  returned 
railing  for  railing;  but  the  generality  have  behaved  as  the  followers 
of  Christ  Jesus.  May  21,  I  spent  the  morning  in  conference  with 
several  who  have  received  the  atonement  under  my  brother's  minis- 
try. I  saw  the  piece  of  ground  to  build  a  chapel  upon,  given  us  by 
a  Dissenter.  I  walked  with  many  of  our  brethren  to  Walsal,  singing 
as  we  went  We  were  received  with  the  old  complaint,  '  Behold 
these  that  turn  the  world  upside  down,  are  come  hither  also.'  We 
walked  through  the  town,  amidst  the  noisy  greetings  of  our  enemies. 
I  stood  on  the  steps  of  the  market-house.  An  host  of  men  came 
against  us;  and  they  lifted  up  their  voice  and  raged  horribly.  I 
preached  from  these  words,  '  But  none  of  these  things  move  me ; 
neither  count  I  my  life  dear  unto  myself,  so  that  I  might  finish  my 
course  with  joy,'  &c.  The  street  was  full  of  fierce  Ephesian  beasts, 
(the  principal  man  setting  them  on)  who  roared  and  shouted,  and 
threw  stones  incessantly.  At  the  conclusion  a  stream  of  rufiians  was 
suffered  to  beat  me  down  from  the  steps ;  I  rose,  and  having  given 
the  blessing,  was  beat  down  again,  and  so  a  third  time.  When  we 
had  returned  thanks  to  the  God  of  our  salvation,  I  then  from  the 
steps  bid  them  depart  in  peace,  and  walked  through  the  thickest  of 
the  rioters.  They  reviled  us,  but  had  no  commission  to  touch  a  hair 
of  our  head.  May  22,  I  preached  to  between  one  and  two  thousand 
peaceable  people,  at  Birmingham,  and  again  at  Wednesbury  in  the 
evening.  On  the  23d,  I  took  my  leave  in  those  words,  '  Confirming 
the  souls  of  the  disciples,  and  exhorting  them  to  continue  in  the  faith; 
and  that  we  must  through  much  tribulation  enter  into  the  kingdom 
of  heaven.'  With  many  tears,  and  blessings,  they  sent  me  away, 
recommended  to  the  grace  of  God." 

May  24,  Mr.  Wesley  reached  Nottingham,  having  preached  at  two 
or  three  places  in  his  way  thither  from  Wednesbury.  At  two  o'clock, 
he  went  to  the  Market-cross,  and  proclaimed  the  Saviour  of  all  men ; 
and  in  the  evening  expounded,  at  their  request,  to  Mr.  Howe's  society. 
The  next  day  he  was  at  the  cross  again ;  he  observes,  "  There  was 
not  a  breath  of  opposition,  but  a  storm  must  follow  this  calm.  Sev- 
eral persons  joined  me  at  the  inn,  in  prayer  and  thanksgiving.  One 
gave  me  a  kind  caution,  for  which  I  sincerely  thanked  him.  '  Mr. 
Rogers  did  run  well,  and  preached  the  truth,  as  you  do  here;  but 
what  a  sad  end  has  he  made  of  it !  Take  care  you  do  not  leave  the 
14*  21 


162 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


church  Hke  him.'  In  the  afternoon  I  came  to  the  flock  in  Sheffield, 
who  are  as  sheep  among  wolves;  the  minister  having  so  stirred  up 
the  people,  that  they  are  ready  to  tear  the  Methodists  in  pieces.  At 
six  o'clock,  I  went  to  the  society  house,  next  door  to  our  brother  Ben- 
net's.  Hell  from  beneath  was  moved  to  oppose  us.  As  soon  as  I  was 
in  the  desk,  with  David  Taylor,  the  floods  began  to  lift  up  their  voice. 
An  officer  in  the  army,  contradicted  and  blasphemed.  I  took  no 
notice  of  him,  but  sang  on.  The  stones  flew  thick,  striking  the  desk 
and  the  people.  To  save  them,  and  the  house  from  being  pulled 
down,  T  gave  out,  that  I  should  preach  in  the  street,  and  look  them 
in  the  face.  The  whole  army  of  the  alien  Chaldeans  followed  me. 
The  captain  laid  hold  on  me,  and  began  rioting :  I  gave  him  for  an- 
swer, '  A  word  in  season,  or  advice  to  a  soldier.'  I  then  prayed,  par- 
ticularly for  his  Majesty  King  George,  and  preached  the  gospel  with 
much  contention.  The  stones  often  struck  me  in  the  face.  I  prayed 
for  sinners,  as  servants  of  their  master,  the  devil ;  upon  which  the 
captain  ran  at  me  with  great  fury,  threatening  revenge  for  abusing,  as 
he  called  it,  '  The  king  his  master.'  He  forced  his  way  through  the 
brethren,  drew  his  sword,  and  presented  it  to  my  breast.  I  immedi- 
ately opened  my  breast,  and  fixing  my  eye  on  his,  and  smiling  in  his 
face,  calmly  said,  'I  fear  God  and  honor  the  king.'  His  countenance 
fell  in  a  moment,  he  fetched  a  deep  sigh,  and  putting  up  his  sword, 
quietly  left  the  place.  He  had  said  to  one  of  the  company  who  after- 
wards informed  me,  '  You  shall  see  if  I  do  but  hold  my  sword  to  his 
breast,  he  will  faint  away.'  So  perhaps  I  should,  had  I  only  his  prin- 
ciples to  trust  to;  but  if  at  that  time  I  was  not  afraid,  no  thanks  to 
my  natural  courage.  We  returned  to  our  brother  Bennet's,  and  gave 
ourselves  up  to  prayer.  The  rioters  followed,  and  exceeded  in  out- 
rage, all  I  have  seen  before.  Those  at  Moorfields,  Cardifl",  and  Wal- 
sal,  were  lambs  to  these.  As  there  is  no  king  in  Israel,  I  mean  no 
magistrate  in  Sheffield,  every  man  '  doeth  as  seemeth  good  in  his  own 
eyes.'  "  The  mob  now  formed  the  design  of  pulling  down  the  society 
house,  and  set  upon  their  work,  while  Mr.  Wesley  and  the  people 
were  praying  and  praising  God  within.  "  It  was  a  glorious  time,"  says 
he,  "  with  us  :  every  word  of  exhortation  sunk  deep,  every  prayer  was 
sealed,  and  many  found  the  spirit  of  glory  resting  upon  them."  The 
next  day  the  house  was  completely  pulled  down,  not  one  stone  being 
left  upon  another  :  "  Nevertheless,"  said  Mr.  Wesley  to  a  friend,  the 
foundation  standeth  sure,  and  our  house  not  made  with  hands,  eter- 
nal in  the  heavens."  This  day  he  preached  again  in  the  street,  some- 
what more  quietly  than  before.  In  the  evening  the  rioters  became 
very  noisy  again,  and  threatened  to  pull  down  the  house,  where  Mr. 
Wesley  lodged.  He  went  out  to  them ;  read  the  riot-act,  and  made 
a  suitable  exhortation,  and  they  soon  afterwards  separated,  and  peace 
was  restored. 

May  27.  At  five  in  the  morning,  he  took  leave  of  the  society  in 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


1635 


these  words,  "Confirming  the  souls  of  the  disciples,  and  exhorting 
them  to  continue  in  the  faith,  and  that  we  must  through  much  tribu- 
lation enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God."  He  observes,  "Our  hearts 
were  knit  together,  and  greatly  comforted :  we  rejoiced  in  hope  of  the 
glorious  appearing  of  the  great  God,  who  had  now  delivered  us  out 
of  the  mouth  of  the  lions.  David  Taylor  informed  me,  that  the  peo- 
ple of  Thorpe,  through  which  we  should  pass,  were  exceedingly  mad 
against  us.  So  we  found  them  as  we  approached  the  place,  and 
were  turning  down  the  lane  to  Barley  Hall.  The  ambush  rose,  and 
assaulted  us  with  stones,  eggs  and  dirt.  My  horse  flew  from  side  to 
side,  till  he  found  his  way  through  them.  They  wounded  D.  Taylor 
in  the  forehead,  and  the  wound  bled  much.  I  turned  back,  and  ask- 
ed, what  was  the  reason  a  clergyman  could  not  pass  without  such 
treatment?  At  first  the  rioters  scattered,  but  their  captain  rallying 
them,  answered  with  horrible  imprecations  and  stones.  My  horse 
took  fright,  and  turned  away  with  me  down  a  steep  hill.  The  enemy 
pursued  me  from  afar,  and  followed  shouting.  Blessed  be  God,  I  re- 
ceived no  hurt,  only  from  the  eggs  and  dirt.  My  clothes  indeed  ab- 
horred me,  and  my  arm  pained  me  a  little  from  a  blow  I  received  at 
Sheffield."  This  conduct  is  undoubtedly  disgraceful  to  luimanity : 
I  hope  the  present  inhabitants  of  these  towns  will  endeavor  to  retrieve 
their  character,  by  a  peaceable  and  obliging  behavior  on  all  occasions. 
Mr.  Wesley  now  spent  an  hour  or  two,  with  some  quiet  sincere  per- 
sons, assembled  at  Barley  Hall.  By  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  he 
reached  Birstal,  a  land  of  rest.  Here  they  had  peace  in  all  their 
borders.  Great  multitudes  were  bowed  down,  by  the  victorious  pow- 
er of  gospel  truth.  "It  was,"  says  Mr.  Wesley,  "a  time  much  to  be 
remembered,  for  the  gracious  rain,  wherewith  our  God  refreshed  us." 
The  next  day  he  preached  again  in  the  morning  and  at  noon,  to  this 
child-like  people,  and  again  in  the  afternoon  at  Ormsby,  in  his  way 
to  Leeds.  May  29,  he  informs  us  in  his  Journal,  that,  not  a  year  be- 
fore he  had  come  to  Leeds,  and  found  no  man  who  cared  for  the 
things  of  God  :  "  But,"  he  observes,  "  a  spark  has  now  fallen  in  this 
place  also,  and  it  will  kindle  a  great  flame.  I  met  the  infant  society, 
about  fifty  in  number,  most  of  them  justified,  and  exhorted  them  to 
walk  circumspectly.  At  seven  o'clock,  I  stood  before  Mr.  Shent's 
door,  and  cried  to  thousands,  '  Ho  !  every  one  that  thirsteth,  come  ye 
to  the  waters.'  The  word  took  place.  They  gave  diligent  heed  to 
it,  and  seemed  a  people  prepared  for  the  Lord.  I  went  to  the  great 
church,  and  was  showed  to  the  ministers'  pew.  Five  clergymen 
were  there,  who  a  little  confounded  me,  by  making  me  take  place  of 
my  elders  and  betters.  They  obliged  me  to  help  in  administering  the 
sacrament.  I  assisted  Avith  eight  more  ministers,  for  whom  my  soul 
was  much  drawn  out  in  prayer.  But  I  dreaded  their  favor,  more 
than  the  stones  at  Sheffield."  What  Mr.  Wesley  here  speaks  re- 
specting the  clergymen  present,  must  not  be  understood  as  implying 


164 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


either  disrespect  or  reproach.  If  he  had  any  fault  in  his  judgment 
of  the  clergy,  it  was  that  he  thought  too  highly  of  the  clerical  office. 
The  fear  which  he  here  speaks  of,  concerned  himself  only.  He  was 
fully  convinced,  that  the  manner  in  which  he  now  preached  the  gospel, 
was  not  contrary  to  any  written  law  of  God  or  man  :  from  the  circum- 
stance of  being  excluded  from  the  churches,  from  the  satisfaction  he 
experienced  in  himself,  in  carrying  the  gospel  to  those  who  would  not 
come  to  it,  and  from  the  effect  of  his  labors  on  multitudes  of  the  people, 
he  was  fully  satisfied  that  his  present  plan  of  proceeding  was  agreea- 
ble to  the  will  of  God.  But  he  found,  that  the  favors  and  friendly 
attentions  of  those  who  disapproved  of  it,  tended  to  weaken  his  reso- 
lution to  persevere  in  it.  Kindness  has  a  wonderfully  assimilating 
influence  on  the  human  mind  :  it  melts  down  opposition  in  a  generous 
heart;  and  while  a  man  feels  nothing  but  the  most  agreeable  sensa- 
tions from  it,  he  is  insensibly  changed  into  a  conformity  with  those 
who  show  him  favor.  Many  have  been  turned  from  their  duty,  by 
kindness  and  favor,  who  could  not  be  moved  by  persecution.  Mr. 
Wesley  felt  the  force  of  this  assimilating  principle,  and  hence  he 
says,  that  he  "dreaded  their  favor  more  than  the  stones  at  Sheffield."' 

At  two  o'clock,  he  found  a  vast  multitude  waiting  for  the  word, 
and  strongly  exhorted  them  to  repent  and  believe  the  gospel,  tliat  their 
sins  might  be  blotted  out.  He  preached  again  at  Bristol,  calling  upon 
the  poor  and  maimed,  the  halt  and  blind  to  come  to  the  great  supper. 
He  observes,  "  My  Lord  disposed  many  hearts,  I  doubt  not,  to  accept 
the  invitation.  He  showed  me  several  witnesses  of  the  truth,  which 
they  have  now  received  in  the  love  of  it.  I  had  a  blessed  parting 
with  the  society.  May  30,  my  horse  threw  me,  and  fell  upon  me. 
My  companion  thought  I  had  broken  my  neck ;  but  my  leg  only  was 
bruised,  my  hand  sprained,  and  my  head  stunned,  which  spoiled  me 
from  making  h3^mns,  or  thinking  at  all  till  the  next  day,  when  the 
Lord  brought  us  safe  to  NcAvcastle.  At  seven  o'clock  I  went  to  the 
room,  which  will  contain  about  two  thousand  persons.  We  rejoiced 
for  the  consolation  of  our  mutual  faith." 

Many  persons  at  Newcastle,  had  been  greatly  agitated  during  the 
preaching,  falling  into  convulsive  motions  with  strong  cries.  At  their 
first  preaching  of  the  gospel,  many,  as  he  justly  observes,  were  un- 
doubtedly struck  down  into  the  deepest  distress,  which  afi^ected  both 
soul  and  body.  Mr.  Wesley  believed,  that  such  instances  might  still 
continue  to  occur.  But  he  soon  perceived,  that  these  natural  affec- 
tions, and  the  outward  expressions  of  them,  were  easily  imitated; 
and  the  persons  at  first  so  aff'ected,  being  much  noticed  and  talked  of, 
this  became  a  temptation  to  others  to  imitate  their  state.    He  says, 

I  have  already  detected  many  counterfeits."  I  recollect  two  instan- 
ces, mentioned  in  his  Journal  before  this  period.  A  woman  at  Kings- 
wood  was  greatly  agitated  under  his  preaching,  and  cried  much : 
he  turned  to  her  and  said,  "I  do  not  think  any  better  of  you,  for 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


166 


crying."  (fee.  and  she  presently  became  quite  calm.  A  young  girl  at 
Bristol  fell  into  fits,  and  seemed  like  one  in  a  trance.  She  continued 
this  practice  for  some  time;  but  at  length  acknowledged  she  had  done 
it,  that  Mr.  W esley  might  take  notice  of  her.  No  man  ever  had  a  more 
tender  sympathy  with  those  in  distress,  than  Mr.  Charles  Wesley; 
but  no  man  abhorred  hypocrisy,  or  a  mere  assumed  appearance  of  re- 
ligious concern  more  than  he  did.  Yet  he  did  not  judge  persons  who 
appeared  to  be  so  affected,  till  he  had  the  proper  evidences  on  which 
he  could  form  a  true  judgment ;  but  he  thought  it  prudent  to  give 
them  no  encouragement,  until  some  evidence  of  their  sincerity  ap- 
peared. June  4,  "To-day,"  says  he,  "one  came  who  was  pleased 
to  fall  into  a  fit  for  my  entertainment.  He  beat  himself  heartily  :  I 
thought  it  a  pity  to  hinder  him;  so,  instead  of  singing  over  him,  as 
had  often  been  done,  we  left  him  to  recover  at  his  leisure.  A  girl,  as 
she  began  her  cry,  I  ordered  to  be  carried  out.  Her  convulsions  were 
so  violent,  as  to  take  away  the  use  of  her  limbs,  till  they  laid  her 
without  at  the  door,  and  left  her;  then  she  immediately  found  her 
legs  and  walked  off.  Some  very  unstill  sisters,  who  always  took  care 
to  stand  near  me,  and  tried  who  should  cry  loudest,  since  I  have  had 
them  removed  out  of  my  sight,  have  been  as  quiet  as  lambs.  The 
first  night  I  preached  here,  half  my  words  were  lost,  through  the 
noise  of  their  outcries.  Last  night  before  I  began,  I  gave  public  no- 
tice, that  whosoever  cried,  so  as  to  drown  my  voice,  should  without 
any  man's  hurting  or  judging  them,  be  gently  carried  to  the  furthest 
corner  of  the  room.  But  my  porters  had  no  employment  the  whole 
night !  Yet  the  Lord  was  with  us,  mightily  convincing  of  sin  and 
of  righteousness." 

June  5.  "My  soul  was  revived  by  the  poor  people  at  Chowden; 
and  yet  more  at  Tanfield,  where  I  called  to  great  numbers,  '  Behold 
the  Lamb  of  God,'  6cc.  At  Newcastle  I  preached  in  the  crowded 
square,  chiefly  to  the  backsliders,  whom  I  besought  with  tears  to  be 
reconciled  to  God.  Surely  Jesus  looked  upon  some  of  them  as  he 
looked  upon  Peter.  June  6,  I  had  the  great  comfort  of  recovering 
some  of  those  who  have  drawn  back.  I  trust  we  shall  recover  them 
again  forever.  On  the  8th,  I  spake  to  the  bands  separately,  and  tried 
their  faith.  We  certainly  have  been  too  rash  and  easy  in  allowing 
persons  for  believers  on  their  own  testimony  :  nay,  and  even  persuad- 
ing them  into  a  false  opinion  of  themselves.  Some  souls  it  is  doubt- 
less necessary  to  encourage;  but  it  should  be  done  with  prudence  and 
caution.  To  tell  one  in  darkness  that  he  has  faith,  is  to  keep  him  in 
darkness  still,  or  to  make  him  trust  in  a  false  light ;  a  faith  that 
stands  in  the  words  of  man,  not  in  the  power  of  God.  June  13,  I 
wrote  thus  to  a  son  in  the  gospel,  '  Be  not  over  sure  that  so  many  are 
justified.  By  their  fruits  ye  shall  know  them.  You  will  see  reason 
to  be  more  and  more  deliberate  in  the  judgment  you  pass  on  persons. 
Wait  for  their  conversation.    I  do  not  know  whether  we  can  infalli- 


166 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


bly  pronounce  at  the  time,  that  any  one  is  justified.  I  once  thought 
several  in  that  state,  who,  I  am  now  convinced,  were  under  the  draw- 
ings of  the  Father.  Try  the  spirits  therefore,  lest  you  should  lay  the 
stumbling-block  of  pride  in  their  way,  and  by  supposing  them  to  have 
faith  before  they  have  it,  you  keep  them  out  of  it  forever.' " 

We  may  perceive  by  these  observations,  that  Mr.  Wesley  was  a 
diligent  attentive  watchman  over  the  people.  He  carefully  explored 
the  unfrequented  road  through  which  he  had  to  guide  them,  and  hon- 
estly pointed  out  the  flattering  by-paths  which  led  to  misery  and  dan- 
ger. But  experience  hath  repeatedly  shown,  that  they  who  most 
want  these  salutary  cautions,  are  the  least  disposed  to  receive  them. 
Few  persons  have  sincerity  enough  to  be  thankful  for  advice  which 
tends  to  undeceive  them ;  to  strip  them  of  some  imaginary  comforts, 
and  make  them  think  worse  of  themselves  than  they  did  before.  Pro- 
fessors of  religion  are  commonly  the  most  impatient  of  such  advice. 
It  is  certain,  that  these  cautions  require  great  prudence  and  discern- 
ment, in  applying  them  to  particular  persons  ;  but  in  a  large  body  of 
people,  and  among  a  great  number  of  preachers,  there  is  much  more 
danger  of  flattering  individuals  into  a  false  confidence,  under  a  pre- 
tence of  giving  them  encouragement,  than  of  hindering  their  prog- 
ress by  putting  them  upon  a  close  and  severe  self-examination.  In 
the  one  case  we  tread  a  slippery  path,  in  the  other  we  stand  on  firm 
ground.  At  this  early  period  of  the  present  revival  of  religion,  Mr. 
Wesley  saw  the  necessity  of  making  these  remarks.  He  repeated 
them  frequently  afterwards,  and  has  been  censured  for  so  doing.  I 
wish  the  necessity  of  urging  such  advice  on  the  preachers  and  people, 
may  not  greatly  increase,  while  the  practice  of  doing  it  is  daily  di- 
minished. 

Mr.  Wesley  observes,  that  since  he  had  preached  the  gospel  it 
never  had  greater  success  than  at  this  time  at  Newcastle.  "Yet," 
says  he,  "we  have  no  fits  among  us,  and  I  have  done  nothing  to 
hinder  them,  only  declared  that  I  do  not  think  the  better  of  any  one 
for  crying  out.  June  16,  I  set  out  for  Sunderland,  with  strong  aver- 
sion to  preaching.  I  dragged  myself  to  about  a  thousand  wild  people, 
and  cried,  '  O  Israel,  thou  hast  destroyed  thyself,  but  in  me  is  thy 
help.'  Never  have  I  seen  greater  attention  in  any  people  at  their  first 
hearing  the  word.  We  rode  to  Shields,  went  to  church,  and  the  peo- 
ple flocked  in  crowds  after  me.  The  minister  spake  so  low  that  he 
could  not  be  heard  in  reading  prayers;  but  I  heard  him  loud  enough 
afterwards,  calling  to  the  church  wardens  to  quiet  the  disturbance, 
which  none  but  himself  had  raised.  I  fancy  he  thought  I  should 
preach  in  the  church  where  I  stood,  like  some  of  the  first  Quakers. 
The  clerk  came  to  me  bawling  out,  '  It  was  consecrated  ground,  and  I 
had  no  business  to  preach  on  it.  That  I  was  no  minister,'  &c. — 
When  he  had  cried  himself  out  of  breath,  I  whispered  in  his  ear  that 
I  had  no  intention  to  preach  there.    He  stumbled  on  a  good  saying, 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


167 


*  If  you  have  any  word  of  exhortation  to  the  people,  speak  to  them 
without.'  I  did  so,  to  an  huge  multitude  waiting  in  the  church-yard  : 
many  of  them  very  fierce,  threatening  to  drown  me,  and  what  not ! 
I  walked  through  the  midst  of  them,  and  discoursed  in  strong  awak- 
ening words  on  the  jailor's  question,  'What  must  I  do  to  be  saved.' 
The  church  wardens  and  others  labored  in  vain  to  interrupt  me  by 
throwing  dirt,  and  even  money  among  the  people.  Having  delivered 
my  message,  I  rode  to  the  ferry,  crossed  it,  and  met  as  rough  friends 
on  the  other  side.  The  mob  of  North  Shields  waited  to  salute  me, 
with  the  minister  at  their  head.  He  had  got  a  man  with  a  horn  in- 
stead of  a  trumpet,  and  bid  him  blow,  and  his  companions  shout. 
Others  were  almost  as  violent  in  their  approbation.  We  went  through 
honor  and  dishonor ;  but  neither  of  them  hurt  us,  and  by  six  o'clock 
with  God's  blessing  we  came  safe  to  Newcastle." 

June  19.  Mr.  Wesley  took  leave  of  the  Society  at  Newcastle,  who 
parted  from  him  with  tears  and  many  prayers.  Wherever  he  came, 
he  preached  or  exhorted  as  opportunity  offered,  and  on  the  22d,  reach- 
ed Epworth,  his  native  place.  "  All  who  met  me,"  says  he,  saluted 
me  with  hearty  joy.  At  eight  in  the  evening  I  preached  in  Edward 
Smith's  yard.  July  23,  waking,  I  found  the  Lord  with  me,  even  my 
strong  helper,  the  God  of  whom  cometh  salvation.  I  preached  and 
guarded  some  new  converts  against  spiritual  pride."  The  next  day, 
June  24,  he  arrived  at  Nottingham  ;  and  adds,  "  I  found  my  brother  in 
the  market-place,^  calling  lost  sinners  to  him  who  justifieth  the  ungod- 
ly. He  gave  notice  of  my  preaching  in  the  evening.  At  seven,  many 
thousands  attended  in  deep  silence.  Surely  the  Lord  hath  much  peo- 
ple in  this  place.  W^e  began  a  society  of  nine  members.  June  25,  I 
came  to  Birmingham,  and  the  next  day,  being  Sunday,  several  of  our 
persecuted  brethren  from  Wednesbury,  came  to  me,  whom  I  endeav- 
ored to  comfort.  I  preached  at  eight  and  at  one  o'clock,  no  man  for- 
bidding me.  I  expounded  in  the  evening  to  several  thousands.  In 
the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  I  began  our  society.  The  num- 
ber at  present  is  thirteen." 

June  27.  He  set  out  for  London,  where  he  arrived  on  the  evening 
of  the  28th,  having  visited  Oxford  in  his  way  thither.  July  3,  he 
says,  ''Mr.  Hall,  poor  moravianized  Mr.  Hall,  met  me  at  the  chapel. 
I  did  him  honor  before  the  people.  I  expounded  the  gospel,  as  usual, 
and  strongly  avowed  my  intolerable  attachment  to  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land. Mr.  Meriton  and  Graves  assisted  at  the  sacrament.  July  6, 
I  showed  from  Romans  the  5th,  the  marks  of  justification,  and  over- 
turned the  vain  confidence  of  several.  I  strongly  warned  them 
against  seducers,  and  found  my  heart  knit  to  this  people.  July  8, 
I.  Bray  came  to  persuade  me  not  to  preach  till  the  bishops  should  bid 
me.    They  have  not  yet  forbid  me ;  but  by  the  grace  of  God  I  shall 

•  See  also  Mr.  John  Wesley's  "Works,  vol.  xxviii.  page  151. 


168 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


preach  the  word,  in  season  and  out  of  season,  though  they  and  all 
men  forbid  me."  July  11,  he  left  London,  and  the  day  following  ar- 
rived in  Bristol.  He  stayed  there  only  one  night,  and  then  set  out 
for  Cornwall,  and  on  the  16th,  came  safe  to  St.  Ives.  July  17,  he 
says,  "  I  rose  and  forgot  that  I  had  travelled  from  Newcastle.  I  spake 
with  some  of  this  loving  simple  people,  who  are  as  sheep  in  the  midst 
of  wolves.  The  priests  stir  up  the  people,  and  make  their  minds 
evil  affected  towards  their  brethren.  Yet  the  sons  of  violence  are 
much  checked  by  the  mayor,  an  honest  Presbyterian,  whom  the  Lord 
hath  raised  up." 

Mr.  Wesley  continued  preaching  the  gospel  at  St.  Ives  and  the 
places  adjacent,  till  the  beginning  of  August.  During  this  time,  he 
and  the  people  passed  through  many  difficulties  and  dangers,  the 
rioters  being  numerous,  and  almost  as  desperate  as  those  at  Sheffield. 
The  mayor  informed  Mr.  Wesley  that  the  ministers  were  the  prin- 
cipal authors  of  all  the  mischief  In  their  sermons  they  continually 
represented  Mr.  Wesley  and  the  preachers,  as  Popish  emissaries,  and 
urged  the  enraged  multitude  to  take  all  manner  of  means  to  stop 
them.  While  he  was  preaching  at  St.  Ives  on  the  26th,  he  observes, 
"  All  was  quiet,  the  mayor  having  declared  his  resolution  to  swear 
twenty  more  constables,  and  suppress  the  rioters  by  force  of  arms. 
Their  drum  he  had  seized.  All  the  time  I  was  preaching  he  stood  at 
a  little  distance  to  awe  the  rioters.  He  has  set  the  whole  town 
against  him,  by  not  giving  us  up  to  their  fury.  But  he  plainly  told 
Mr.  Hoblin,  that  fire  and  fagot  minister,  that  he  would  not  be  per- 
jured to  gratify  any  man's  malice.  He  informed  us  that  he  had  often 
heard  Mr.  Hoblin  say,  they  ought  to  drive  us  away  by  blows,  not  by 
arguments." 

During  the  riots  he  one  day  observes,  '-I  went  to  church  and  heard 
that  terrible  chapter,  Jeremiah  the  7th,  enough,  one  would  think,  to 
make  even  this  hardened  people  tremble.  Never  were  words  more 
applicable  than  those,  '  Stand  in  the  gate  of  the  Lord's  house,  and 
proclaim  there  this  word,  and  say.  Hear  the  word  of  the  Lord,  all  ye 
of  Judah,  that  enter  in  at  these  gates  to  worship  the  Lord.  Thus 
saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  the  God  of  Israel,  Amend  your  ways 
and  your  doings,  and  I  will  cause  you  to  dwell  in  this  place. 
Trust  ye  not  in  lying  words,  saying,  The  Temple  of  the  Lord,  the 
Temple  of  the  Lord,  the  Temple  of  the  Lord,  are  these. — Behold  ye 
trust  in  lying  words  that  cannot  profit.  Will  ye  steal,  murder,  and 
commit  adultery,  and  swear  falsely — and  come  and  stand  before  me 
in  this  house?'  Ax." 

His  brother  having  summoned  him  to  London,  to  confer  with  the 
heads  of  the  Moravians  and  Calvinists,  he  set  out  on  the  8th  of  Au- 
gust. "  We  had,"  says  he,  "  near  three  hundred  miles  to  travel  in  five 
days.  I  was  willing  to  undertake  the  labor  for  the  sake  of  peace, 
though  the  journey  was  too  great  for  us  and  our  beasts,  which  we  had 


THE  LIFE  OF  THK   REV.   CHARLES  WESLEY. 


169 


used  almost  every  day  for  three  months.  August  12,  hardly  reached  the 
Foundery  by  nine  at  night.  Here  I  heard  that  the  Moravians  would 
not  be  present  at  the  conference.  Spangenberg  indeed  said  he  would, 
but  immediately  left  England.  My  brother  was  come  from  New- 
castle; I.  Nelson  from  Yorkshire;  and  I  from  the  Land's  End,  for 
good  purpose ! " 

October  17.  He  set  out  to  meet  his  brother  at  Nottingham,  who  had 
escaped  with  his  life,  almost  by  miracle,  out  of  the  hands  of  the  mob 
at  Wednesbury.  On  the  21st,  Mr.  Charles  Wesley  observes,  "My 
brother  came,  delivered  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  lions  !  His  clothes 
were  torn  to  tatters — he  looked  like  a  soldier  of  Christ.  The  mob  of 
Wednesbury,  Darlaston,  and  Walsal,  were  permitted  to  take  and 
carry  him  about  for  several  hours,  with  a  full  intent  to  murder  him : 
but  his  work  is  not  yet  finished,  or  he  had  been  now  with  the  souls 
under  the  altar.  October  24, 1  had  a  blessed  parting  from  the  society, 
and  by  night  came  wet  and  weary  to  Birmingham.  On  the  25th, 
was  much  encouraged  by  the  patience  of  our  brethren  from  Wednes- 
bury. They  pressed  me  to  come  and  preach  to  them  in  the  midst  of 
the  town.  It  was  agreed  between  my  brother  and  me,  that  if  they 
asked  me  I  should  go.  Accordingly  we  set  out  in  the  dark,  and  came 
to  Francis  Ward's,  from  whence  my  brother  had  been  carried  last 
Thursday  night.=^  I  found  the  brethren  assembled,  standing  fast  in 
one  mind  and  spirit,  in  nothing  terrified  by  their  adversaries.  The 
word  given  me  for  them,  was,  '  Watch  ye,  stand  fast  in  the  faith,  quit 
yourselves  like  men,  be  strong.'  Jesus  was  with  us  in  the  midst,  and 
covered  us  with  a  covering  of  his  spirit.  Never  was  I  before,  in  so 
primitive  an  assembly.  We  sang  praises  with  courage,  and  could  all 
set  our  seal  to  the  truth  of  our  Lord's  saying,  '  Blessed  are  they  that 
are  persecuted  for  righteousness'  sake.  We  laid  us  down  and  slept, 
and  rose  up  again,  for  the  Lord  sustained  us.  As  soon  as  it  was 
light,  I  walked  down  the  town  and  preached  boldly.  It  was  a  most 
glorious  time :  our  souls  were  satisfied  as  with  marrow  and  fatness : 
and  we  longed  for  our  Lord's  coming  to  confess  us  before  his  Father, 
and  before  his  holy  angels.  We  now  understood  what  it  was  to  re- 
ceive the  word  in  much  affliction,  and  yet  with  joy  in  the  Holy 
Ghost." 

"  I  took  several  new  members  into  the  society  ;  and  among  them, 
the  young  man  whose  arm  had  been  broke,  and  Munchin  upon  trial, 
the  late  captain  of  the  mob.  He  has  been  constantly  under  the  word, 
since  he  rescued  my  brother.  I  asked  him  what  he  thought  of  him  ? 
'•  Think  of  him,'  said  he,  'that he  is  a  man  of  God,  and  God  was  on 
his  side,  when  so  many  of  us  could  not  kill  one  man?  We  rode 
through  the  town  unmolested  on  our  way  to  Birmingham,  where  I 
preached.  I  rode  on  to  Evesham,  and  found  .John  Nelson  preaching, 
and  confirmed  his  word.    October  27,  preached  at  five  in  the  mom— 

*  See  Mr.  John  "Wesley's  Works,  vol.  xxviii.  page  175. 

15  22 


170 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


ing,  then  read  prayers  and  preached  twice  at  Quinton,  and  the  fourth 
time  at  Evesham,  with  great  Uberty." 

October  29th,  he  came  once  more  to  Bristol,  where,  he  observes, 
that  he  had  only  spent  one  day  for  six  months.  On  the  31st  he  set 
out  for  Wales,  and  reached  Cardiff  on  the  first  of  November.  "  The 
gentlemen,"'  says  he,  "had  threatened  great  things  if  I  ever  came 
there  again.  1  called  in  the  midst  of  them,  '  Is  it  nothing  to  you,  all 
ye  that  pass  by,'  &c.  The  love  of  God  constrained  me  to  speak  and 
them  to  hear.  The  word  was  irresistible.  After  it  one  of  the  most 
violent  opposers  took  me  by  the  hand,  and  pressed  me  to  come  and 
see  him.  The  rest  were  equally  civil  all  the  time  I  staid ;  only  one 
drunkard  made  some  disturbance,  and  when  sober  sent  to  ask  my 
pardon.  The  voice  of  praise  and  thanksgiving  was  in  the  society. 
Many  are  grown  in  grace  and  in  the  knowledge  of  our  Lord  and 
Saviour  Jesus  Christ.  I  passed  an  hour  with  the  wife  and  daughter 
of  the  chief  bailiff,  who  are  waiting  as  little  children  for  the  king- 
dom of  God." 

Nov.  6.  Mr.  Wesley  returned  to  Bristol.  On  the  16th  he  preached 
at  Bath,  in  his  way  to  Cirencester,  and  the  Lord  gave  testimony  to 
his  word.  He  travelled  on,  and  preached  at  Evesham,  Gutherton, 
Quinton,  and  Oxford ;  and  on  the  23d,  at  the  Foundery.  He  staid  in 
London,  laboring  in  public  and  private,  for  the  good  of  the  people,  till 
January  30,  1744,  when  he  again  set  out  for  the  North,  recommended 
to  the  grace  of  God  by  all  the  brethren.  On  the  first  of  February,  he 
came  to  Birmingham.  He  observes,  "  A  great  door  is  opened  in 
the  country,  but  there  are  many  adversaries."  The  preacher  at 
Dudley  had  been  cruelly  abused  by  a  mob  of  Papists  and  Dissenters: 
the  Dissenters  being  stirred  by  Mr.  Whiting  their  minister.  "It  is 
probable,"  says  Mr.  Wesley,  "  that  he  would  have  been  miu'dered, 
but  for  an  honest  Quaker,  who  favored  his  escape  by  disguising  him 
in  his  broad  hat  and  drab  colored  coat.  Staffordshire,  at  present 
seems  the  seat  of  war."  Mr.  Wesley  here  uses  the  word  Dissenters 
in  the  common  acceptation,  as  denoting  either  Presbyterians,  Inde- 
pendents, or  Baptists ;  but  which  of  these  denominations  is  here 
intended  I  do  not  know.  No  men  have  cried  out  with  more  vehe- 
mence against  persecution,  when  under  the  rod,  than  the  Dissenters ; 
and  yet  we  find  that  their  principles  and  practices  have  sometimes  been 
at  variance.  I  am  inclined  to  think,  that  the  Friends,  or  Quakers,  as 
they  are  commonly  called,  are  the  only  denomination  of  Christians  in 
England,  of  any  long  standing,  who  have  never  been  guilty  of  per- 
secution, in  some  form  or  other.  Candor  must  acknowledge  that  this 
is  greatly  to  their  praise. 

February  2.  "I  set  out  with  brother  Webb,  for  Wednesbury,  the 
field  of  battle.  We  met  with  variety  of  greetings  on  the  road.  I 
cried  in  the  street,  '  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  which  taketh  away  the 
sins  of  the  world.'    Several  of  our  persecutors  stood  at  a  distance,  but 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


none  offered  to  make  the  least  disturbance.  I  walked  through  the 
blessings  and  curses  of  the  people  (but  the  blessings  exceeded)  to  visit 
Mr.  Egerton's  widow.  Never  have  I  observed  such  bitterness  as  in 
these  opposers.  February  3, 1  preached,  and  prayed  with  the  society, 
and  beat  down  the  fiery  self-avenging  spirit  of  resistance,  which  was 
rising  in  some  to  disgrace,  if  not  to  destroy  the  word  of  God."  Mr. 
Wesley  preached  within  sight  of  Dudley,  and  then  waited  on  the 
friendly  Captain  Dudley,  who  had  stood  in  the  gap,  and  kept  off  per- 
secution at  Tippen-green,  while  it  raged  all  around.  He  then 
returned  in  peace  through  the  enemy's  country. 

The  rioters  now  gave  notice  that  they  would  come  on  the  Tuesday 
following,  and  pull  down  the  houses  and  destroy  the  goods  of  the 
Methodists.  "One  would  think,"  says  Mr.  Wesley,  there  was  no 
king  in  Israel.  There  is  certainly  no  magistrate,  who  will  put  them 
to  shame  in  any  thing.  Mr.  Constable  offered  to  make  oath  that 
their  lives  were  in  danger,  but  the  justice  refused  it,  saying  that  he 
could  do  nothing.  Other  of  our  complahiing  brethren  met  with  the 
same  redress,  being  driven  away  with  revilings.  The  magistrates  do 
not  themselves  tear  off  their  clothes  and  beat  them,  they  only  stand 
by  and  see  others  do  it.  One  of  them  told  Mr.  Jones,  it  was  the  best 
thing  the  mob  ever  did,  so  to  treat  the  Methodists ;  and  he  himself 
would  give  five  pounds  to  drive  them  out  of  the  country.  Another, 
when  our  brother  Ward  begged  his  protection,  delivered  him  up  to  the 
mercy  of  the  mob,  who  had  half  murdered  him  before,  and  throwing 
his  hat  round  his  head  cried,  '  huzza  boys,  well  done,  stand  up  for  the 
church.'  "  Such  magistrates,  sworn  to  maintain  the  public  peace,  and 
such  defenders  of  a  national  church,  are  a  lasting  disgrace  to  any  gov- 
ernment. Mr.  Wesley  adds,  "  No  wonder  that  the  mob  so  encouraged, 
should  say  there  is  no  law  for  the  Methodists.  Accordingly,  like  out- 
laws they  treat  them,  breaking  their  houses,  and  taking  away  their 
goods  at  pleasure :  extorting  money  from  those  who  have  it,  and 
cruelly  beating  those  who  have  it  not.  February  4,  I  spoke  with 
those  of  our  brethren  who  have  this  world's  goods,  and  found  them 
entirely  resigned  to  the  will  of  God :  all  thoughts  of  resistance,  blessed 
be  God,  are  over.  The  chief  of  them  said  to  me,  '  Naked  came  I 
into  the  world,  and  I  can  but  go  naked  out  of  it.'  They  are  resolved, 
by  the  grace  of  God,  to  follow  my  advice,  and  to  suffer  all  things. 
Only  I  wished  them  to  go  round  again  to  the  justices  and  give  infor- 
mation of  their  danger.  Mr.  Constable  said  he  had  just  been  with  one 
of  them,  who  redressed  him  only  by  bitter  reproaches,  that  the  rest 
were  of  the  same  mind,  and  could  not  plead  ignorance,  because  the 
rioters  had  the  boldness  to  set  up  papers  inviting  all  the  country  to 
rise  with  them  to  destroy  the  Methodists.  At  noon  I  returned  to  Bir- 
mingham, having  continued  two  days  in  the  lion's  den  unhurt." 

Mr.  Wesley  now  set  out  for  Nottingham,  where  he  arrived  on  the 
6th,  and  found  that  here  also,  the  monster  persecution  was  lifting  up 


If^  THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 

its  destructive  head.  "  Our  brethren,"  says  he,  "  are  violently  driven 
from  their  place  of  meeting,  pelted  in  the  streets,  Sec.,  and  mocked 
with  vain  promises  of  justice  by  the  very  man  who  underhand  en- 
courages the  rioters.  An  honest  Quaker  has  hardly  restrained  some 
of  our  brethren  from  resisting  evil :  but  henceforth  I  liope,  they  will 
meekly  turn  the  other  cheek." 

Mr.  Wesley  and  his  friends  at  Nottingham  sent  a  person  to  Litch- 
field, to  get  intelligence  of  what  mischief  had  been  done  in  Stafford- 
shire, by  the  rioters  in  their  threatened  insurrection.  He  returned  on 
the  ninth,  and  Mr.  Wesley  gives  the  following  account.  "  He  met 
our  brother  Ward,  who  had  fled  thither  for  refuge.  The  enemy  had 
gone  to  the  length  of  his  chain :  all  the  rabble  of  the  county  were 
gathered  together,  and  laid  waste  all  before  them.  1  received  a  note 
from  two  of  the  sulferers,  whose  loss  amounted  to  two  hundred  pounds. 
My  heart  rejoiced  in  the  great  grace  Avhich  was  given  them ;  for  not 
one  resisted  evil ;  but  they  took  joyfully  the  spoiling  of  their  goods. 
We  gave  God  glory,  that  satan  was  not  suffered  to  touch  their  lives : 
they  have  lost  all  besides,  and  rejoice  with  joy  unspeakable." 

Mr.  Wesley  now  went  on  to  Newcastle,  preaching  every  where,  as 
he  had  opportunity.  The  year  forty-four,  was  considered  as  a 
time  of  public  danger.  There  was  much  talk  of  the  Pretender,  and 
the  French  threatened  an  invasion  in  support  of  his  pretensions  to  the 
crown  of  England.  In  this  critical  situation  of  afl^airs,  it  was  thought 
proper  by  many,  that  Mr.  John  Wesley  should  write  an  address  to 
the  king  in  the  name  of  the  Methodists.  This  address  was  accord- 
ingly drawn  up  ^  but  not  delivered.  On  the  6th  of  March  Mr. 
Charles  Wesley  wrote  to  his  brother  on  this  subject,  as  follows,  "My 
objection  to  your  address  in  the  name  of  the  Methodists,  is,  that  it 
would  constitute  us  a  sect :  at  least  it  would  seem  to  allow  that  we  are 
a  body  distinct  from  the  National  church;  whereas  we  are  only 
a  sound  part  of  the  church.  Guard  against  this,  and  in  the  name 
•of  the  Lord  address  to-morrow."  March  14,  being  at  Birstal,  a 
person  informed  him  there  was  a  constable  who  had  a  warrant 
in  which  his  name  was  mentioned.  Mr.  Wesley  sent  for  him, 
and  found  it  was,  "  To  summon  witnesses  to  some  treasonable 
words  said  to  be  spoken  by  one  Westley."  He  was  just  leaving 
Birstal  when  this  information  was  given  him  ;  but  he  now  determined 
not  to  go  forward  for  London  as  he  intended,  thinking  it  better  to 
appear  before  the  justices  at  Wakefield  the  next  da}^,  and  look  his 
enemies  in  the  face.  Accordingly,  he  rode  to  Wakefield  the  next 
morning,  and  waited  on  justice  Burton  at  his  inn,  with  two  other 
justices,  Sir  Rowland  Wynn,  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Zouch.  He  informed 
Mr.  Burton,  that  he  had  seen  a  warrant  of  his,  summoning  witnesses 
of  some  treasonable  words,  said  to  be  spoken  by  one  Westley  :  that  he 
had  put  ofi*  his  journey  to  London,  that  he  might  answer  whatever 

See  Mr.  John  Wesley's  Works,  vol.  xrviii.  page  209,  where  the  address  itself  is  inserted. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY.  Wft 

should  be  laid  to  his  charge.  Mr.  Burton  replied,  he  had  nothing 
to  say  against  him,  and  he  might  depart."  Mr.  Wesley  answered, 
"  That  is  not  sufficient  without  clearing  my  character,  and  that  of 
many  innocent  people,  whom  their  enemies  arc  pleased  to  call  Metho- 
dists." "  'Vindicate  them,'  said  my  brother  clergyman, '  that  you  will 
find  a  very  hard  task.'  I  answered,  '  as  hard  as  you  may  think  it, 
I  will  engage  to  prove  that  all  of  them,  to  a  man,  are  true  members 
of  the  Church  of  England,  and  loyal  subjects  of  his  Majesty  King 
George.'  I  then  desired  they  would  administer  to  me  the  oaths  ;  and 
added,  '  I  wish,  gentlemen,  that  you  could  send  for  every  Methodist 
in  England,  and  give  them  all  the  same  opportunity  you  do  me,  of 
declaring  their  loyalty  upon  oath.  Justice  Burton  said,  he  was  in- 
formed that  we  constantly  prayed  for  the  Pretender  in  all  our  societies, 
or  nocturnal  meetings,  as  Mr.  Zouch  called  them.  I  answered,  '  the 
very  reverse  is  true.  We  constantly  pray  for  his  Majesty  King  George, 
by  name.  Here  are  such  hymns  (showing  them)  as  we  sing  in  our 
societies.  Here  is  a  sermon  which  I  preached  before  the  university, 
and  another  preached  there  by  my  brother.  Here  are  his  appeals 
and  a  few  more  tracts,  containing  an  account  of  our  principles  and 
practices.'  Here  I  gave  them  our  books,  and  was  bold  enough  to  say, 
I  am  as  true  a  Church  of  England  man,  and  as  loyal  a  subject  as  any 
man  in  the  kingdom.  They  all  cried  that  was  impossible.  But  it 
was  not  my  business  to  dispute,  and  as  I  could  not  answer  till  the 
witnesses  appeared,  I  withdrew  without  further  delay. 

"  While  I  waited  at  a  neighbor's  house,  the  constable  from  Birstal, 
whose  heart  the  Lord  had  touched,  was  brought  to  me  by  one  of  the 
brethren.  He  told  me  that  he  had  summoned  the  principal  witness, 
Mary  Castle,  on  whose  information  the  warrant  was  granted.  She 
was  setting  out  on  horseback  when  the  news  came  that  I  was  not 
gone  forward  to  London,  as  they  expected,  but  had  returned  to  Wake- 
field. Hearing  this  she  turned  back  and  declared  to  him  that  she 
did  not  hear  the  treasonable  words  herself,  but  another  woman  had 
told  her  so.  Three  more  witnesses,  who  were  to  swear  to  my  words, 
retracted  likewise,  and  knew  nothing  of  the  matter.  The  fifth,  Mr. 
Woods,  an  alehouse-keeper,  is  forthcoming  it  seems,  in  the  afternoon. 
I  now  plainly  see  the  consequence  of  not  appearing  here  to  look  my 
enemies  in  the  face.  Had  I  gone  on  my  journey,  there  would  have 
been  witnesses  enough,  and  oaths  enough,  to  stir  up  a  persecution 
against  the  Methodists.  I  took  the  witnesses'  names,  and  a  copy  of 
the  warrant  as  follows. 

'''West  Riding  of  Yorkshire. 
**  'To  the  Constable  of  Birstal,  of  the  said  Riding,  or  Deputy. 

"  'These  are,  in  his  Majesty's  name,  to  require  and  command  you  to 
summon  Mary  Castle,  of  Birstal  aforesaid,  and  all  other  such  person  or 
persons  as  you  are  informed  can  give  any  information  against  one 
15=* 


174 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   CHARLES  WESLEY. 


Westley,  or  any  other  of  the  Methodist  preachers,  for  speaking  any 
treasonable  words  or  exhortations,  as  praying  for  the  banished,  or  the 
Pretender,  &c.  to  appear  before  me,  and  other  of  his  majesty's  Jus- 
tices of  the  Peace  for  the  said  Riding,  by  the  White  Hart  in  Wake- 
field, on  the  15th  of  March  instant,  at  ten  o'clock  in  the  forenoon,  to 
be  examined,  and  to  declare  the  truth  of  what  they  and  each  of  them 
know  touching  the  premises :  and  that  you  likewise  make  a  return 
thereof,  before  us  on  the  same  day.  Fail  not.  Given  under  my  hand 
the  tenth  of  March,  1744.  E.  Burton.' 

"  Between  two  and  three  o'clock,  Mr.  Woods  came,  and  started 
back  on  seeing  me,  as  if  he  had  trod  upon  a  serpent.  One  of  the 
brethren  took  hold  of  him,  and  told  me  he  trembled  every  joint  of  him. 
The  justice's  clerk  had  bid  the  constable  bring  Woods  to  him  as  soon 
as  ever  he  came.  But  notwithstanding  the  clerk's  instructions. 
Woods  frankly  confessed,  now  he  was  come,  he  had  nothing  to  say, 
and  would  not  have  come  at  all,  if  they  had  not  forced  him. 

"  I  Avaited  at  the  door  till  seven  in  the  evening,  while  they  were  ex- 
amining the  disaffected.  I  took  public  notice  of  Okerhousen,  the 
Moravian  teacher ;  but  not  of  Mr.  Kendrick.  When  all  their  busi- 
ness was  over,  and  I  had  been  insulted  at  their  door  from  eleven  in 
the  morning  till  seven  at  night,  I  was  sent  for  and  asked,  '  what  would 
Mr.  Wesley  desire  ? '  Wesley.  '  I  desire  nothing  but  to  know  what 
is  alleged  against  me.'  Justice  Burton  said,  '  what  hope  of  truth 
from  him?'  Then  addressing  himself  to  me,  '  Here  are  two  of  your 
brethren,  one  so  silly  it  is  a  shame  he  should  ever  set  up  for  a  teach- 
er; and  the  other  has  a  thousand  lies  and  equivocations  upon  oath. 
He  has  not  wit  enough,  or  he  would  make  a  complete  Jesuit.'  I 
looked  round  and  said,  '  I  see  none  of  my  brethren  here,  but  this  gen- 
tleman,' pointing  to  the  Reverend  Justice,  who  looked  as  if  he  did 
not  thank  me  for  claiming  him.  Burtoji.  '  Why,  do  you  not  know 
this  man?'  pointing  to  Kendrick.  Wesley.  'Yes  sir,  very  well:  for 
two  years  ago  I  expelled  him  from  our  society  in  London,  for  setting 
up  for  a  preacher.'  To  this  poor  Kendrick  assented ;  which  put  a 
stop  to  further  reflections  on  the  Methodists.  Justice  Burton  then 
said,  I  might  depart,  for  they  had  nothing  against  me.  Wesley.  '  Sir, 
that  will  not  satisfy  me ;  I  cannot  depart  till  my  character  be  fully 
cleared.  It  is  no  trifling  matter:  even  my  life  is  concerned  in  the 
charge.'  Burton.  'I  did  not  summon  you  to  appear.'  Wesley.  'I 
was  the  person  meant  by  one  Wesdey,  and  my  supposed  words  were 
the  occasion  of  your  order,  which  I  read  signed  with  your  name.' 
Burton.  '  I  will  not  deny  my  orders,  I  did  send  to  summon  the  wit- 
nesses,' Wesley.  '  Yes  ;  and  I  took  down  their  names  from  the  con- 
stable's paper.  The  principal  witness,  Mary  Castle,  was  setting  out, 
but  hearing  I  was  here,  she  turned  back,  and  declared  to  the  consta- 
ble, she  only  heard  another  say,  that  I  should  speak  treason.  Three 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY.  170 

more  of  the  witnesses  recanted  for  the  same  reason  :  and  Mr.  Woods, 
who  is  here,  says  he  has  nothing  to  say,  and  should  not  have  come, 
had  lie  not  been  forced  by  the  minister.  Had  I  not  been  here,  he 
would  have  had  enough  to  say;  and  you  would  have  had  witnesses 
and  oaths  enough  ;  but  I  suppose,  my  coming  has  prevented  theirs.* 
One  of  the  justices  added,  '  1  suppose  so  too.' 

"  They  all  seemed  fully  satisfied,  and  would  have  had  me  to  have 
been  so  too.  But  I  insisted  on  their  hearing  Mr.  Woods.  Burton. 
'  Do  you  desire  he  may  be  called  as  an  evidence  for  you  7 '  Wesley. 
'  I  desire  he  may  be  heard  as  an  evidence  against  me,  if  he  has  aught 
to  lay  to  my  charge.'  Then  Mr.  Zouch  asked  Mr.  Woods,  what  he 
had  to  say?  What  were  the  words  I  had  spoken.  Woods  was  as 
backward  to  speak  as  they  to  hear  him  :  but  was  at  last  compelled 
to  say,  '  I  have  nothing  to  say  against  the  gentleman ;  I  only  heard 
him  pray,  that  the  Lord  would  call  home  his  banished  ones.'  Zouch. 
'But  were  there  no  words  before  or  after,  which  pointed  to  these 
troublesome  times  ?  '  Woods.  'No:  none  at  all.'  Wesley.  '  It  was 
on  February  the  r2th,  before  the  earliest  news  of  the  invasion.  But 
if  folly  and  malice  may  be  interpreters,  any  words,  which  any  of 
you  gentlemen,  may  speak,  may  be  construed  into  treason.'  Zouch. 
'  It  is  is  very  true.'  Wesley.  '  Now,  gentlemen,  give  me  leave  to  ex- 
plain my  own  words.  I  had  no  thoughts  of  praying  for  the  Pre- 
tender ;  but  for  those  who  confess  themselves  strangers  and  pilgrims 
upon  earth;  who  seek  a  country,  knowing  this  is  not  their  home. 
The  Scriptures,  yes  sir  (to  the  clergyman)  know  that  the  Scriptures 
speak  of  us  as  captive  exiles,  who  are  absent  from  the  Lord,  while 
present  in  the  body.  We  are  not  at  home  till  we  are  in  heaven.' 
Zouch.  '  I  thought  you  would  so  explain  the  words,  and  it  is  a  fair 
interpretation' — I  asked  if  they  were  all  satisfied  7  They  said  they 
Avere  ;  and  cleared  me  as  fully  as  I  desired.  I  then  asked  them  again, 
to  administer  to  me  the  oaths.  Mr.  Zouch  looked  on  my  sermon, 
and  asked  who  ordained  me.  I  answered,  the  Archbishop,  and  Bish- 
op of  London,  in  the  same  week.  He  said,  with  the  rest,  it  was 
quite  unnecessary,  since  I  was  a  clergyman,  and  student  of  Christ 
Church,  and  had  preached  before  the  university,  and  taken  the  oaths 
before.  Yet  I  mentioned  it  again,  till  they  acknowledged  in  explicit 
terms,  '  That  my  loyalty  was  unquestionable.'  I  then  presented  Sir 
Rowland  and  Mr.  Zouch  with  the  appeal,  and  took  my  leave." 

Mr.  Wesley  now  returned  to  Birstal,  where  he  preached,  and  then 
left  Yorkshire.  He  came  to  Derby  and  Nottingham ;  at  the  last  of 
which  places,  the  mob  was  become  outrageous,  under  the  patronage 
of  the  mayor.  The  Methodists  presented  a  petition  to  the  judge,  as 
he  passed  through  the  town,  and  he  gave  the  mayor  a  severe  repri- 
mand, and  encouraged  them  to  apply  for  relief  if  they  were  further 
molested.  But  the  mayor  paid  no  regard  to  the  judge,  any  longer 
than  while  he  was  present.    On  the  22d  of  March  Mr.  Wesley  ar- 


176 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


rived  safe  in  London.  Here  he  continued  his  labors  till  the  beginning 
of  May,  when  he  went  down  to  Bristol,  and  returned  in  about  eight 
days.  There  was  at  this  time  a  Thomas  Williams,  who  had  been 
admitted  to  preach  in  the  Foundery,  and  who  had  acquired  consider- 
able influence  among  the  people.  He  applied  for  ordination,  was  dis- 
appointed, and  laid  the  blame  chiefly  on  Mr.  Wesley,  who  had  been 
as  a  father  to  him,  and  rendered  him  every  friendly  office  in  his 
power.  He  now  showed  himself  unworthy  of  such  friendship.  Mr. 
Wesley  observes,  "  He  answers  the  character  one  of  his  inmates  gave 
me  of  him.  '  I  never  thought  him  more  than  a  speaker :  I  can  see 
no  grace  he  has.  His  conversation  is  quite  contrary  to  the  gospel, 
light  and  vain.  He  is  haughty,  revengeful,  headstrong,  and  unman- 
ageable.' June  15,  I  was  grieved  to  hear  more  and  more  of  W — s 
ingratitude.  A  lying  spirit  seems  to  have  taken  fall  possession  of 
him.  There  is  nothing  so  gross  or  improbable  which  he  does  not 
say."  By  lies  and  insinuating  arts,  he  was  too  successful  in  preju- 
dicing some  of  Mr.  Wesley's  friends  against  him.  Alas !  how  little 
use  do  the  people  make  of  their  understanding  !  how  easily  do  they  suf- 
fer their  eyes  to  be  blinded,  and  their  hearts  to  be  embittered  by  art- 
ful men,  against  those  who  are  honestly  laboring  to  do  them  good  ! 
It  is  truly  wonderful  to  observe,  how  soon  they  give  themselves  up  to 
believe  the  most  improbable  stories  which  malice  can  invent,  against 
their  best  friends ;  how  quickly  they  drink  deep  into  the  spirit  of  reli- 
gious persecution,  even  of  those  very  persons,  whom  a  little  before 
they  loved  as  their  own  souls.  This  was  in  some  measure  the  case 
at  present,  and  I  wish  it  was  the  only  instance  among  the  Methodists, 
in  which  the  people  have  sufl'ered  themselves  to  become  the  dupes  of 
artful  and  designing  men.  Mr.  Wesley's  mind  was  a  good  deal  af- 
fected on  this  occasion,  and  he  wrote  thus  to  a  friend.  "  Be  not 
weary  of  well-doing,  or  overcome  of  evil.  You  see,  that  our  calling 
is  to  suffer  all  things.  Pray  for  me,  that  I  also  may  endure  unto  the 
end :  for  a  thousand  times  I  cry  out,  the  burden  of  this  people  is 
more  than  I  am  able  to  bear.  O  my  good  friend,  you  do  not  know 
them  !  Such  depth  of  ingratitude  I  did  not  think  was  possible  among 
the  devils  in  hell." — "At  night  I  was  informed  that  a  friend  had 
entertained  the  deepest  prejudice  against  me,  on  supposition  that  I 
meant  her  in  a  late  discourse.  Lord,  what  is  man  !  what  is  friend- 
ship !  " 

"  June  24.  Our  brethren  Hodges,  Taylor,  and  Meriton,  assisted  us 
at  the  sacrament.  At  one  love-feast  we  were  six  ordained  ministers. 
Monday  the  25th,  we  opened  our  conference,^  with  solemn  prayer 
and  the  Divine  blessing.  I  preached  with  much  assistance.  We  con- 
tinued in  conference  the  rest  of  the  week,  settling  our  doctrines,  prac- 
tice, and  discipline,  with  great  love  and  unanimity." 

*  This  was  the  first  conference.    See  the  Minutes. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


Mr.  Wesley  spent  the  remaining  part  of  this  year  in  travelling,  and 
preaching  the  gospel,  with  great  zeal,  diligence,  and  success  in  many 
parts  of  the  kingdom,  from  the  Land's  End  to  Newcastle.  July  9th,  he 
left  London  and  arrived  in  Bristol  the  next  day.  On  the  13th  he  set 
out  for  Cornwall,  where  he  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  the  word  of 
God  greatly  prosper  under  his  ministry.  The  joy  which  the  society 
expressed,  at  his  arrival  in  St.  Ives,  is  beyond  the  power  of  words  to 
describe :  and  every  where  he  was  received  by  great  numbers  of  the 
people,  as  the  messenger  of  God,  for  good.  Such  was  the  success  of 
the  gospel  in  Cornwall,  this  year,  that  in  some  places  the  inhabitants 
of  a  whole  parish  seemed  entirely  changed  in  their  amusements  and 
morals.  Persecution  raged  in  other  places  with  great  bitterness ;  but 
this  did  not  much  obstruct  the  progress  of  the  work.  It  quickened 
the  zeal  of  those  who  had  experienced  the  power  of  gospel  truth,  and 
united  them  together  in  brotherly  love:  it  made  them  attentive  to 
their  conduct,  and  diligent  in  the  means  of  grace,  lest  they  should 
give  the  enemy,  watching  for  their  halting,  any  cause  of  triumph. 
When  professors  of  religion  are  daily  in  danger,  by  persecution,  of 
losing  every  thing  they  have  in  this  world,  and  perhaps  their  lives 
too,  they  more  sensibly  feel  the  importance  of  the  good  things  of  an- 
other life,  and  more  earnestly  endeavor  to  secure  them  as  their  eternal 
inheritance.  Mr.  Wesley,  as  usual,  went  through  evil  report  and 
good  report,  was  abused  and  caressed,  by  different  classes  of  the  peo- 
ple ;  but  being  intent  on  his  work  he  was  little  affected  by  either. 
Having  labored  in  Cornwall,  as  a  faithful  minister  of  Christ,  near 
four  weeks,  during  which  time  he  had  preached  the  gospel  in  most 
parts  of  the  county,  he  left  it,  and  coming  to  Minehead  passed  over 
into  Wales,  and  came  safe  to  Bristol  on  the  17th  of  August. 

August  22.  Mr.  Wesley  arrived  at  Oxford,  where  he  met  his  broth- 
er, the  Rev.  Messrs.  Piers  and  Meriton,  and  a  great  company  of  the 
brethren.  Mr.  John  Wesley  was  to  preach  before  the  university,  at 
St.  Mary's,  on  the  24th.  He  says,  "  My  brother  bore  his  testimony 
before  a  crowded  audience,  much  increased  by  the  races.  Never 
have  I  seen  a  more  attentive  congregation :  they  did  not  suffer  a  word 
to  slip  them.  Some  of  the  heads  of  colleges  stood  up  the  whole 
time,  and  fixed  their  eyes  upon  him.  If  they  can  endure  sound  doc- 
trine, like  his,  he  will  surely  leave  a  blessing  behind  him.  The  Vice 
Chancellor  sent  after  him,  and  desired  his  notes,  which  he  sealed  up 
and  sent  immediately."  ^ 

He  now  returned  to  Bristol,  and  on  the  26th  of  September  came  up 
to  London.  Thomas  WilUams  had  invented  so  many  stories,  to 
injure  him  in  the  opinion  of  the  people,  and  asserted  them  with  so 
much  confidence,  that  they  had  made  an  ill  impression  on  the  minds 
of  many  of  his  friends.    These  calumnies,  however,  were  so  direcly 


*  See  Mr.  John  Wesley's  Works,  vol.  xxviii.  page  233,  where  the  agreement  between 
the  two  accounts  is  striking  and  pleasing. 

23 


178 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   CHARLES  WESLEY. 


contrary  to  Mr.  Wesley's  habits  of  life,  being  always  in  the  company 
of  one  friend  or  other,  and  almost  constantly  travelling  from  place  to 
place,  that  they  were  altogether  incredible  ;  and  nothing  but  the  confi- 
dence with  which  they  were  asserted,  could  possibly  have  made  an  im- 
pression on  any  member  of  the  society.  Those  who  wish  to  propagate 
slander  with  success,  are  unusually  confident  in  their  assertions,  and 
zealous  in  their  endeavors.  They  invent  a  number  of  plausible  pre- 
tences for  their  zeal ;  and  by  this  and  the  boldness  of  their  asser- 
tions, impose  on  those  who  are  unacquainted  with  the  arts  of 
designing  men  to  deceive. 

Mr.  Wesley,  conscious  of  his  innocence,  and  thinking  the  circum- 
stances of  this  case  so  clear,  that  he  wanted  no  public  defence,  ap- 
pointed a  day,  when  those  who  had  been  troubled  with  any  reports 
concerning  him,  or  his  brother,  might  meet  him.  In  this  conference, 
one  who  had  been  led  away  by  the  lies  of  Thomas  Williams,  asked 
pardon  of  God  and  of  Mr.  Wesley.  He  observes,  O  !  how  easy  and 
delightful  it  is,  to  forgive  one  who  says,  I  repent.  Lord  grant  me 
power  as  truly  to  forgive  them  who  persist  to  injure  me."  I  appre- 
hend, that  he  has  reference  here  to  Williams,  and  perhaps  to  a  few 
others,  too  much  prejudiced  to  come  to  him. 

October  10,  he  set  out  for  the  North,  travelling  through  the  societies 
to  Newcastle,  and  every  where  strengthening  the  brethren,  and  con- 
vincing gainsayers  with  great  success.  He  labored  sometimes  in 
Newcastle  and  the  neighboring  places ;  and  having  sustained  great 
bodily  fatigue,  and  escaped  many  dangers  in  travelling  through  deep 
snoAV,  at  this  unfavorable  season  of  the  year,  he  again  reached  London 
in  safety,  on  the  29th  of  December. 

In  1745,  Mr.  Wesley  confined  his  labors  chiefly  to  London,  Bristol, 
(including  the  neighboring  places)  and  Wales.  August  1,  he  ob- 
serves, "We  began  our  conference,  with  Mr.  Hodges,  four  of  our 
assistants.  Herb.  Jenkins,  and  Mr.  Gwynne.  We  continued  it  five 
days,  and  parted  in  great  harmony  and  love."  On  the  25thj  he  was 
in  Wales,  and  Mr.  Gwynne  sent  his  servant  to  show  him  the  way  to 
Garth ;  but  having  some  time  before  sprained  his  leg,  and  having 
taken  too  much  exercise  after  the  accident,  he  was  unable  to  go ;  and 
at  length  left  Wales,  without  visiting  that  agreeable  family.  The 
following  is  a  remarkable  instance  of  his  zeal  in  doing  good  to  the 
vilest  and  most  wretched  of  human  beings.  October  9,  "  After  preach- 
ing at  Bath,  a  woman  desired  to  speak  with  me.  She  had  been  in  our 
society ;  but  left  it  through  oflfence,  and  fell  by  little  and  little  into  the 
depth  of  vice  and  misery.  I  called  Mrs.  Naylor  to  hear  her  mournful 
account.  She  had  lived  some  time  in  a  wicked  house,  in  Avon -street : 
confessed  it  was  hell  to  her,  to  see  our  people  pass  by  to  the  preach- 
ing; but  knew  not  what  to  do,  nor  how  to  escape.  We  bid  her  fly 
for  her  life,  and  not  once  look  behind  her.  Mrs.  Naylor  kept  her 
with  herself  till  the  morning,  and  then  I  carried  her  with  us  in  the 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


179 


coach  to  London,  and  delivered  her  to  the  care  of  our  sister  Davey. 
Is  not  this  a  brand  phicked  out  of  the  fire ! " 

February  3,  1746.  He  opened  the  new  chapel  in  Wapping,  and 
preached  from  1  Cor.  xv.  1.  "  Moreover  brethren,  I  declare  unto  you 
the  Gospel  which  I  preached  unto  you,  which  also  ye  have  received, 
and  wherein  ye  stand."  The  next  day  he  wrote  to  a  friend,  express- 
ing his  apprehensions  that  God  was  about  to  pour  out  heavy  judg- 
ments on  the  nation.  He  says  to  his  friend,  "  You  allow  us  one 
hundred  years  to  fill  up  the  measure  of  our  iniquity  ;  you  cannot  more 
laugh  at  my  vain  fear,  than  I  at  your  vain  confidence."  This,  and  the 
preceding  year,  were  times  of  danger  and  national  alarm ;  and  it  is 
observable  that  religious  people  are  more  apprehensive  of  divine 
judgments,  at  such  seasons,  than  other  persons.  Those  fearful  appre- 
hensions have  been  falsely  attributed  to  superstition ;  but  I  think  they 
arise  from  a  more  rational  and  laudable  principle.  Religious  persons 
have  a  more  clear  knowledge  than  others,  of  the  enormity  and  guilt 
of  national  sins ;  they  see  more  clearly  the  mercies  enjoyed,  and  know 
more  perfectly  the  holiness  and  vengeance  of  God  against  sin,  when 
once  a  nation  has  filled  up  the  measure  of  its  iniquity;  and  hence 
arises  their  fear,  in  any  public  danger,  lest  this  should  then  be  the  case. 
We  have  not  indeed,  any  certain  rule  of  judging  when  a  nation  has 
filled  up  the  measure  of  its  iniquity,  and  is  ripe  for  divine  vengeance ; 
and  therefore  may  often  be  mistaken  in  applying  a  general  principle, 
in  itself  true,  to  a  particular  instance.  But  every  good  man  will 
rejoice,  when,  in  times  of  public  disturbance  and  danger,  God  is  bet- 
ter 10  us  than  our  fears  and  conscious  guilt  suggested.  This  was 
the  case  of  Mr.  Wesley.  Being  at  Bristol  when  he  first  heard  the 
news  of  the  victory  at  Culloden,  over  the  rebel  army,  he  observes,  I 
spoke  at  night  on,  '  He  that  glorieth,  let  him  glory  in  the  Lord.'  We 
rejoiced  unto  him  with  reverence,  and  thankfully  observed  the  re- 
markable answer  of  that  petition. 

All  their  strength  o'erturn,  o'erthrow, 

Snap  their  spears  and  break  their  swords ; 
Let  the  daring  rebels  know, 

The  battle  is  the  Lord's. 

Oh  !  that  in  this  reprieve,  before  the  tide  is  turned,  we  may  know  the 
time  of  our  visitation." 

May  29.  He  observes,  "In  conference,  I  found  many  of  our  chil- 
dren in  a  thriving  condition ;  not  one  of  those  who  are  justified, 
dreams  that  he  is  sanctified  at  once,  and  wants  nothing  more."  Mr. 
Charles  Wesley  was  an  uniform  and  steady  opposer  of  the  opinion  of 
his  brother,  that  a  person  is  sanctified  at  once,  by  a  simple  act  of 
faith,  in  the  manner  he  is  justified  or  pardoned.  And  there  are  many 
among  the  Methodists  who  think  the  Scriptures  give  no  countenance 
to  this  opinion.  Such  a  method  of  proceeding,  is  certainly  not  analo- 
gous to  the  operations  of  Divine  Power,  in  the  productions  of  nature : 


180 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


nor  does  it  accord  with  the  common  order  in  which  the  mind  acquires 
knowledge  and  experience,  and  which  appears  to  be  founded  on  the 
nature  of  our  faculties.  But  this  subject  will  be  more  fully  discussed, 
in  explaining  the  religious  opinions  of  Mr.  John  Wesley. 

What  has  already  been  said  of  Mr.  Charles  Wesley,  sufficiently 
demonstrates  that  he  was  animated  with  a  disinterested  and  laudable 
zeal  for  the  promotion  of  christian  knowledge,  among  the  middling 
and  lower  classes  of  the  people.  Both  his  doctrines  and  practice, 
tended  to  discourage  a  party  spirit,  and  to  promote  brotherly  love 
among  all  denominations  of  Christians  in  the  kingdom.  Those  who 
differ  from  him  in  judgment,  and  are  disposed  to  censure  what  has 
been  called  his  irregularity,  must  notwithstanding,  acknowledge  the 
goodness  of  his  motives,  and  admire  his  indefatigable  diligence.  He 
seldom  staid  long  in  one  place,  but  preached  the  Gospel  in  almost 
every  corner  of  the  kingdom.  In  fatigues,  in  dangers,  and  in  minis- 
terial labors,  he  was,  for  many  years,  not  inferior  to  his  brother  ; 
and  his  sermons  were  generally  more  awakening  and  useful.  Neither 
he  nor  his  brother  travelled  alone  ;  some  person  always  accompany- 
ing them,  whom  they  treated  rather  as  a  companion,  than  as  a  servant. 
This  plan  was  not  adopted  merely  for  the  sake  of  convenience ;  but 
that  they  might  constantly  have  persons  about  them  who  might  be 
witnesses  of  their  conduct  and  behavior.  This  was  prudent,  con- 
sidering the  false  reports  which  were  propagated  concerning  them. 
June  2,  Mr.  Charles  Wesley  left  Bristol,  accompanied  with  a  Mr. 
Waller;  intending  to  visit  the  brethren  in  Cornwall.  He  took  a  large 
circuit  in  his  way  thither ;  preaching  sometimes  in  a  house,  and 
occasionally  in  the  street,  where  he  met  with  various  treatment  from 
the  people.  At  Tavistock,  he  found  great  opposition,  the  people  be- 
having almost  like  wild  beasts :  they  were  restrained  however,  from 
doing  any  mischief.  Here,  some  of  Mr.  Whitefield's  society  at 
Plymouth,  met  him,  and  importuned  him  to  come  and  preach  among 
them,  and  he  complied  with  their  request.  Mr.  Whitefield  was  his 
particular  friend :  and  no  man,  perhaps,  ever  felt  the  attachment  of 
friendship,  in  a  stronger  degree  than  Mr.  Charles  Wesley  :  yet  on 
account  of  some  difference  in  opinion  he  determined  to  preach,  not  in 
their  house,  but  in  the  streets,  or  fields  only.  He  might  perhaps  be 
afraid,  lest  he  should  say  something  in  the  warmth  of  an  extempore 
discourse,  v/hich  would  give  offence,  or  promote  disputings  among 
them.  At  length,  however,  their  importunity  overcame  his  resolution 
and  caution.  He  met  them  in  their  house,  prayed  with  them,  and 
endeavored  to  provoke  them  to  love  and  good  works.  He  soon  found 
that  God  was  with  them;  who  does  not  make  those  distinctions 
among  his  true  worshippers,  for  speculative  errors,  which  men  are  apt 
to  imagine.  Mr.  Wesley  observes,  I  found  no  difference  between 
them  and  our  children  at  Kings  wood,  or  the  Foundery."  He  con- 
tinued a  few  days,  till  the  23d,  with  this  earnest  artless  people,  who 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


181 


seemed  ready  to  devour  the  word.  During  his  stay  here,  he  went 
over  to  the  Dock,  and  preached  Christ  crucified  to  a  great  multitude 
of  hearers.  The  word  was  as  a  fire,  melting  down  all  it  touched.  He 
adds,  "We  mourned  and  rejoiced  together  in  him  that  loved  us.  1 
have  not  known  such  a  refreshing  time  since  1  left  Bristol."  Sunday, 
June  22,  he  preached  again  on  a  hill  in  Stoke  church-yard,  to  upwards 
of  four  thousand  persons  by  computation.  Some  reviled  at  first,  but 
Mr.  Wesley  turning  to  them  and  speaking  a  few  words,  silenced 
them,  the  generality  behaving  as  men  who  feared  God.  When  he 
had  finished  his  discourse  they  followed  him  with  blessings:  only  one 
man  cursed,  and  called  him  Whitefield  the  second. 

He  now  prepared  to  leave  them.  "  Our  own  children,"  says  he, 
"could  not  have  expressed  greater  affection  to  us  at  parting.  If  pos- 
sible, they  would  have  plucked  out  their  own  eyes,  and  have  given 
them  to  us.  Several  offered  me  money:  but  I  told  them  I  never 
accepted  any.  Others  would  have  persuaded  Mr.  W aller  to  take  it ; 
but  he  walked  in  the  same  steps  and  said  their  love  was  sufficient." 

Mr.  Wesley  reached  Gwennup,  in  the  West  of  Cornwall,  on  the  26th 
of  June,  and  he  gives  the  following  account  of  the  state  of  the  peo- 
ple." "  Upon  examination  of  each  separately,  I  found  the  society  in  a 
prosperous  way  :  their  suffering  had  been  for  their  furtherance,  and  for 
the  furtherance  of  the  Gospel.  The  opposers  behold  and  wonder  at 
their  steadfastness  and  godly  conversation.  June  29,  my  evening 
congregation  was  computed  to  be  upwards  of  five  thousand.  They 
all  stood  uncovered,  kneeled  at  prayer,  and  hung  narraiitis  ah  ore.^ 
For  an  hour  and  a  half,  I  invited  them  back  to  their  Father,  and  felt 
no  hoarseness  or  weariness  afterwards.  I  spent  an  hour  and  a  half 
more  with  the  society,  warning  them  against  pride,  and  the  love  of  the 
creature ;  and  stirring  them  up  to  universal  obedience." 

"  Monday,  June  30.  Both  sheep  and  shepherds,  had  been  scat- 
tered in  the  late  cloudy  day  of  persecution :  but  the  Lord  gathered 
them  again,  and  kept  them  together  by  their  own  brethren ;  who  be- 
gan to  exhort  their  companions,  one  or  more  in  every  society.  No 
less  than  four  have  sprung  up  in  Gwennup.  I  talked  closely  with 
each,  and  found  no  reason  to  doubt  that  God  had  used  them  thus  far. 
I  advised,  and  charged  them,  not  to  stretch  themselves  beyond  their 
line,  by  speaking  out  of  the  society,  or  fancying  themselves  public 
teachers.  If  they  keep  Avithin  their  bounds  as  they  promise,  they 
may  be  useful  in  the  church :  and  I  would  to  God,  that  all  the  Lord^s 
people  were  prophets  like  these." 

"July  3.  At  Lidgeon,  I  preached  Christ  crucified,  and  spake  with 
the  classes,  who  seem  much  in  earnest.  Showed  above  a  thousand 
sinners  at  Sithney,  the  love  and  compassion  of  Jesus,  towards  them. 
Many  who  came  from  Helstone,  a  town  of  rebels  and  persecutors, 
were  struck,  and  confessed  their  sins,  and  declared  they  would  never 

♦  On  the  mouth  of  the  speaker.   A  strong  metaphorical  expression  for  attention. 
16 


182 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


more  be  found  fighting  against  God. — July  6.  At  Gwennup,  near 
two  thousand  persons  Ustened  to  those  gracious  words  which  pro- 
ceeded out  of  his  mouth,  '  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  travail  and  are 
heavy  laden,'  &c.  Half  of  them  were  from  Redruth,  which  seems 
on  the  point  of  surrendering  to  the  Prince  of  Peace.  The  whole 
country  finds  the  benefit  of  the  gospel.  Hundreds,  who  follow  not 
with  us,  have  broken  off  their  sins,  and  are  outwardly  reformed;  and 
the  persecutors  in  time  past,  will  not  now  sufier  a  word  to  be  spoken 
against  this  way.  Some  of  those  who  fell  off  in  the  late  persecution, 
desired  to  be  present  at  the  society." 

"At  St.  Ives  no  one  ofiered  to  make  the  least  disturbance:  indeed 
the  whole  place  is  outwardly  changed  in  this  respect.  I  walk  the 
streets  with  astonishment,  scarcely  believing  it  is  St.  Ives.  All  opposi- 
tion falls  before  us,  or  rather  is  fallen,  and  not  yet  suffered  to  lift  up 
its  head  again.    This  also  hath  the  Lord  wrought." 

"July  19.  Rode  to  Sithney,  where  the  word  begins  to  take  root. 
The  rebels  of  Helstone  threatened  hard — they  say  all  manner  of  evil 
of  us.  '  Papists  we  are,  that  is  certain  :  and  are  for  bringing  in  the 
Pretender.'  Nay  the  vulgar  are  persuaded  that  I  have  brought  him 
with  me;  and  James  Waller  is  the  man.  But  law  is  to  come  from 
London  to-night  to  put  us  all  down,  and  set  a  price  upon  my  head." 
It  is  hardly  possible  to  conceive  the  danger  of  Mr.  Wesley's  situation, 
when  such  an  opinion  as  this  prevailed  among  the  fierce  tinners  of 
Cornwall.  But  he  trusted  in  God  and  was  protected.  He  observes, 
"We  had  notwithstanding,  a  numerous  congregation,  and  several  of 
the  persecutors.  I  declared  my  commission  to  open  their  eyes,  to  turn 
them  from  darkness  to  light,  &c.  Many  appeared  convinced,  and 
caught  in  the  gospel  net." 

The  next  day  being  Sunday,  Mr.  Wesley  preached  again,  and  near 
one  hundred  of  the  fiercest  rioters  were  present.  A  short  time  be- 
fore these  men  had  cruelly  beat  the  sincere  hearers,  not  sparing  the 
women  and  children.  It  was  said,  the  minister  of  the  parish  had 
hired  them  for  that  purpose.  But  now,  these  very  men,  expecting  a 
disturbance,  came  to  protect  Mr.  Wesley,  and  said  they  would  lose 
their  lives  in  his  defence.  The  whole  congregation  was  attentive 
and  quiet. 

It  is  not  easy,  perhaps  impossible,  to  give  a  satisfactory  reason  on 
natural  principles,  for  that  sudden  and  entire  change  which  sometimes 
takes  place  on  these  occasions,  in  the  minds  of  the  most  violent  oppo- 
sers  of  the  gospel.  I  believe  the  most  attentive  observer  could  never 
discover  any  external  circumstance,  suificient  to  produce  the  change. 
If  we  admit  a  particular  providence,  and  a  divine  supernatural  influ- 
ence on  the  mind  of  man,  the  matter  becomes  plain  and  easy ;  but 
without  taking  these  into  account,  both  this  and  many  other  things 
appear  inexplicable  mysteries.  I  believe  the  chief  objections  which 
philosophers,  who  make  high  pretensions  to  reason,  have  made  to 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


183 


many  Christians  on  these  two  points,  have  originated  in  a  supposition, 
that  a  particular  providence,  and  a  supernatural  influence  on  the 
mind,  are  not  directed  by  fixed  laws,  analogous  to  the  operations  of 
Divine  power  in  the  works  of  nature ;  and  that  a  supernatural  influ- 
ence must  supersede  or  derange  the  operations  of  our  natural  facul- 
ties. But  in  both  these  things,  I  apprehend,  they  are  mistaken.  It 
appears  to  me,  that  the  interpositions  of  Providence  in  the  affairs  of 
men,  and  a  divine  influence  on  the  human  mind,  are  under  regula- 
tions, or  laws,  according  to  the  economy  of  the  gospel,  which  are 
as  wisely  adapted  to  attain  the  end  proposed,  in  the  circumstances  of 
the  subjectsr  to  which  they  are  applied,  and  operate  with  as  much 
certainty,  under  these  circumstances,  as  the  laws  by  which  the  heav- 
enly bodies  are  preserved  within  their  respective  orbits,  and  directed 
in  their  various  motions.  The  subjects  of  a  particular  providence, 
and  of  divine  influence,  in  this  view  of  them,  are  moral  agents,  pos- 
sessed of  active  powers ;  which  I  apprehend  are  essentially  different 
from  the  re-action,  or  the  repulsive  force  of  inanimate  bodies.  But 
were  moral  agents  to  be  conformable  to  these  laws  of  a  particular 
providence,  and  of  divine  influence,  in  the  economy  of  the  gospel,  I 
have  no  doubt  but  they  would  operate  with  as  much  regularity  and 
certainty,  as  the  laws  of  motion.  Nor  is  it  necessary  that  a  super- 
natural influence  on  the  mind,  should  either  supersede  or  derange  the 
operations  of  our  natural  faculties.  It  gives  efficacy  to  the  external 
means  of  instruction,  and  co-operates  with  them ;  it  gives  vigor  and 
strength  to  the  soul,  in  the  acquisition  of  knowledge  and  virtue  on  the 
gospel  plan,  and  enables  us  to  attain  such  degrees  of  them,  as  could 
not  be  attained  under  any  circumstances,  by  our  merely  natural  pow- 
ers. Indeed,  when  I  consider  the  gospel,  not  only  as  a  revelation 
from  God  of  truths  useful  to  man,  but  as  the  means  divinely  ap- 
pointed, of  redeeming  him  from  sin  and  death,  and  by  a  resurrection 
restoring  him  to  immortal  life  and  glory  :  when  I  consider  the  con- 
nected series  of  prophecies,  which  for  ages  prepared  the  world  for  its 
reception  as  a  universal  blessing  ;  the  manifestations  of  divine  power 
at  its  promulgation  and  establishment ;  the  glory  attributed  to  Jesus 
Christ,  in  the  Scriptures  as  our  Redeemer  and  Advocate  ;  and  the  re- 
lation which  he  constantly  bears  to  his  people,  as  their  Captain,  and 
the  Head  of  his  Church ;  it  appears  to  me,  altogether  derogatory  from 
the  wisdom  and  goodness  of  God  to  suppose,  that  the  gospel,  connected 
with  all  these  circumstances,  should  now  be  left  in  the  world  as  a  de- 
serted orphan,  to  shift  for  itself  in  the  best  manner  it  can,  without  any 
divine  influence,  or  superintending  care.  This  supposition  renders 
the  gospel  unworthy  of  the  sublime  descriptions  given  of  it  in  the 
Old  and  New  Testament ;  and  reduces  it  to  a  mere  system  of  Ethics, 
or  moral  precepts,  as  inadequate  to  the  great  and  noble  purpose  of 
man's  redemption,  as  the  moral  teachings  of  Socrates  or  Plato. 
Whatever  may  be  said  of  these  reasonings,  Mr.  Wesley  thought  he 


184 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


was  in  the  way  of  his  duty,  and  under  the  protection  of  a  particular 
providence ;  and  pursued  his  labors  with  great  diligence,  confidence, 
and  success.  He  was  informed  that  the  people  of  St.  Just,  being 
scattered  by  persecution,  had  wandered  into  by-paths  of  error  and  sin, 
and  had  been  confirmed  therein  by  their  exhorter.  He  visited  them, 
and  spake  with  each  member  of  the  society ;  and  adds,  "  I  was 
amazed  to  find  them  just  the  reverse  of  what  they  had  been  repre- 
sented. Most  of  them  had  kept  their  first  love,  even  while  men  were 
riding  over  their  heads,  and  while  they  were  passing  through  fire  and 
water.  Their  exhorter  appears  a  solid  humble  Christian,  raised  up  to 
stand  in  the  gap,  and  keep  the  trembling  sheep  together."  The  next 
day  he  again  talked  with  some  of  the  society,  and  says,  "I  adored 
the  miracle  of  grace,  which  has  kept  these  sheep  in  the  midst  of 
wolves.  Well  may  the  despisers  behold  and  wonder.  Here  is  a  bush, 
burning  in  the  fire  yet  not  consumed  !  What  have  they  not  done  to 
crush  this  rising  sect ;  but  lo!  they  prevail  nothing  !  For  one  preacher 
they  cut  off,  twenty  spring  up.  Neither  persecutions  nor  threatenings, 
flattery  nor  violence,  dungeons,  or  sufl'erings  of  various  kinds,  can 
conquer  them.  Many  waters  cannot  quench  this  little  spark  which 
the  Lord  hath  kindled,  neither  shall  the  floods  of  persecution  drown  it." 

"Monday,  July  28.  I  began  my  week's  experiment  of  leaving  ofl" 
tea :  but  my  flesh  protested  against  it.  I  was  but  half  awake  and 
half  alive,  all  day :  and  my  head-ache  so  increased  towards  noon, 
that  I  could  neither  speak  nor  think.  So  it  was  for  the  two  following 
days,  with  the  addition  of  a  violent  diarrhoea,  occasioned  by  my  milk 
diet.  This  so  weakened  me,  that  I  could  hardly  sit  my  horse.  How- 
ever, I  made  a  shift  to  ride  to  Gwennup,  and  preach  and  meet  the 
society.  Being  very  faint  and  weary,  I  would  afterwards  have  eat 
something,  but  could  get  nothing  proper." 

The  congregations  had  been  large  in  most  places,  during  his  stay 
in  the  West  of  Cornwall :  but  it  being  generally  known  that  he  was 
now  preparing  to  leave  it,  they  were  greatly  increased.  Sunday, 
August  10,  being  at  Gwennup,  he  observes,  "  Nine  or  ten  thousand, 
by  computation,  listened  with  all  eagerness,  while  I  recommended 
them  to  God,  and  the  word  of  his  grace.  For  near  two  hours  I  was 
enabled  to  preach  repentance  towards  God,  and  faith  in  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  I  broke  out,  again  and  again,  into  prayer  and  exhorta- 
tion ;  believing  not  one  word  would  return  empty.  Seventy  years' 
sufferings  would  be  overpaid,  by  one  such  opportunity.  Never  had 
we  so  large  an  effusion  of  the  spirit  as  in  the  society ;  I  could  not 
doubt  at  that  time,  either  of  their  perseverance,  or  my  own  :  and 
still  I  am  humbly  confident,  that  we  shall  stand  together  among  the 
multitude  which  no  man  can  number." 

The  next  day,  August  11,  being  filled  with  thankfulness  to  God, 
for  the  mercies  shown  to  himself  and  the  people,  he  wrote  a  thanks- 
giving hymn,  which  begins  thus, 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


185 


"  All  thanks  be  to  God, 

Who  scatters  abroad 

Throughout  every  place, 
By  the  least  of  his  servants,  his  savor  of  grace  : 

Who  the  victory  gave 

The  praise  let  him  have ; 

For  the  work  he  hath  done, 
All  honor  and  glory  to  Jesus  alone  !  "  dec. 

He  now  travelled  forward  to  St.  Endys,  and  preached  on,  "  Repent 
and  believe  the  gospel."  His  friends,  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Bennet  and 
Tomson,  were  present.  As  I  was  concluding,"  says  he,  a  gentle- 
man rode  up  to  me  very  fiercely,  and  bid  me  come  down.  We  ex- 
changed a  few  words,  and  talked  together  more  largely  in  the  house. 
The  poor  drunken  lawyer  went  away  in  as  good  a  humor  as  he  was 
then  capable  of  I  had  more  difficulty  to  get  clear  of  a  different  an- 
tagonist, one  Adams,  an  old  enthusiast,  who  travels  through  the  land, 
as  overseer  of  all  the  ministers." 

Having  received  many  letters  from  Mr.  Kinsman's  family,  Mr.  Jen- 
kins, and  others  at  Plymouth,  importuning  him  to  favor  them  with 
another  visit  on  his  return,  he  complied  with  their  request,  on  the 
14th  of  August;  and  on  the  18th,  he  took  boat  at  the  Dock,  accom- 
panied by  several  friends,  to  meet  a  congregation  at  some  distance. 
He  observes,  The  rough  stormy  sea  tried  our  faith.  None  stirred, 
or  we  must  have  been  overset.  In  two  hours,  our  invisible  Pilot 
brought  us  safe  to  land,  thankful  for  our  deliverance,  humbled  for  our 
littleness  of  faith,  and  more  endeared  to  each  other  by  our  common 
danger.  We  found  thousands  waiting  for  the  word  of  life.  The  Lord 
made  it  a  channel  of  grace.  I  spoke  and  prayed  alternately  for  two 
hours.  The  moonlight  added  to  the  solemnity.  Our  eyes  overflowed 
with  tears,  and  our  hearts  with  love  :  scarce  a  soul  but  was  affected 
with  grief  or  joy.  We  drank  into  one  spirit,  and  were  persuaded, 
that  neither  life  nor  death,  things  present,  nor  things  to  come,  shall  be 
able  to  separate  us  from  the  love  of  God  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  our 
Lord." 

Mr.  Wesley  continued  his  labors  daily,  visiting  various  places  in 
his  way  to  Bristol,  where  he  arrived  on  the  28th,  and  came  safe 
to  London  on  the  2d  of  September.  He  staid  here  a  fortnight,  during 
which  he  became  acquainted  with  Mr.  Edward  Perronet,  a  sensible, 
pious,  and  amiable  young  man.  September  the  16th,  they  set  out, 
accompanied  by  several  friends,  to  pay  a  visit  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Per- 
ronet, Vicar  of  Shoreham,  in  Kent ;  a  man  of  a  most  artless  child- 
like spirit,  and  zealous  for  the  doctrines  of  the  Gospel.  But  his 
preaching  and  godly  conversation,  had,  as  yet,  but  little  influence  on 
the  minds  of  the  people,  who,  through  ignorance,  opposed  the  truth 
with  great  violence.  It  is  probable,  notice  had  been  given,  that  Mr. 
Wesley  would  preach  in  the  church.  "As  soon,"  says  he,  ''as  I 
began  preaching,  the  wild  beasts  began  roaring,  stamping,  blas- 


186 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


pheming,  ringing  the  bells,  and  turning  the  church  into  a  bear-garden. 
I  spoke  on  for  half  an  hour,  though  only  the  nearest  could  hear.  The 
rioters  followed  us  to  Mr.  Perronet's  house,  raging,  threatening,  and 
throwing  stones.  Charles  Perronet  hung  over  me,  to  intercept  the 
blows.  They  continued  their  uproar,  after  we  got  into  the  house." 
Mr.  Wesley  returned  to  London,  with  Mr.  E.  Perronet,  and  October 
the  9th,  being  appointed  as  a  day  of  public  thanksgiving  for  national 
mercies,  the  Foundery  was  filled  at  four  in  the  morning.  Mr.  Wes- 
ley preached  from  those  words,  How  shall  I  give  thee  up  Ephraim  7 
He  adds,  "Our  hearts  were  melted  by  the  long-suffering  love  of 
God ;  whose  power  we  found  disposing  us  to  the  true  thanksgiving. 
It  was  a  day  of  solemn  rejoicing.  O  that  from  this  moment,  all  our 
rebellions  against  God  might  cease  !" 

Though  the  winter  was  now  approaching,  and  travelling  far  north, 
is  both  difficult  and  dangerous  at  this  season,  yet  Mr.  Wesley,  in  a 
poor  state  of  health,  determined  to  take  his  Northern  journey  as  far  as 
Newcastle-upon-Tyne.  October  10,  he  tells  us,  "I  set  out  for  New- 
castle with  my  young  companion  and  friend,  E.  Perronet,  whose 
heart  the  Lord  hath  given  me.  His  family  has  been  kept  from  us  so 
long  by  a  mistaken  notion,  that  we  were  against  the  church."  He 
visited  the  brethren  in  Staffordshire,  and  on  the  15th,  preached  at 
Tippen-green.  After  preaching  in  the  evening,  a  friend  invited  him 
to  sleep  at  his  house  at  no  great  distance  from  the  place.  Soon  after 
they  were  sat  down,  the  mob  beset  the  house,  and  beating  at  the  door, 
demanded  entrance.  Mr.  Wesley  ordered  the  door  to  be  set  open,  and 
the  house  was  immediately  filled.  sat  still,"  says  he,  "in  the 
midst  of  them  for  half  an  hour.  I  was  a  little  concerned  for  E.  Per- 
ronet, lest  such  rough  treatment  at  his  first  setting  out,  should  daunt 
him.  But  he  abounded  in  valor,  and  was  for  reasoning  with  the  wild 
beasts,  before  they  had  spent  any  of  their  violence.  He  got  a  deal 
of  abuse  thereby,  and  not  a  little  dirt,  both  of  which  he  took  very 
patiently.  I  had  no  design  to  preach  ;  but  being  called  upon  by  so 
unexpected  a  congregation,  I  rose  at  last,  and  read,  'When  the  Son 
of  man  shall  come  in  his  glory,  and  all  the  holy  angels  with  him,  then 
shall  he  sit  on  the  throne  of  his  glory.'  While  1  reasoned  with  them 
of  judgment  to  come,  they  grew  calmer  by  little  and  little.  I  then 
spake  to  them,  one  by  one,  till  the  Lord  had  disarmed  them  all.  One 
who  stood  out  the  longest,  I  held  by  the  hand,  and  urged  the  love  of 
Christ  crucified,  till  in  spite  of  both  his  natural  and  diabolical  cour- 
-age,  he  trembled  like  a  leaf.  I  was  constrained  to  break  out  in  prayer 
:for  him.  Our  leopards  were  all  become  lambs ;  and  very  kind  we 
were  at  parting.  Near  midnight  the  house  was  clear  and  quiet.  We 
gave  thanks  to  God  for  our  salvation  and  slept  in  peace." 

October  21,  Mr.  Wesley  preached  at  Dewsbury,  where  John  Nel- 
son had  gathered  many  stray  sheep,  and  formed  a  society.  The  min- 
ister did  not  condemn  them  imheard,  but  talked  with  them,  examined 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY.  187 

into  the  doctrine  they  had  been  taught,  and  its  effects  on  their  lives. 
When  he  found,  that  as  many  as  had  been  affected  by  the  preaching, 
were  evidently  reformed,  and  brought  to  church  and  sacrament,  he 
testified  his  approbation  of  the  work,  and  rejoiced  that  sinners  were 
converted  to  God.  This  conduct  certainly  deserves  great  praise ;  and 
had  all  the  ministers  of  the  Established  Church  acted  with  the  same 
candor,  it  is  probable  they  would  have  served  the  interests  of  the 
church  better  than  they  have  done,  and  the  work  would  have  been 
much  more  extended  than  we  have  yet  seen  it. 

October  25.  They  arrived  at  Newcastle,  where  Mr.  E.  Perronet  was 
immediately  taken  ill  of  the  smallpox,  and  had  a  very  narrow  escape 
for  his  life.  October  31,  Mr.  Wesley  observes,  "Rode  to  Wickham, 
where  the  curate  sent  his  love  to  me,  with  a  message  that  he  was 
glad  of  my  coming,  and  obliged  to  me  for  endeavoring  to  do  good 
among  his  people,  for  none  wanted  it  more :  and  he  heartily  wished 
me  good  luck  in  the  name  of  the  Lord.  He  came,  with  another  cler- 
gyman, and  staid  both  preaching  and  the  meeting  of  the  society." 
As  such  instances  of  liberality  and  candor  are  not  very  common 
among  ministers  of  the  gospel,  they  deserve  the  greater  commendation, 
who  have  resolution  to  set  so  good  an  example. 

Mr.  Wesley  continued  his  labors  in,  and  about  Newcastle,  till  the 
27th  of  November,  when  he  rode  to  Hexham,  at  the  pressing  request 
of  Mr.  Wardrobe,  a  Dissenting  minister,  and  others.    He  observes. 

I  walked  directly  to  the  market-place,  and  called  sinners  to  repent- 
ance. A  multitude  of  them  stood  staring  at  me  ;  but  all  quiet.  The 
Lord  opened  my  mouth  and  they  drew  nearer  and  nearer :  stole  off 
their  hats,  and  listened  :  none  offered  to  interrupt,  but  one  unfortunate 
squire,  who  could  get  no  one  to  second  him.  His  servants  and  the  con- 
stables, hid  themselves :  one  he  found  and  bid  him  go  and  take  me 
down.  The  poor  constable  simply  answered,  *  Sir,  I  cannot  have  the 
face  to  do  it,  for  what  harm  does  he  do  7 '  Several  Papists  attended, 
and  the  church  minister  who  had  refused  me  his  pulpit  with  indig- 
nation. However  he  came  to  hear  with  his  own  ears  ;  I  wish  all  who 
hang  us  first,  would,  like  him,  try  us  afterwards." 

"  I  walked  back  to  Mr.  Ord's,  through  the  people,  who  acknowl- 
edged, '  It  is  the  truth  and  none  can  speak  against  it.'  A  constable 
followed,  and  told  me,  '  Sir  Edward  Blacket  orders  you  to  disperse 
the  town,  (depart,  I  suppose  he  meant)  and  not  raise  a  disturbance 
here.'  I  sent  my  respects  to  Sir  Edward,  and  said,  if  he  would  give 
me  leave  I  would  wait  upon  him  and  satisfy  him.  He  soon  returned 
with  an  answer,  that  Sir  Edward  Avould  have  nothing  to  say  to  me : 
but  if  I  preached  again  and  raised  a  disturbance,  he  would  put  the 
law  in  execution  against  me.  I  answered,  that  I  was  not  conscious 
of  breaking  any  law  of  God  or  man  ;  but  if  I  did,  was  ready  to  suffer 
the  penalty :  that,  as  I  had  not  given  notice  of  preaching  again  at 
the  Cross,  I  should  not  preach  again  at  that  place,  nor  cause  a  dis- 


188 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


turbance  any  where.  I  charged  the  constable,  a  trembhng,  submissive 
soul,  to  assure  his  worship,  that  I  reverenced  him  for  his  office'  sake. 
The  only  place  I  could  get  to  preach  in  was  a  cock-pit,  and  I  ex- 
pected satan  would  come  and  fight  me  on  his  own  ground.  Squire 
Roberts,  the  justice's  son,  labored  hard  to  raise  a  mob,  for  which  I 
was  to  be  answerable  ;  but  the  very  boys  ran  away  from  him,  when 
the  poor  squire  persuaded  them  to  go  down  to  the  cock-pit  and  cry 
fire.  I  called,  in  words  then  first  heard  in  that  place,  '  Repent  and  be 
converted,  that  your  sins  may  be  blotted  out.'  God  struck  the  hard 
rock,  and  the  waters  gushed  out.  Never  have  I  seen  a  people  more 
desirous  of  knowing  the  truth,  at  the  first  hearing.  I  passed  the 
evening  in  conference  with  Mr.  Wardrobe;  O  that  all  our  Dissenting 
ministers  were  like-minded,  then  would  all  dissentions  cease  forever.=^ 
November  28,  at  six,  we  assembled  again  in  our  chapel,  the  cock-pit. 
I  imagined  myself  in  the  Pantheon,  or  some  heathen  temple,  and 
almost  scrupled  preaching  there  at  first;  but  we  found  the  earth  is  the 

*  It  is  uncertain,  whether  Mr.  Wardrobe  was  at  this  time  settled  as  a  Dissenting  min- 
ister at  Hexham.  He  was  afterwards,  however,  fixed  at  Bathgate  in  Scotland,  where  he 
labored  as  a  faithful  minister  of  Christ  till  his  death.  He  was  a  man  of  great  piety,  and 
of  more  liberality  of  mind  than  was  commonly  found  among  the  Scotch  ministers  at  that 
time.  He  cultivated  an  acquaintance  with  the  Methodists,  and  on  the  22d  of  May,  1755, 
preached  in  their  house  at  Newcastle,  to  the  no  small  amazement  and  displeasure  of 
some  of  his  zealous  countrymen.  He  died  on  the  7th  of  May,  1756,  and  Mr.  Adams,  min- 
ister at  Falkirk,  gives  the  following  account  of  his  death,  in  a  letter  to  Mr.  Gillies.  On 
Friday  night,  about  ten,  I  witnessed  Mr.  Wardrobe's  entrance  into  the  joy  of  his  Lord. 
But  ah  !  who  can  help  mourning  the  loss  of  the  Church  of  Christ  ?  His  amiable  character 
gave  him  a  distinguished  weight  and  influence  ;  which  his  Lord  had  given  him  to  value, 
only  for  its  subserviency  to  his  honor  and  glory.  He  was  suddenly  taken  ill  on  the  last 
Lord's  day,  and  from  the  first  moment  believed  it  was  for  death.  I  went  to  see  him  on 
Thursday  evening,  and  heard  some  of  the  liveliest  expressions  of  triumphant  faith,  zeal  for 
the  glory  of  Christ  and  the  salvation  of  souls,  mixed  with  the  most  amiable  humility  and 
modesty.  'Yet  a  little  while,'  said  he,  'and  this  mortal  shall  put  on  immortality.  Mor- 
tality shall  be  swallowed  up  of  life  :  this  vile  body  fashioned  like  to  his  glorious  body  I  0 
for  victor}^ !  I  shall  get  the  victory  !  I  know  in  whom  I  have  believed.'  Then  with  a 
remarkably  audible  voice,  lifting  up  his  hands  he  cried  out,  '  0  for  a  draught  of  the  well  of 
the  water  of  life,  that  I  may  begin  the  song  before  I  go  off  to  the  Church  triumphant !  I 
go  forth  in  thy  name,  making  mention  of  thy  righteousness,  even  of  thine  only.  I  die  at 
the  feet  of  mercy.'  Then  stretching  out  his  arms,  he  put  his  hand  upon  his  head,  and 
with  the  most  serene  and  steady  majestic  eye.  I  ever  saw,  looking  upward,  he  said, 
'  Crowns  of  grace,  cro\\Tis  of  grace,  and  palms  in  their  hands !  0  Lord  God  of  truth,  into 
thy  hands  I  commend  my  spirit !'  He  says  to  me,  '  You  that  are  ministers,  bear  a  proper 
testimony  against  the  professors  of  this  age,  who  have  a  form  of  godliness  without  the 
power.'  Observing  some  of  his  people  about  his  bed,  he  said,  'May  I  have  some  seals 
among  you !  0  where  will  the  ungodly  and  sinners  of  Bathgate  appear?  Labor  all  to  be 
in  Christ.'  Then  he  stretched  out  his  hand  to  several,  and  said,  'Farewell,  farewell, 
farewell !  And  now,  0  Lord,  what  wait  I  for  ?  Zlj  hope  is  in  thee  ! '  Once  or  twice  Re 
said,  '  Let  me  be  laid  across  the  bed  to  expire,  where  I  have  sometimes  prayed,  and  some- 
times meditated  with  pleasure.'  He  expressed  his  grateful  sense  of  the  assiduous  care 
which  Mr.  Wardrobe,  of  Cult,  had  taken  of  him ;  and  on  his  replying,  '  Too  much  could 
not  be  done  for  so  valuable  a  life,'  said,  '  0  speak  not  so,  or  you  will  provoke  God.  Glory 
be  to  God,  that  I  have  ever  had  any  regard  paid  me  for  Christ's  sake.  I  am  greatly  sunk 
under  the  event.  0  help  me  by  your  prayers,  to  get  the  proper  submission  and  improve- 
ment.' " 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


189 


Lord's,  and  the  fulness  thereof.  His  presence  consecrated  the  place. 
Never  have  I  found  a  greater  sense  of  God,  than  while  we  were  re- 
peating his  own  prayer.  I  set  before  their  eyes,  Christ  crucified.  The 
rocks  were  melted,  and  gracious  tears  flowed.  We  knew  not  how  to 
part.  I  distributed  some  books  among  them,  which  they  received 
with  the  utmost  eagerness;  begging  me  to  come  again,  and  to  send 
our  preachers  to  them." 

December  6.  He  says,  "I  visited  one  of  our  sick  children,  and 
received  her  blessings  and  prayers.  December  18,  I  waked  between 
three  and  four,  in  a' temper  of  mind  I  have  rarely  felt  on  my  birth- 
day. My  joy  and  thankfulness  continued  the  whole  day,  to  my  own 
astonishment. — 19th,  called  on  Mr.  (one  of  the  friendly  clergy- 
men) at  Wickham,  whose  countenance  was  changed.  He  had  been 
with  the  bishop,  who  forbid  his  conversing  with  me.  I  marvel  the 
prohibition  did  not  come  sooner." 

Towards  the  end  of  the  month,  Mr.  Wesley  quitted  these  cold 
regions  of  the  North,  and  began  to  move  Southward.  January  6, 
1747,  he  came  to  Grimsby,  where  he  was  saluted  by  a  shouting  mob. 
In  the  evening  he  attempted  to  preach  at  the  room,  but  the  mob  was 
so  violent  he  could  not  proceed.  At  length  one  of  the  rioters  aimed 
a  severe  blow  at  Mr.  Wesley,  which  a  friend  who  stood  near  him, 
received.  Another  of  them  cried  out,  "What,  you  dog,  do  you 
strike  a  clergyman?"  and  fell  upon  his  comrade.  Immediately  every 
man's  hand  was  against  his  fellow :  they  began  fighting  and  beat- 
ing one  another,  till,  in  a  few  minutes,  the  room  was  cleared  of  all 
disturbers:  when  Mr.  Wesley  preached  for  half  an  hour,  without 
further  molestation.  On  the  9th,  at  Hainton,  he  talked  separately 
with  the  members  of  the  little  society,  who  were  as  sheep  encom- 
passed with  wolves.  The  minister  of  the  place  had  repelled  them 
from  the  sacrament,  and  labored  to  stir  up  the  whole  town  against 
them.  It  is  probable  they  would  have  been  worried  to  death,  but  for 
the  chief  man  of  the  place,  a  professed  Papist,  who  hindered  these 
good  Protestants  from  destroying  their  innocent  brethren. 

Mr.  Wesley  continued  his  labors  for  the  good  of  the  people,  and 
the  propagation  of  christian  knowledge  in  Yorkshire,  Derbyshire, 
Lancashire,  and  Staffordshire,  till  the  8th  of  February,  and  on  the 
10th,  he  arrived  safe  in  London.^  He  continued  here  till  the  23d, 
when  he  again  commenced  his  peregrinations,  in  which  he  had  new 
troubles  and  difficulties  to  encounter,  even  greater  than  any  he  had 
iiefore  experienced.  On  the  24th,  he  reached  the  Devizes  in  his  way 
to  Bristol,  in  company  with  Mr.  Minton.  They  soon  perceived  that 
the  enemies  of  religion  had  taken  the  alarm,  and  were  mustering 
their  forces  for  the  battle.    They  began  by  ringing  the  bells  back- 

*  See  the  exact  correspondence  between  this  account  and  Mr.  John  Wesley's  printed 
Journal  in  his  Works,  vol.  xxix.  page  9. 


190 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


ward,  and  running  to  and  fro  in  the  streets,  as  lions  roaring  for  their 
prey.  The  curate's  mob  went  in  quest  of  Mr.  Wesley  to  several 
places,  particularly  to  Mr.  Philips' s,  where  it  was  expected  he  would 
preach.  They  broke  open,  and  ransacked  the  house ;  but  not  find- 
ing him  there,  they  marched  off  to  a  Mr.  Rogers's,  Avhere  he,  and  sev- 
eral others  being  met  together,  were  praying  and  exhorting  one 
another  to  continue  steadfast  in  the  faith,  and  through  m_uch  tribula- 
tion to  enter  the  kingdom.  The  zealous  curate,  Mr.  Innys,  stood 
with  them  in  the  street  dancing  for  joy.  "This,"  says  Mr.  Wesley, 
"is  he,  who  declared  in  the  pulpit,  as  well  as  from  house  to  house, 
'  That  he  himself  heard  me  preach  blasphemy  before  the  University, 
and  tell  them,  if  you  do  not  receive  the  Holy  Ghost  while  I  breathe 
upon  you,  ye  are  all  damned.'  He  had  been  about  the  town  several 
days,  stirring  up  the  people,  and  canvassing  the  gentry  for  their  vote 
and  interest ;  but  could  not  raise  a  mob  while  my  brother  was  here : 
the  hour  of  darkness  was  not  then  fully  come."  What  a  disgrace  to 
the  governors  of  any  church,  that  such  a  man  as  this  should  be  sup- 
ported as  a  minister  in  it.  But  we  may  observe,  that  it  is  a  general 
rule,  with  all  persecutors,  to  make  those  whom  they  persecute,  appear 
to  the  people  as  absurd,  or  as  wicked  as  possible.  To  accomplish 
their  end,  persecutors  give  full  scope  to  invention  and  suspicion :  and 
propagate  with  confidence,  such  things  as  they  imagine  will  answer 
their  purpose,  without  wishing  to  bring  them  to  the  test  of  reason 
and  truth.  In  the  present  instance,  Mr.  Innys  well  knew,  that  what 
he  asserted  of  Mr.  Wesley,  was  false.  I  fear,  we  may  fix  it  as  a 
general  rule,  with  very  few  exceptions,  that  any  man,  who  has  been 
a  little  practised  in  the  ways  of  persecution,  will  not  scruple  to  utter 
a  falsehood,  which  seems  very  convenient  for  his  purpose.  Let  us 
then,  learn  to  judge  truly  of  men  and  things ;  and  when  we  see  a 
man  deeply  prejudiced  against  another,  or  influenced  by  a  spirit  of 
persecution,  let  us  give  no  credit  to  anything  he  may  say,  from  the 
pulpit,  from  the  press,  or  in  conversation,  till  we  have  further  evi- 
dence on  the  subject  than  his  assertions.  This  will  be  the  best 
method  of  suppressing  persecution,  and  its  concomitant,  slander.  O 
how  careful  should  all  ministers  be,  to  avoid  this  snare  of  the  Devil ! 
The  Methodist  preachers,  in  particular ;  who  have  no  shadow  of 
claim  to  our  esteem,  as  preachers,  but  in  proportion  to  their  integrity, 
piety,  and  zeal  to  do  good. 

Mr.  Innys,  by  assiduity,  and  falsehood  boldly  asserted  as  truth, 
had  engaged  the  gentlemen  of  the  town  in  his  party,  and  prevailed* 
with  them  to  encourage  the  mob.  While  they  beset  the  house  where 
Mr.  Wesley,  and  the  company  with  him,  were  assembled,  he  often 
heard  his  own  name  mentioned,  with,  "  Bring  him  out,  bring  him 
out."  He  observes,  "  The  little  flock  were  less  afraid  than  I 
expected;  only  one  of  our  sisters  fainted  away."  It  being  now 
dark,  the  besiegers  blocked  up  the  door  with  a  wagon,  and  set  up 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


191 


lights  lest  Mr.  Wesley  should  escape.  One  of  the  company  however, 
got  out  unobserved,  and  with  much  entreaty  prevailed  on  the  mayor 
to  come  down.  He  came  with  two  constables,  and  threatened  the 
rioters;  but  so  gently  that  no  one  regarded  him.  Having  tore  down 
the  shutters  of  the  shop,  and  broken  the  windows,  it  is  wonderful 
they  did  not  enter  the  house :  but  a  secret  hand  seemed  to  restrain 
them.  After  a  while  they  hurried  away  to  the  inn,  where  the  horses 
were  put  up,  broke  open  the  stable  door,  and  turned  out  the  beasts. 
''In  the  mean  time,"  says  Mr.  Wesley,  "  we  were  at  a  loss  what  to 
do ;  when  God  put  it  into  the  heart  of  our  next  door  neighbor,  a  Bap- 
tist, to  take  us  through  a  passage  into  his  own  house,  offer  us  his 
bed,  and  engage  for  our  security.  We  accepted  his  kindness  and 
slept  in  peace." 

February  25.  '-A  day  never  to  be  forgotten.  At  seven  o'clock,  I 
walked  quietly  to  Mrs.  Philips's,  and  began  preaching  a  little  before 
the  time  appointed.  For  three  quarters  of  an  hour,  I  invited  a  few 
listening  sinners  to  Christ.  Soon  after,  Satan's  whole  army  assaulted 
the  house.  We  sat  in  a  little  ground  room,  and  ordered  all  the  doors 
to  be  thrown  open.  They  brought  a  hand  engine  and  began  to  play 
into  the  house.  We  kept  our  seats,  and  they  rushed  into  the  pas- 
sage: just  then  Mr.  Borough,  the  constable,  came  and  seizing  the 
spout  of  the  engine,  carried  it  off.  They  swore  if  he  did  not  deliver 
it,  they  would  pull  down  the  house.  At  that  time  they  might  have 
taken  us  prisoners ;  we  were  close  to  them,  and  none  to  interpose : 
but  they  hurried  out  to  fetch  the  larger  engine.  In  the  mean  time 
we  were  advised  to  send  for  the  mayor ;  but  Mr.  Mayor  was  gone  out 
of  town,  in  the  sight  of  the  people,  which  gave  great  encouragement 
to  those  who  were  already  wrought  up  to  a  proper  pitch  by  the 
curate,  and  the  gentlemen  of  the  town ;  particularly  Mr.  Sutton  and 
Mr.  Willy,  Dissenters,  the  two  leading  men.  Mr.  Sutton,  frequently 
came  out  to  the  mob,  to  keep  up  their  spirits.  He  sent  word  to  Mrs. 
Philips,  that  if  she  did  not  turn  that  fellow  out  to  the  mob,  he  would 
send  them  to  drag  him  out.  Mr.  Willy,  passed  by  again  and  again, 
assuring  the  rioters  he  would  stand  by  them,  and  secure  them  from 
the  law,  do  what  they  would. — What  shall  we  say  to  these  proceed- 
ings? There  is  no  class  of  people,  who  cry  out  more  loudly  against 
persecution,  than  the  Dissenters,  when  it  happens  to  be  their  turn  to 
be  persecuted.  The  truth  seems  to  be,  that  most  denominations  of 
Christians  disavow,  and  condemn  persecution  in  theory,  and  yet  fall 
ir>to  the  practice  of  it,  when  power  and  opportunity  occur.  How 
far  the  Roman  Catholics,  who  have  hitherto  been  consistent,  and  per- 
secuted on  principle,  will  now  contradict  the  former  practice  of  their 
own  Church  (if  they  should  obtain  the  power  of  persecuting  in  these 
kingdoms)  time  only  can  discover :  but  there  seems  a  very  general 
inclination  at  present,  to  give  them  an  opportunity,  either  of  doing  a 
great  deal  of  mischief,  or  of  retrieving  their  character  in  this  respect, 


192 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


by  setting  an  example  of  moderation  to  other  bodies  of  professing 
Christians. 

The  rioters  '-now  began  playing  the  larger  engine;  which  broke 
the  windows,  flooded  the  rooms,  and  spoiled  the  goods.  We  were 
withdrawn  to  a  small  upper  room,  in  the  back  part  of  the  house ; 
seeing  no  way  to  escape  their  violence,  as  they  seemed  under  the  full 
power  of  the  old  murderer.  They  first  laid  hold  on  the  man  who 
kept  the  society  house,  dragged  him  away,  and  threw  him  into  the 
horse-pond;  and  it  was  said,  broke  his  back. — We  gave  ourselves 
unto  prayer,  believing  the  Lord  would  deliver  us ;  how,  or  when,  we 
saw  not ;  nor  any  possible  way  of  escaping :  we  therefore  stood  still 
to  see  the  salvation  of  God. — Every  now  and  then,  some  or  other  of 
our  friends  would  venture  to  us ;  but  rather  weakened  our  hands,  so 
that  we  were  forced  to  stop  our  ears,  and  look  up.  Among  the  rest, 
the  mayor's  maid  came,  and  told  us  her  mistress  was  in  tears  about 
me ;  and  begged  me  to  disguise  myself  in  women's  clothes,  and  try 
to  make  my  escape.  Her  heart  had  been  turned  towards  us  by  the 
conversion  of  her  son,  just  on  the  brink  of  ruin.  God  laid  his  hand 
on  the  poor  prodigal,  and  instead  of  running  to  sea,  he  entered  the 
society. — The  rioters  without,  continued  playing  their  engine,  which 
diverted  them  for  some  time;  but  their  number  and  fierceness  still 
increased ;  and  the  gentlemen  supplied  them  with  pitchers  of  ale,  as 
much  as  they  would  drink.  They  were  now  on  the  point  of  break- 
ing in,  when  Mr.  Borough,  thought  of  reading  the  proclamation :  he 
did  so  at  the  hazard  of  his  life.  In  less  than  the  hour,  of  above  a 
thousand  wild  beasts,  none  were  left,  but  the  guard.  Our  constable 
had  applied  to  Mr.  Street,  the  only  justice  in  the  town;  who  would 
not  act.  We  found  there  was  no  help  in  man,  which  drove  us  closer 
to  the  Lord ;  and  we  prayed,  with  little  intermission,  the  whole  day. 

^'  Our  enemies  at  their  return,  made  their  main  assault  at  the  back 
door,  swearing  horribly,  they  would  have  me  if  it  cost  them  their 
lives.  Many  seeming  accidents  concurred  to  prevent  their  breaking 
in.  The  man  of  the  house  came  home,  and  instead  of  turning  me 
out,  as  they  expected,  took  part  with  us,  and  stemmed  the  tide  for 
some  time.  They  now  got  a  notion,  that  I  had  made  my  escape ; 
and  ran  down  to  the  inn,  and  played  the  engine  there.  They  forced 
the  inn-keeper  to  turn  out  our  horses,  which  he  immediately  sent  to 
Mr.  Clark's;  which  drew  the  rabble  and  their  engine  thither.  But 
the  resolute  old  man,  charged  and  presented  his  gun,  till  they 
retreated. — Upon  their  revisiting  us,  we  stood  in  jeopardy  every 
moment.  Such  threatenings,  curses,  and  blasphemies,  I  have  never 
heard.  They  seemed  kept  out,  by  a  continual  miracle.  I  remem- 
bered the  Roman  senators,  sitting  in  the  forum,  when  the  Gauls 
broke  in  upon  them ;  but  thought  there  was  a  fitter  posture  for  Chris- 
tians, and  told  my  companion,  they  should  take  us  ofi"  our  knees. — 
We  were  kept  from  all  hurry,  and  discomposure  of  spirit,  by  a  Di- 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


193 


vine  power  resting  upon  us.  We  prayed  and  conversed  as  freely,  as 
if  we  had  been  in  the  midst  of  our  brethren ;  and  had  great  confi- 
dence that  the  Lord  would,  either  deliver  us  from  the  danger,  or  in 
it. — In  the  height  of  the  storm,  just  when  we  were  falling  into  the 
hands  of  the  drunken  enraged  multitude,  Mr.  Minton  was  so  little 
disturbed  that  he  fell  fast  asleep. 

"  They  were  now  close  to  us  on  every  side,  and  over  our  heads 
untiling  the  roof  A  ruffian  cried  out,  '  Here  they  are,  behind  the 
curtain.'  At  this  time  we  fully  expected  their  appearance,  and 
retired  to  the  furthermost  corner  of  the  room ;  and  I  said,  this  is  the 
CRISIS.  In  that  moment  Jesus  rebuked  the  winds  and  the  sea,  and 
there  was  a  great  calm.  We  heard  not  a  breath  without,  and  won- 
dered what  was  become  of  them.  The  silence  lasted  for  three  quar- 
ters of  an  hour,  before  any  one  came  near  us ;  and  we  continued  in 
mutual  exhortation  and  prayer,  looking  for  deliverance.  I  often 
told  my  companions,  Now  God  is  at  work  for  us ;  he  is  contriving 
our  escape :  he  can  turn  these  leopards  into  lambs ;  can  command 
the  heathen  to  bring  his  children  on  their  shoulders,  and  make  our 
fiercest  enemies  the  instruments  of  our  deliverance.  About  three 
o'clock  Mr.  Clark  knocked  at  the  door,  and  brought  with  him  the 
persecuting  constable.  He  said,  *  Sir,  if  you  will  promise  never  to 
preach  here  again,  the  gentlemen  and  I  will  engage  to  bring  you  safe 
out  of  town.'  My  answer  was,  'I  shall  promise  no  such  thing — set- 
ting aside  my  office,  I  will  not  give  up  my  birth-right  as  an  English- 
man, of  visiting  what  place  I  please  of  his  Majesty's  dominions.' 
*  Sir,'  said  the  Constable,  '  we  expect  no  such  promise,  that  you  will 
never  come  here  again:  only  tell  me,  that  it  is  not  your  present 
intention,  that  I  may  tell  the  gentlemen,  who  will  then  secure  your 
quiet  departure.'  I  answered,  '  I  cannot  come  again  at  this  time, 
because  I  must  return  to  London  a  week  hence.  But,  observe^  I  make 
no  promise  of  not  preaching  here,  when  the  door  is  opened ;  and  do 
not  you  say  that  I  do. 

"  He  went  away  with  this  answer,  and  we  betook  ourselves  to 
prayer  and  thanksgiving.  We  perceived  it  was  the  Lord's  doing, 
and  it  was  marvellous  in  our  eyes.  The  hearts  of  our  adversaries 
were  turned.  Whether  pity  for  us,  or  fear  for  themselves,  wrought 
strongest,  God  knoweth;  probably  the  latter;  for  the  mob  were 
wrought  up  to  such  a  pitch  of  fury,  that  their  masters  dreaded  the 
consequence,  and  therefore  went  about  appeasing  the  multitude,  and 
charging  them  not  to  touch  us  in  our  departure. 

While  the  constable  was  gathering  his  posse,  we  got  our  things 
from  Mr.  Clark's,  and  prepared  to  go  forth.  The  whole  multitude 
were  without,  expecting  us,  and  saluted  us  with  a  general  shout. 
The  man  Mrs.  Naylor  had  hired  to  ride  before  her  was,  as  we  now 
perceived,  one  of  the  rioters.  This  hopeful  guide  was  to  conduct  us 
out  of  the  reach  of  his  fellows.  Mr.  Minton  and  I  took  horse  in  the 
17  25 


194 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


face  of  our  enemies,  who  began  clamoring  against  us  :  the  gentlemen 
were  dispersed  among  the  mob,  to  bridle  them.  We  rode  a  slow 
pace  up  the  street,  the  whole  multitude  pouring  along  on  both  sides, 
and  attending  us  with  loud  acclamations — such  fierceness  and  dia- 
bolical malice  I  have  not  before  seen  in  human  faces.  They  ran  up 
to  our  horses  as  if  they  would  swallow  us,  but  did  not  know  which 
was  Wesley.  We  felt  great  peace  and  acquiescence  in  the  honor 
done  us,  while  the  whole  town  were  spectators  of  our  march.  When 
out  of  sight,  we  mended  our  pace,  and  about  seven  o'clock  came  to 
Wrexall.  The  news  of  our  danger  was  got  thither  before  us ;  but 
we  brought  the  welcome  tidings  of  our  deliverance.  We  joined  in 
hearty  prayer  to  our  Deliverer,  singing  the  hymn, 

'"Worship,,  and  thanks,  and  blessing,'  &c. 

"  February  26,  I  preached  at  Bath,  and  we  rejoiced  like  men  who 
lake  the  spoil.  We  continued  our  triumph  at  Bristol,  and  reaped  the 
fruit  of  our  labors  and  sufferings." 

In  the  beginning  of  March,  Mr.  Wesley  returned  to  London,  and 
on  the  24th  preached  at  Shoreham,  without  molestation.  The  next 
day  he  met  with  and  stopt  a  travelling  preacher,  "  who,"  he  says, 
"had  crept  in  among  our  helpers,  without  either  discretion  or  vera- 
cityJ'^  We  may  well  suppose,  that  such  instances  as  this  did  not 
frequently  occur  at  this  early  period  of  the  work;  when  the  lay- 
preachers  were  few  in  number,  no  provision  made  for  their  subsis- 
tence, and  their  labors  and  dangers  very  great.  It  is  not  easy  to 
imagine,  what  motive  a  preacher  could  have,  in  going  out  to  travel 
under  these  circumstances,  but  a  desire  of  doing  good. 

About  this  time  Mr.  Charles  Perronet  attached  himself  to  Mr.  Wes- 
ley, and  attended  him  as  a  companion,  both  in  England  and  Ireland, 
the  whole  of  this  year.  On  the  4th  of  May  they  left  London,  and 
the  next  day  arrived  in  Bristol.  On  the  9th,  Mr.  Wesley  observes, 
"My  name-sake  and  charge  was  taken  ill  of  a  fever,  which  soon 
appeared  to  be  the  smallpox.  On  the  12th  I  administered  the  sacra- 
ment to  my  patient,  who  grows  worse  and  worse.  May  19,  expect- 
ing the  turn  of  the  distemper,  I  sat  up  with  Charles :  the  Lord  is 
pleased  to  try  our  faith  and  patience  yet  further." — On  the  23d,  he 
was  out  of  danger. 

Mr.  Wesley  continued  his  labors  in  Bristol,  London,  and  the  places 
adjacent,  till  August  the  24th,  when  he  set  out  for  Ireland  with  Mr. 
Charles  Perronet,  being  strongly  importuned  by  his  brother,  Mr.  John 
Wesley,  to  come  and  supply  his  place  in  Dublin.  On  the  27th,  they 
reached  Mr.  Phillips's,  in  Wales,  and  his  brother  not  being  come 
from  Ireland,  according  to  appointment,  they  concluded  he  was 
detained  by  contrary  winds,  and  had  an  opportunity  of  refreshing 
themselves  and  their  weary  beasts.  On  the  28th,  he  observes,  "  Mr. 
Gwynne  came  to  see  me,  with  two  of  his  family.    My  soul  seemed 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


195 


pleased  to  take  acquaintance  with  them.  We  rode  to  Maismynis 
church,  where  I  preached,  and  Mr.  WilUams,  after  me,  in  Welsh.  I 
preached  a  fourth  time  (the  same  day)  at  Garth.  The  whole  family 
received  us  as  the  messengers  of  God ;  and  if  such  we  are,  they  re- 
ceived him  that  sent  us." 

August  29.  Mr.  John  Wesley  arrived  from  Ireland,  and  came  to 
them  at  Garth. ^  On  the  30th,  Mr.  Charles  Wesley  preached  on  a 
tomb-stone  in  Builth  church- yard ;  and  again  in  the  afternoon  :  in  the 
evening  he  preached  at  Garth,  on  the  marks  of  the  Messias,  from 
Matthew  xi.  5. — September  2,  he  observes,  "I  took  horse  with  Mr. 
Phillips,  Mr.  Gwynne,  and  a  brother  from  Anglesea,  as  a  guide,  and 
found  the  seven  miles  to  Radnor  four  good  hours'  ride.  I  preached 
in  the  church,  and  labored  to  awaken  the  dead,  and  to  lift  up  the 
hands  that  hung  down.  The  minister  seemed  a  man  of  a  simple 
heart,  and  surely  not  eager  for  preferment,  or  he  would  not  be  content 
with  his  salary  of  three  pounds  a  year."  September  3,  their  friends 
left  them :  on  the  4th,  early  in  the  morning,  they  set  out  for  Holy- 
head, which  place  they  reached  the  next  day  at  seven  in  the  morning, 
having  travelled  on  horseback  twenty-five  hours.  Sunday,  September 
6,  he  sent  an  offer  of  his  assistance  to  the  minister,  who  was  ready 
to  beat  the  messenger.  He  preached,  however,  at  the  request  of  some 
gentlemen,  who  behaved  with  great  propriety.  September  the  9th. 
they  reached  Dublin  in  safety. 

Dublin  had  long  been  remarkable  for  a  bad  police.  Frequent  rob- 
beries, and  sometimes  murder,  were  committed  in  the  streets  at  an 
early  hour  in  the  evening  with  impunity.  The  Ormond  and  Liberty 
mob,  as  they  were  called,  would  sometimes  meet,  and  fight  till  one  or 
more  persons  were  killed.  It  was  said  the  mob  had  beat  a  constable 
to  death  in  the  street,  and  hung  the  body  up  in  triumph,  without  any 
of  them  being  brought  to  punishment  for  the  murder.  There  was  no 
vigor  in  the  magistrates,  and  their  power  was  despised.  It  is  no  won- 
der that  the  Methodists,  at  their  first  coming,  were  roughly  handled 
in  such  a  place  as  this :  but  it  is  wonderful  that  they  so  soon  got  a 
firm  footing,  and  passed  through  their  sufferings  with  so  little  injury. 
On  Mr.  Wesley's  arrival  here,  he  observes,  "  the  first  news  we  heard 
was,  that  the  little  flock  stands  fast  in  the  storm  of  persecution,  which 
arose  as  soon  as  my  brother  left  them.  The  Popish  mob  broke  open 
their  room,  and  destroyed  all  before  them.  Some  of  them  are  sent  to 
Newgate,  others  bailed.  What  will  be  the  event  we  know  not,  till 
we  see  whether  the  Grand  Jury  will  find  the  bill."  He  afterwards 
informs  us  that  the  Grand  Jury  threw  out  the  bill,  and  thus  gave  up 
the  Methodists  to  the  fury  of  a  licentious  Popish  mob.  He  says, 
*'  God  has  called  me  to  suffer  affliction  with  his  people.  I  began  my 
ministry  with,  '  Comfort  ye,  comfort  ye,  my  people,'  (fee.  September 

*  This  accords  with  Mr.  John  Wesley's  printed  Journal. 


196  THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 

10,  I  met  the  society,  and  the  Lord  knit  our  hearts  together  in  love 
stronger  than  death.  We  both  wept  and  rejoiced  for  the  consolation. 
God  hath  sent  me,  I  trust,  to  confirm  these  souls,  and  to  keep  them 
together  in  the  present  distress." 

Mr.  Wesley  spent  no  time  in  idleness.  He  was  daily  employed  in 
preaching,  expounding,  visiting  the  people  and  praying  with  them. 
September  20,  after  commending  their  cause  to  God,  he  went  forth  to 
the  Green  adjoining  to  the  barracks,  believing  the  Lord  would  make 
bare  his  arm  in  their  defence.  He  called  in  his  Master's  name  and 
words,  "  Come  unto  me  all  ye  that  are  weary,"  &xj.  The  number  of 
hearers  was  very  great,  and  a  religious  awe  kept  down  all  opposition. 
He  spoke  with  great  freedom  to  the  poor  Papists,  and,  like  St.  Paul  at 
Athens,  quoted  their  own  authors  to  convince  them,  particularly 
Kempis  and  their  Liturgy.  None  lifted  up  his  voice  or  hands  to 
oppose ;  all  listened  with  strange  attention,  and  many  were  in  tears. 
He  advised  them  to  go  to  their  respective  places  of  worship :  they 
expressed  general  satisfaction,  especially  the  Papists,  who  now  main- 
tained that  he  was  a  good  Catholic. 

The  two  following  instances,  together  with  others  of  a  similar  kind 
which  have  already  been  brought  forward,  may  show  the  liberality 
of  his  sentiments  towards  other  denominations  of  Christians,  who 
did  not  unite  with  him,  or  with  the  Methodists.  "September  25,  I 
past  the  evening  very  agreeably  at  a  Baptist's ;  a  woman  of  sense 
and  piety,  and  a  great  admirer  of  my  father's  Life  of  Christ.  Sep- 
tember 28,  had  an  hour's  conference  with  two  serious  Quakers,  who 
hold  the  head  with  us,  and  build  on  the  one  foundation." 

At  this  early  period  of  the  work,  when  the  societies  were  in  their 
infancy,  the  two  brothers,  and  the  lay-preachers,  suffered  great  incon- 
veniences at  the  places  where  they  lodged,  even  in  large  towns ;  and 
we  may  suppose  that  both  their  accommodations  and  provisions  were 
worse  in  country  societies.  The  rooms,  also,  where  they  assembled 
when  they  could  not  preach  in  the  open  air,  began  to  be  much  too 
small  for  the  number  of  people  who  attended.  This  being  the  pres- 
ent state  of  things  in  Dublin,  Mr.  Charles  Wesley  purchased  a  house 
near  the  place  called  Dolphin's  Barn.  The  whole  ground  floor  was 
42  feet  long,  and  24  broad.  This  was  to  be  turned  into  a  preaching- 
house,  and  the  preachers  were  to  be  accommodated  in  the  rooms  over 
it ;  but  before  he  completed  the  purchase,  he  wrote  to  his  brother  for 
his  opinion  on  the  matter.  His  letter  is  dated  October  9 ;  in  which 
he  says,  one  advantage  of  the  house  was,  that  they  could  go  to  it  im- 
mediately;  and  then  adds,  "  I  must  go  there,  or  to  some  other  lodg- 
ings, or  take  my  flight ;  for  here  I  can  stay  no  longer.  A  family  of 
squalling  children,  a  landlady  just  ready  to  lie  in,  a  maid  who  has 
no  time  to  do  the  least  thing  for  us,  are  some  of  our  conveniences.''^ 


*  He  seems  to  mean,  these  are  some  of  the  best  things  in  our  present  accommodations. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


197 


Our  two  rooms  for  four  people  (six  when  J.  Healy,  and  Haughton, 
come)  allow  no  opportunity  for  retirement.  Charles  and  I  groan  for 
elbow-room  in  our  press-bed:  our  diet  answerable  to  our  lodgings: 
no  one  to  mend  our  clothes  and  stockings ;  no  money  to  buy  more.  I 
marvel  that  we  have  stood  our  ground  so  long  in  these  lamentable  cir- 
cumstances. It  is  well  I  could  not  foresee^  while  on  your  side  of  the 
water."  October  17,  he  observes,  "  I  passed  the  day  at  the  house  we 
have  purchased,  near  Dolphin's  Barn,  in  writing  and  meditation.  I 
could  almost  have  set  up  my  rest  here  :  but  1  must  not  look  for  rest 
on  this  side  eternity." 

Mr.  Wesley  continued  his  labors  in  Dublin,  till  February  9,  1748, 
when  he  took  an  excursion  into  the  country.  His  brother,  Mr.  John 
AVesley,  had  spent  fourteen  or  fifteen  days  in  Dublin,  the  preceding 
August,  and  then  returned  to  England,  without  visiting  any  of  the 
country  places.  There  were,  however,  a  few  preachers  in  Ireland, 
who  had  already  introduced  the  gospel  into  several  country  towns. 
Mr.  Wesley  came  to  Tyrrel's  Pass,  where  he  soon  met  a  large  and 
well  disposed  congregation.  "Few  such  feasts,"  says  he,  "have  I 
had  since  I  left  England;  it  refreshed  my  body  more  than  meat  or 
drink.  God  has  begun  a  great  work  here.  The  people  of  Tyrrel's 
Pass  were  wicked  to  a  proverb  :  swearers,  drunkards.  Sabbath-break- 
ers, thieves,  &c.  from  time  immemorial.  But  now  the  scene  is 
changed ;  not  an  oath  is  heard,  nor  a  drunkard  seen  among  them ; 
aperto  vivitiir  horto.  They  are  turned  from  darkness  to  light,  and 
near  one  hundred  are  joined  in  society." 

February  11,  Mr.  Wesley,  J.  Healy,  and  five  others  set  out  for 
Athlone,  where,  it  is  probable,  notice  had  been  given  of  their  coming. 
On  the  road  some  persons  overtook  them,  running  in  great  haste,  and 
one  horseman  riding  full  speed.  It  soon  appeared  that  the  Papists 
had  laid  a  plan  to  do  them  some  violent  mischief,  if  not  to  murder 
them,  at  the  instigation  of  their  priest,  father  Terril,  who  had  sound- 
ed the  alarm  the  Sunday  before.  They  spoke  of  their  designs  with 
so  much  freedom,  that  a  report  of  them  reached  Athlone,  and  a  party 
of  dragoons  being  quartered  there,  were  ordered  out  to  meet  Mr. 
Wesley  and  his  friends  on  the  road,  and  conduct  them  safe  to  the 
town.  But  of  this  they  were  ignorant ;  and  being  earlier  than  was 
expected,  the  Papists  were  not  assembled  in  full  force,  nor  did  the 
dragoons  meet  them  at  that  distance  from  the  town  which  was  in- 
tended. They  rode  on,  suspecting  nothing,  till  within  about  half  a 
mile  of  Athlone,  when,  rising  up  a  hill,  several  persons  appeared  at 
the  top  of  it,  and  bid  them  turn  back.  "  We  thought  them  in  jest," 
says  Mr.  Wesley,  "till  the  stones  flew,"  one  of  which  knocked  J. 
Healy  off"  his  horse,  and  laid  him  senseless  on  the  ground ;  and  it 
was  with  great  diflaculty  the  Papists  were  hindered  from  murdering 
him.  The  number  of  these  barbarians  were  soon  greatly  increased, 
and  though  the  Protestants  began  to  rise  upon  them,  they  kept  their 
17* 


198 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


ground  till  the  dragoons  appeared,  when  they  immediately  fled.  Mr. 
Wesley  and  his  little  company,  their  wounded  friend  having  recov- 
ered his  senses,  were  now  conducted  in  safety  to  Athlone,  where  the 
soldiers  flocked  about  them  with  great  affection,  and  the  whole  town 
expressed  the  greatest  indignation  at  the  treatment  they  had  met  with. 
J.  Healy  was  put  under  the  care  of  a  surgeon,  and  at  length  recovered 
of  his  wounds. 

February  15,  Mr.  Wesley  returned  to  Dublin,  and  continued  his 
labors  with  great  success,  the  society  being  greatly  increased,  and 
many  testifying  publicly,  that  they  had  received  the  knowledge  of 
salvation  by  the  remission  of  their  sins,  under  his  word.  March  8, 
his  brother,  Mr.  John  Wesley,  arrived  from  England,  which  gave 
him  a  release  from  his  present  situation.  He  did  not,  however,  leave 
Dublin  till  the  20th,  when  he  entered  the  packet-boat  at  two  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon,  and  by  three  the  next  day  reached  Holyhead,  from 
whence  he  wrote  to  his  brother  as  follows : 

"  Teneo  te  Italiam  ! 
Per  varios  casus,  per  tot  discrimina  rerum — 

''In  twenty-five  hours  exactly,  as  before,  the  Lord  brought  us  hith- 
er. To  describe  our  voyage  were  renovare  dolorem.  But  here  we 
are  after  all,  God  be  praised,  even  God  that  heareth  the  prayer. 
Thanks,  in  the  second  place,  to  our  praying  brethren.  The  Lord  re- 
turn it  into  their  bosom.  But  let  them  pray  on  for  us,  and  we  for 
them.  And  I  pray  the  Father,  in  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
to  send  down  his  blessing  and  his  spirit  on  all  you  who  are  now 
assembled  together,  and  hear  this  read.  Peace  be  unto  you,  even 
the  peace  that  passeth  all  understanding.  Look  for  it  every  moment ! 
receive  it  this — and  go  in  peace  to  that  heavenly  country,  whither  we 
are  hastening  to  meet  you  !  " 

Intending  to  visit  Mr.  G Wynne's  family  at  Garth  in  Wales,  he  took 
horse  the  next  morning,  and  by  three  in  the  afternoon  came  to  Baldon- 
Ferry.  Here  he  observes,  "  We  overfilled  the  small  old  boat,  so  that 
Gemiiit  sub  pondere  Cymba  sutiliSj  et  multam  accepit  rimosa  palu- 
demy  ^  The  wind  being  strong,  and  the  waves  high,  in  the  middle 
of  the  channel  his  young  horse  took  fright,  and  they  had  a  very  nar- 
row escape  from  being  overset.  But  a  gracious  Providence  attended 
him;  he  came  safe  to  land,  and  on  the  2.5th  in  the  evening  reached 
Garth;  but  great  fatigue,  bad  weather,  and  continued  pain,  had  so 
weakened  him,  that  when  he  came  into  the  house,  he  fell  down  to- 
tally exhausted. 

Mr.  Wesley  had  already  conceived  a  great  regard  for  Mr.  Gwynne's 
family,  and  particularly  for  Miss  Sarah  Gwynne.  A  kind  of  embryo- 
intention  of  making  proposals  of  marriage,  had  dwelt  in  his  mind  for 

*  The  frail  patched  vessel  groaned  under  the  weight,  and.  being  leaky,  took  in  plenty 
of  water. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


199 


some  time.  He  had  mentioned  it  to  his  brother  in  Dublin,  who  neither 
opposed  nor  encouraged  him  in  the  matter.  During  his  present  stay 
at  Garth,  his  embryo-intention  ripened  into  more  fixed  resolution ; 
but  still  he  thought  it  necessary  to  take  the  advice  of  his  friends. 
After  he  had  been  a  short  time  in  London,  he  went  to  Shoreham,  and 
opened  all  his  heart  to  Mr.  Perronet,  who  advised  him  to  wait.  Much 
prayer  was  made,  and  every  prudential  step  was  taken  which  his 
friends  could  suggest ;  and  here  the  business  rested  for  the  present. 

August  13,  Mr.  Wesley  arrived  again  in  Dublin,  and  on  the  17th 
set  out  on  horseback  for  Cork,  which  he  reached  on  the  20th,  not- 
withstanding the  incessant  rains,  the  badness  of  the  roads,  and 
wretched  accommodations  at  the  inns.  The  next  day,  being  Sunday, 
he  went  out  to  the  Marsh  at  five  in  the  morning,  and  found  a  congre- 
gation of  some  thousand  persons.  He  preached  from,  "  Thus  it  is 
written,  and  thus  it  behoved  Christ  to  suffer,  &c."  They  devoured 
every  word  with  an  eagerness  beyond  description.  "  Much  good," 
he  says,  "has  already  been  done  in  this  place;  outward  wickedness 
has  disappeared,  and  outward  religion  succeeded  it.  Swearing  is 
seldom  heard  in  the  streets,  and  churches  and  altars  are  crowded,  to 
the  astonishment  of  our  adversaries.  Yet  some  of  our  clergy,  and  all 
the  Catholic  priests  take  wretched  pains  to  hinder  their  people  from 
hearing  us. 

"  At  five  in  the  evening,  I  took  the  field  again,  and  such  a  sight  I 
have  rarely  seen.  Thousands  and  thousands  had  been  waiting  some 
hours;  Protestants  and  Papists,  high  and  low.  The  Lord  endued 
my  soul,  and  body  also,  with  much  strength  to  enforce  the  faithful 
saying,  '  That  Jesus  Christ  came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners.'  I 
cried  after  them  for  an  hour,  to  the  utmost  extent  of  my  voice,  yet 
without  hoarseness  or  weariness.  The  Lord,  I  believe,  hath  much 
people  in  this  city.  Two  hundred  are  already  joined  in  a  society. 
At  present  we  pass  through  honor  and  good  report.  The  chief  per- 
sons of  the  town  favor  us:  no  wonder,  then,  that  the  common  people 
are  quiet.  We  pass  and  repass  the  streets,  pursued  only  by  their  bles- 
sings. The  same  favorable  inclination  is  all  round  the  country : 
wherever  we  go,  they  receive  us  as  angels  of  God.  Were  this  to  last, 
I  would  escape  for  my  life  to  America." 

"  I  designed  to  have  met  about  two  hundred  persons  who  have 
given  me  their  names  for  the  society ;  but  such  multitudes  thronged 
into  the  house,  as  occasioned  great  confusion.  I  perceived  it  was 
impracticable,  as  yet,  to  have  a  regular  society.  Here  is,  indeed,  an 
open  door  ;  such  as  was  never  set  before  me  till  now  ;  even  at  New- 
castle the  awakening  was  not  so  general.  The  congregation  last  Sun- 
day was  computed  to  be  ten  thousand.  As  yet  there  is  no  open 
opposition.  The  people  have  had  the  word  two  months,  and  it  is  not 
impossible  but  their  love  may  last  two  months  longer,  before  any 
number  of  them  rise  to  tear  us  in  pieces. 


200 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   CHARLES  WESLEY. 


''I  met  a  neighboring  justice  of  the  peace,  and  had  much  serious 
conversation  with  him.  He  seems  to  have  a  great  kindness  for 
reHgion,  and  determined  to  use  all  his  interest  to  promote  it.  For  an 
hour  and  a  half  I  coniinued  to  call  the  poor  blind  beggars  to  Jesus. 
They  begin  to  cry  after  him  on  every  side ;  and  we  must  expect  to 
be  rebuked  for  it.  Waited  on  the  bishop  at  Rivers  Town,  and  was 
received  with  great  affability  by  himself  and  family.  After  dinner 
rode  back  to  Cork,  and  drank  tea  with  some  well  disposed  Quakers, 
and  borrowed  a  volume  of  their  dying  sayings.  A  standing  testimony 
that  the  life  and  power  of  God  was  with  them  at  the  beginning ;  as 
it  might  be  again,  were  they  humble  enough  to  confess  their  want  of 
it."  How  amiable  is  the  candor  of  Mr.  Wesley,  when  contrasted 
with  the  bigotry  of  others,  who  in  their  great  zeal  for  ceremonies, 
have  contended  that  the  Friends  ought  not  to  be  acknowledged  as 
Christians,  because  they  neglect  the  use  of  Baptism  and  the  Lord's 
Supper.  They  do  not  condemn  those  who  use  these  ordinances,  but 
they  deny  the  necessity  of  using  them,  in  order  to  salvation  ;  and 
they  were  evidently  led,  or  rather  driven  into  this  opinion  at  first,  by 
the  extravagant  manner  in  which  Baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper 
were  at  that  time  spoken  of ;  the  people  being  generally  taught  that 
those  who  had  been  baptized  and  afterv/ards  received  the  sacrament, 
were  true  Christians  and  had  a  sure  title  to  eternal  life.  The  Friends 
thought  themselves  called  upon  to  bear  a  public  testimony  against  an 
error  of  such  dangerous  consequence,  which  had  a  tendency  to  per- 
suade persons  that  something  merely  external  could  make  them  Chris- 
tians, and  prepare  them  for  heaven  ;  and  they  seemed  to  think,  that 
the  most  effectual  way  of  bearing  this  testimony,  so  as  to  attract  the 
notice  of  the  public,  would  be  by  uniting  practice  to  theory,  and 
totally  laying  aside  the  use  of  these  ordinances.  Without  pretending 
to  give  any  opinion  on  their  conduct  in  this  respect,  we  may  venture 
to  say,  that  one  extreme  has  a  natural  tendency  to  produce  another  in 
opposition  to  it.    Mr.  Wesley  goes  on  : 

August  27,  I  had  much  conversation  with  Mr.  C  ,  a  sensible, 

pious  clergyman  ;  one  after  my  own  heart,  in  his  love  to  our  desolate 
mother.  He  is  clear  in  the  doctrine  of  faith,  and  gave  a  delightful 
account  of  the  bishop. — Sometimes  waiting  on  great  men  may  do 
good,  or  prevent  evil.  But  how  dangerous  the  experiment !  how  apt 
to  weaken  our  hands,  and  betray  us  into  an  undue  deference,  and 
respect  of  persons  !  The  Lord  send  to  them  by  whom  he  will  send  : 
but  hide  me  still  in  disgrace  or  obscurity." 

August  28.    He  went  out  about  five  miles  from  Cork,  where,  says 

he,  "Justice  P         received  us.  and  used  all  his  authority  with 

others  to  do  the  same.  He  sent  word  to  the  Romish  priest,  that  if 
he  forbid  his  people  from  hearing  us,  he  would  shut  up  his  Mass- 
house.  Several  of  the  poor  Roman  Catholics  ventured  to  come,  after 
the  justice  had  assured  them,  he  would  himself  take  off  the  curse  their 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


201 


priest  had  laid  upon  them.  I  exhorted  all  alike  to  repentance  to- 
wards God,  and  faith  in  Jesus  Christ.  I  hastened  back  to  the  marsh  ; 
on  seeing  the  multitudes,  I  thought  on  those  words  of  Prior,  '  Then, 
of  all  these  whom  my  dilated  eye  with  labor  sees,  how  few  will  own 
the  messenger  of  God  when  the  stream  turns!'  Now  they  all  re- 
ceived me  with  inexpressible  eagerness.  I  took  occasion  to  vindicate 
the  Methodists  from  the  foulest  slanders :  tliat  they  rail  against  the 
clergy.  I  enlarged  on  the  respect  due  to  them ;  prayed  particularly 
for  the  bishop,  and  laid  it  on  their  consciences  to  make  mention  of 
them  (the  clergy)  in  all  their  prayers. — August  29,  I  passed  an  use- 
ful hour  with  Mr.  C.  He  rejoiced  that  I  had  preached  in  his  parish 
last  Sunday.  If  our  brethren  (the  clergy)  were  like-minded,  how 
might  their  hands  be  strengthened  by  us !  But  we  must  have 
patience,  as  he  observed,  till  the  thing  speak  for  itself;  and  the  mist 
of  prejudice  being  removed,  they  see  clearly  that  all  our  desire  is  the 
salvation  of  souls,  and  the  establishment  of  the  Church  of  England. 

"  Sept.  1.  I  met  the  infant  society  for  the  first  time  in  an  old  play- 
house. Our  Lord's  presence  consecrated  the  place.  I  explained  the 
nature  of  christian  fellowship ;  and  God  knit  our  hearts  together  in 
the  desire  of  knowing  him.  I  spake  with  some,  who  told  me  they 
had  wronged  their  neighbors  in  time  past,  and  now  their  conscience 
will  not  let  them  rest  till  they  have  made  restitution.  I  bid  them 
tell  the  persons  injured,  it  was  this  preaching  had  compelled  them 
to  do  justice.  One  poor  wretch  told  me  before  his  wife,  that  he 
had  lived  in  drunkenness,  adultery,  and  all  the  works  of  the  devil  for 
twenty-one  years :  that  he  had  beat  her  almost  every  day  of  that 
time,  and  never  had  any  remorse  till  he  heard  us  ;  but  now  he  goes 
constantly  to  church,  behaves  lovingly  to  his  wife,  abhors  the  thing 
that  is  evil,  especially  his  old  sins.  This  is  one  instance  out  of 
many." 

Sept.  5.  He  observes  that  the  work  now  increased  rapidly :  one 
and  another  being  frequently  justified  under  the  word.  "  Two,"  says 
he,  -'at  the  sacrament  yesterday:  two  at  the  society.  One  overtook 
me  going  to  the  cathedral,  and  said,  *  I  have  found  something  in  the 
preaching,  and  cannot  but  think  it  is  forgiveness.  All  the  burden  of  my 
sins  sunk  away  from  off  me,  in  a  moment.  I  can  do  nothing  but  pray 
and  cry  Glory  be  to  God.  I  have  such  a  confidence  in  his  love,  as  I 
never  knew;  I  trample  all  sin  and  sorrow  under  my  feet.'  I  bid  him 
watch  and  pray,  and  expect  greater  things  than  these. — Our  old  mas- 
ter the  world,  begins  to  take  it  ill,  that  so  many  desert  and  clean 
escape  its  pollutions.  Innumerable  stories  are  invented  to  stop  the 
work :  or  rather  are  repeated,  for  they  are  the  same  we  have  heard  a 
thousand  times,  as  well  as  the  primitive  Christians." 

Sept.  6.  He  rode  to  Kinsale,  and  at  noon  walked  to  the  market- 
place. The  windows  were  filled  with  spectators  rather  than  hearers. 
Many  wild  looking  people  stood  with  their  hats  on,  in  the  street  j  and 

26 


202 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


the  boys  were  rude  and  noisy.  Some  well-dressed  women  stood  be- 
hind him  and  listened.  His  text  was,  "  Go  out  quickly  into  the  streets 
and  lanes  of  the  city,  and  bring  in  hither  the  poor  and  the  maimed, 
and  the  halt  and  the  blind."  "  I  did,"  says  he,  "  most  earnestly 
invite  them  all  to  the  great  supper.  It  was  fallow  ground,  yet  the 
word  was  not  all  lost.  Several  settled  into  serious  attention  ;  others 
expressed  their  approbation;  a  few  wept.  In  the  evening  the  mul- 
titude so  trod  on  one  another,  that  it  was  some  time  before  they  could 
settle  to  hear.  I  received  a  blow  with  a  stone  on  the  side  of  my  head, 
and  called  on  the  person  to  stand  forth,  and  if  I  had  done  him  any 
wrong,  to  strike  me  again.  This  little  circumstance  increased  their 
attention.  I  lifted  up  my  voice  like  a  trumpet,  and  showed  the  people 
their  transgressions  and  the  way  to  be  saved  from  them.  They 
received  my  saying,  and  spake  well  of  the  truth.  A  sudden  change 
was  visible  in  their  behavior  afterwards,  for  God  had  touched  their 
hearts.  Even  the  Roman  Catholics  owned,  '  None  could  fiud  fault 
with  what  the  man  said.'  A  lady  of  the  Romish  Church  would  have 
me  to  her  house.  She  assured  me  the  governor  of  the  town,  as  soon 
as  he  heard  of  my  coming,  had  issued  orders  that  none  should  disturb 
me :  that  a  gentleman  who  offered  to  insult  me,  would  have  been 
torn  in  pieces  by  the  Roman  Catholics,  had  he  not  fled  for  it :  and 
that  the  Catholics  in  general  are  my  firm  friends."  It  is  worth  ob- 
serving, that  every  denomination  of  Christians  in  Kinsale,  claimed 
him  as  their  own.  He  tells  us,  "The  Presbyterians  say,  I  am  a 
Presbyterian ;  the  people  who  go  to  Church,  that  I  am  a  minister  of 
theirs ;  and  the  Catholics  are  sure,  I  am  a  good  Catholic  in  my 
heart."  This  is  good  evidence,  that  he  confined  himself  in  his  pub- 
lic discourses,  to  the  most  essential  doctrines  of  the  Christian  re- 
ligion ;  which  undoubtedly  ought  to  be  the  practice  of  every  itinerant 
preacher. 

Mr.  Wesley,  in  his  excursions  from  Cork,  had  already  visited  Ban- 
don  once  or  twice,  where  the  words  he  spake  had  considerable  effect. 
On  his  return  at  this  time  from  Kinsale,  a  poor  man  and  his  wife 
from  Bandon  met  him,  and  pressed  him  so  earnestly  to  give  them 
another  visit,  that  he  could  not  resist  their  importunity.  He  went 
thither  again,  September  the  12th,  and  the  poor  man  and  his  wife 
soon  found  him  out,  and  took  him  to  their  house  in  triumph.  The 
neighbors  flocked  in,  and  "  We  had  indeed,"  says  Mr.  Wesley,  "a  feast 
of  love.  A  prodigal  came,  who  had  been  a  monster  of  wickedness 
for  many  years,  but  is  now  returned  to  his  Father  :  so  are  many  of 
the  town,  who  were  wicked  to  a  proverb.  In  the  evening,  I  invited 
about  four  thousand  sinners  to  the  great  supper.  God  hath  given 
them  the  hearing  ear.  I  went  to  Mrs.  Jones's,  a  widow  gentlewoman, 
who  is  determined  to  promote  the  work  of  God  to  the  utmost  of  her 
power :  all  in  the  place  seem  like-minded,  except  the  clergy  !  O  why 
should  they  be  the  last  to  bring  home  their  King !    It  grieved  me  to 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   CHARLES  WESLEY. 


208 


hear  the  poor  encouragement  given  last  Sunday  to  the  crowds  that 
flocked  to  church;  wliich  place  some  of  them  had  not  troubled  for 
years  before.  We  send  them  to  church  to  hear  ourselves  railed  at, 
and,  what  is  far  Avorse,  the  truth  of  God." 

Tuesday,  September  13.  "We  parted  with  many  tears,  and  mu- 
tual blessings.  I  rode  on  to  Kinsale.  Here,  also,  the  minister,  Mr. 
P.,  instead  of  rejoicing  to  see  so  many  publicans  in  the  temple,  enter- 
tained them  with  a  railing  accusation  against  me,  as  an  impostor,  an 
incendiary,  and  messenger  of  satan.  Strange  justice !  that  Mr.  P. 
should  be  voted  a  friend  of  the  church,  and  I  an  enemy,  who  send 
hundreds  into  the  church  for  him  to  drive  them  out  again.  Septem- 
ber 16,  the  power  of  the  Lord  was  present  in  the  society  at  Cork ;  I 
marvel  not  that  satan  hates  it :  we  never  meet  but  some  or  other  is 
plucked  out  of  his  teeth.  After  a  restless  night  of  pain,  I  rose  to 
confer  with  those  who  desired  it.  A  woman  insisted  that  the  Lord 
had  spoken  peace  to  her  trembling  soul  at  the  sacrament.  Thomas 
Warburton  asserted,  that  faith  came  to  him  by  hearing ;  and  that  now 
he  hates  all  sin  with  a  perfect  hatred,  and  could  spend  his  whole  life 
in  prayer.  Stephen  Williams  witnessed,  '  Last  night  I  found  my 
heart  burdened  in  your  prayer;  but  I  repeated  after  you  till  my 
speech  was  swallowed  up.  Then  I  felt  myself,  as  it  were,  fainting, 
falling  back,  and  sinking  into  destruction;  when,  on  a  sudden,  I  was 
lifted  up,  my  heart  lightened,  my  burden  gone ;  and  I  saw  all  my 
sins  at  once  so  black,  so  many — but  all  taken  away.  I  am  now 
afraid  of  neither  death,  devil,  nor  hell.  I  am  happier  than  I  can  tell 
you.  I  know  God  has,  for  Christ's  sake,  forgiven  me.'  Two  others, 
in  whom  I  found  a  real  work  of  grace  begun,  were  Papists,  till  they 
heard  the  gospel,  but  are  now  reconciled  to  the  church,  even  to  the 
invisible  church,  or  communion  of  saints.  A  few  of  these  lost  sheep 
we  pick  up,  but  seldom  speak  of  it,  lest  our  good  Protestants  should 
stir  up  the  Papists  to  tear  us  in  pieces.  At  Mr.  Rolf's,  a  pious  Dis- 
senter, I  heard  of  the  extreme  bitterness  of  his  two  ministers,  who 
make  it  their  business  to  go  from  house  to  house,  to  set  their  people 
against  the  truth,  threatening  all  who  hear  us  with  excommunication. 
So  far  beyond  the  Papists  are  these  moderate  men  advanced  in  perser 
cution." — Mr.  Wesley  now  quitted  this  part  of  the  kingdom,  and, 
visiting  several  towns  in  his  way  back,  he  came  safe  to  Dublin  on 
the  27th  of  September. 

October  8,  he  took  his  passage  for  England,  and  the  next  night 
landed  at  Holyhead.  He  wrote  to  a  friend  the  following  account  of 
the  dangers  he  had  escaped.  "On  Saturday  evening  at  half  past 
eight,  I  entered  that  small  boat,  and  were  two  hours  in  getting  to  the 
vessel.  There  was  not  then  water  to  cross  the  bar;  so  we  took  our 
rest  till  eleven  on  Sunday  morning.  Then  God  sent  us  a  fair  wind, 
and  we  sailed  smoothly  before  it  five  hours  and  a  half.  Towards 
evening  the  wind  freshened  upon  us,  and  we  had  full  enough  of  it. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   CHARLES  WESLEY. 

I  was  called  to  account  for  a  bit  of  cake  I  had  eat  in  the  morning, 
and  thrown  into  violent  exercise.  Up  or  down,  in  the  cabin  or  on 
deck,  made  no  difference :  yet  in  the  midst  of  it,  I  perceived  a  dis- 
tinct heavy  concern,  for  I  knew  not  what.  It  was  now  pitch  dark, 
and  no  small  tempest  lay  upon  us.  The  captain  had  ordered  in  all 
the  sails.  I  kept  mostly  upon  deck  till  half  past  eight,  when,  upon 
inquiry,  he  told  me,  he  expected  to  be  in  the  harbor  by  nine :  I 
answered,  we  would  compound  for  ten.  While  we  were  talking, 
the  mainsail,  as  I  take  it,  got  loose ;  at  the  same  time  the  small  boat, 
for  want  of  fastening,  fell  out  of  its  place.  The  master  called  all 
hands  on  deck,  and  thrust  me  down  into  the  cabin;  when,  in  a 
minute,  we  heard  a  cry  above,  '  We  have  lost  the  mast ! '  A  passen- 
ger ran  up,  and  brought  us  worse  news,  that  it  was  not  the  mast,  but 
the  poor  master  himself,  whom  I  had  scarcely  left,  when  the  boat,  as 
they  supposed,  struck  him  and  knocked  him  overboard.  From  that 
moment  he  was  seen  and  heard  no  more.  My  soul  was  bowed  before 
the  Lord.  I  kneeled  down,  and  commended  the  departing  spirit  to 
his  mercy  in  Christ  Jesus.  I  adored  his  distinguishing  goodness. 
The  07ie  shall  be  take?i,  and  (he  other  left.  I  thought  of  those  lines 
of  Young :  '  No  warning  given !  unceremonious  death !  a  sudden 
rush  from  life's  meridian  joys:  a  plunge  opaque  beyond  conjecture.' 
The  sailors  were  so  confounded  they  knew  not  what  they  did.  The 
decks  were  strewed  with  sails;  the  wind  shifting  about  the  compass; 
we  just  on  the  shore,  and  the  vessel  driving,  where  or  how  they 
knew  not.  One  of  our  cabin  passengers  ran  to  the  helm,  and  gave 
orders  as  captain,  till  they  had  righted  the  ship.  But  I  ascribe  it  to 
our  invisible  Pilot,  that  we  got  safe  to  shore  soon  after  ten.  The 
storm  was  so  high,  that  we  doubted  whether  any  boat  would  venture 
to  fetch  us.  At  last  one  answered  and  came.  I  thought  it  safer  to 
lie  in  the  vessel ;  but  one  calling,  'Mr.  Wesley,  you  must  come,'  I 
followed,  and  by  eleven  o'clock  found  out  my  old  lodgings  at  Robert 
Griffiths.  October  10,  I  blessed  God  that  I  did  not  stay  in  the  ves- 
sel last  night :  a  more  tempestuous  one,  I  do  not  remember." — He  now 
wrote  the  following  thanksgiving  hymn : 

All  praise  to  the  Lord, 

Who  rules  with  a  word 

The  untractable  sea, 
And  limits  its  rage  by  his  steadfast  decree : 

Whose  providence  binds, 

Or  releases  the  winds, 

And  compels  them  again 
At  his  beck  to  put  on  the  invisible  chain. 

Even  now  he  hath  heard 
Our  cry,  and  appear'd 
On  the  face  of  the  deep, 
And  commanded  the  tempest  its  distance  to  keep : 
His  piloting  hand 
Hath  brought  us  to  land, 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


205 


And  no  longer  distress'd, 
We  are  joyful  again  in  the  haven  to  rest. 

0  that  all  men  would  raise 

His  tribute  of  praise, 

His  goodness  declare, 
And  thankfully  sing  of  his  fatherly  care ! 

With  rapture  approve 

His  dealings  of  love, 

And  the  wonders  proclaim 
Perform'd  by  the  virtue  of  Jesus's  name. 

Through  Jesus  alone 

He  delivers  his  own, 

And  a  token  doth  send 
That  His  love  shall  direct  us,  and  save  to  the  end  : 

With  joy  we  embrace 

The  pledge  of  his  grace, 

In  a  moment  outfly 
These  storms  of  affliction,  and  land  in  the  sky. 

"  At  half  past  nine  o'clock,  I  took  horse  in  a  perfect  hurricane,  and 
was  wet  through  in  less  than  ten  minutes ;  but  I  rode  on,  thankful 
that  I  was  not  at  sea.  Near  five  in  the  afternoon,  I  entered  the  boat 
at  Baldon-ferry,  with  a  clergyman  and  others,  who  crowded  our 
small  crazy  vessel.  The  water  was  exceedingly  rough,  our  horses 
frightened,  and  we  looking  to  be  overset  every  moment.  The  min- 
ister acknowledged  he  never  was  in  the  like  danger.  We  were  half 
drowned  in  the  boat.  I  sat  at  the  bottom,  with  him  and  a  woman, 
who  stuck  very  close  to  me,  so  that  my  being  able  to  swim  would 
not  have  helped  me.  But  the  Lord  was  my  support.  I  cried  out  to 
my  brother  clergyman,  '  Fear  not.  Christian — the  hairs  of  our  head 
are  all  numbered.'  Our  trial  lasted  near  half  an  hour,  when  we 
landed  wet  and  weary  in  the  dark  night.  The  minister  was  my 
guide  to  Carnarvon ;  and  by  the  way  entertained  me  with  the  praises 
of  a  lay-preacher,  he  had  lately  heard  and  talked  with.  He  could 
say  nothing  against  his  preaching,  but  heartily  wished  him  ordained. 
His  name,  he  told  me,  was  Howel  Harris.  He  took  me  to  his  own 
inn,  and  at  last  found  out  who  I  was,  which  increased  our  intimacy." 
Mr.  Wesley  pursued  his  journey  to  Garth,  which  place  he  reached 
October  13.  Here  he  staid  about  a  week,  and,  on  the  21st,  arrived 
safe  in  Bristol. 

He  now  confined  his  labors  in  the  gospel,  for  some  months,  to 
London,  Bristol,  and  the  neighboring  places,  making  an  occasional 
excursion  to  Garth,  in  Wales.  April  9,  1749,  he  was  married  by  his 
brother,  at  Garth,  to  Miss  Sarah  Gwynne,  a  young  lady  of  good 
sense,  piety,  and  agreeable  accomplishments.  Mr.  John  Wesley 
observes,  ''It  was  a  solemn  day,  such  as  became  the  dignity  of  a, 
christian  marriage." 

18 


20^ 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


SECTION  VI. 

STATING  SOME  FURTHER  PARTICULARS  CONCERNING  MR.  CHARLES  WESLEY) 
WITH  AN  ACCOUNT  Of  HIS  DEATH  IN  1733. 

Mr.  Wesley's  Journal  now  begins  to  fail  us.  There  is  no  account 
of  his  proceedings,  sometimes  for  months,  sometimes  for  years 
together.  There  are,  however,  a  few  particulars  recorded  till  the 
year  1756,  which  may  be  useful  and  entertaining  to  the  reader,  and 
throw  some  light  on  the  history  of  Methodism.  It  does  not  appear 
that  his  marriage  either  interrupted  his  labors,  or  lessened  his  useful- 
ness. April  29,  about  three  weeks  after  he  was  married,  he  wrote 
thus  to  his  brother :  "  I  hope  this  will  find  you  prospering  in  Ireland. 
I  left  Garth  yesterday  sennight.  Mr.  Gwynne,  with  Sally  and  Betty, 
accompanied  me  to  Abergavenny.  There  I  left  them  on  Saturday 
morning,  and  got  hither  (Bristol)  by  one  o'clock.  Over-riding  occa- 
sioned a  fever — I  was  too  eager  for  the  work,  and  therefore  believe, 
God  checked  me  by  that  short  sickness.  Till  Wednesday  evening  at 
Weaver's  Hall,  my  strength  and  understanding  did  not  return ;  but 
from  that  time  the  Lord  has  been  with  us  of  a  truth.  More  zeal, 
more  life,  more  power,  I  have  not  felt  for  some  years  (I  wish  my 
mentioning  this  may  not  lessen  it ;)  so  that  hitherto  marriage  has 
been  no  hindrance.  You  will  hardly  believe  it  sits  so  light  upon  me. 
Some  farther  proof  I  had  of  my  heart  on  Saturday  last,  when  the 
fever  threatened  most.  I  did  not  find,  so  far  I  can  say,  any  unwil- 
lingness to  die,  on  account  of  any  I  should  leave  behind :  neither  did 
death  appear  less  desirable  than  formerly — which  I  own  gave  mo 
great  pleasure,  and  made  me  shed  tears  of  joy.  I  almost  believe, 
nothing  shall  hurt  me :  that  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil,  shall 
keep  their  distance ;  or,  by  assaulting,  leave  me  more  than  conqueror. 
On  Thursday,  I  propose  setting  out  for  London,  by  Oxford,  with  T. 
Maxfield.  If  they  will  give  me  a  year  of  grace,  I  shall  wonder  and 
thank  you.  I  hope  you  came  time  enough  to  save  J.  Cownly,  <56c. 
Set  your  time  for  returning ;  when  ahouis  at  least.  Will  you  meet 
me  at  Ludlow?  It  is  a  thousand  pities  =^  you  should  not  be  here, 
when  the  library  makes  its  first  appearance.  The  Lord  cut  short 
your  work  and  his,  and  make  a  few  weeks  go  as  far  as  many 
months  !  What  say  you  to  T.  Maxfield  and  me  taking  a  journey, 
when  you  return,  through  all  the  societies,  northern  and  western,  and 

*  The  phraseology  here  is  rather  low,  and  I  am  persuaded  would  not  have  beea  used  by 
Mr.  Wesley,  but  in  this  familiar  and  careless  way  of  writing  to  his  brother. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 

settling  correspondencies  with  the  stewards,  alias  booksellers.  My 
kindest  love  to  Mr.  Liinell,  Mr.  Lloyd,  Mr.  Fovvks,  Mr.  Gibbons,  and 
all  friends  at  Cork  and  Dublin.  We  make  mention  of  you  in  all 
our  prayers ;  be  not  unmindful  of  us.  The  Lord  preserve  us  all  to 
his  day. 

February  8,  1750.  He  observes  there  was  an  earthquake  in  Lon- 
don. This  place  he  reached  on  the  1st  of  March,  and  on  the  8th 
wrote  thus  to  his  brother.  "  This  morning,  a  quarter  after  five,  we 
had  another  shock  of  an  earthquake,  far  more  violent  than  that  of 
February  8.  I  was  just  repeating  my  text,  when  it  shook  the  Foun- 
dery  so  violently,  that  we  all  expected  it  to  fall  on  our  heads.  A 
great  cry  followed  from  the  women  and  children.  I  immediately 
cried  out,  '  Therefore  we  will  not  fear,  though  the  earth  be  moved  and 
the  hills  be  carried  into  the  midst  of  the  sea :  for  the  Lord  of  Hosts  is 
with  us ;  the  God  of  Jacob  is  our  refuge.'  He  filled  my  heart  with 
faith,  and  my  mouth  with  Avords,  shaking  their  souls  as  well  as  their 
bodies.  The  earth  moved  westward,  then  east,  then  westward 
again,  through  all  London  and  Westminster.  It  was  a  strong  and 
jarring  motion,  attended  with  a  rumbling  noise  like  that  of  thunder. 
Many  houses  were  much  shaken,  and  some  chimneys  thrown  down, 
but  without  any  farther  hurt." 

March  10.  He  expounded  the  24th  chapter  of  Isaiah ;  a  chapter, 
he  tells  us,  which  he  had  not  taken  much  notice  of,  till  this  awful 
providence  explained  it.  April  4,  he  says,  "  Fear  filled  our  chapel, 
occasioned  by  a  prophecy  of  the  return  of  the  earthquake  this  night. 
I  preached  my  written  sermon  on  the  subject,  with  great  effect,  and 
gave  out  several  suitable  hymns.  It  was  a  glorious  night  for  the  dis- 
ciples of  Jesus.  April  5,  I  rose  at  four  o'clock  after  a  night  of  sound 
sleep,  while  my  neighbors  watched.  I  sent  an  account  to  M.  G.  as 
follows : — The  late  earthquake  has  found  me  work.  Yesterday  I  saw 
the  Westminster  end  of  the  town  full  of  coaches,  and  crowds  flying 
out  of  the  reach  of  Divine  Justice,  with  astonishing  precipitation. 
Their  panic  was  caused  by  a  poor  madman's  prophecy.  Last  night 
they  were  all  to  be  swallowed  up.  The  vulgar  were  in  almost  as 
great  consternation  as  their  betters.  Most  of  them  watched  all  night; 
multitudes  in  the  fields  and  open  places ;  several  in  their  coaches: 
many  removed  their  goods.  London  looked  like  a  sacked  city.  A 
lady  just  stepping  into  her  coach  to  escape,  dropped  down  dead. 
Many  came  all  night  knocking  at  the  Foundery  door,  and  begging 
admittance  for  God's  sake." — These,  however,  were  not  Methodists, 
but  others,  who,  under  the  general  apprehension  of  danger,  thought 
there  was  more  safety  under  the  roof  of  religious  persons  than  else- 
where. A  plain  proof  that  those  who  neglect  religion,  and  perhaps 
despise  the  professors  of  it,  while  in  health,  and  free  from  apparent 
danger :  yet  when  great  and  public  calamities  approach  them,  even 
in  apprehension,  they  plainly  discover  that  they  think  the  state  of 


208 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


religious  persons  better  than  their  own.  Mr.  Wesley's  account  of  the 
great  confusion  in  London,  on  the  4th  of  April,  is  confirmed  by  a  let- 
ter of  Mr.  W.  Briggs,  to  Mr.  John  Wesley,  dated  on  the  5th  of  the 
same  month,  in  which  he  says,  "  This  great  city  has  been,  for  some 
days  past,  under  terrible  apprehensions  of  another  earthquake.  Yes- 
terday thousands  fled  out  of  town,  it  having  been  confidently  as- 
serted by  a  dragoon,  that  he  had  a  revelation,  that  a  great  part  of 
London,  and  Westminster,  especially,  would  be  destroyed  by  an 
earthquake  the  4th  instant,  between  twelve  and  one  at  night.  The 
whole  city  was  under  direful  apprehensions.  Places  of  worship  were 
crowded  with  frightened  sinners,  especially  our  two  chapels,  and  the 
Tabernacle,  where  Mr.  Whitefield  preached.  Several  of  the  classes 
came  to  their  leaders,  and  desired,  that  they  would  spend  the  night 
with  them  in  prayer ;  which  was  done,  and  God  gave  them  a  bless- 
ing. Indeed  all  around  was  awful !  Being  not  at  all  convinced  of 
the  prophet's  mission,  and  having  no  call  from  any  of  my  brethren,  I 
went  to  bed  at  my  usual  time,  believing  I  was  safe  in  the  hands  of 
Christ :  and  likewise,  that  by  doing  so,  I  should  be  the  more  ready  to 
rise  to  the  preaching  in  the  morning — which  we  both  did ;  praised  be 
our  kind  Protector."  In  a  postscript  he  adds,  "Though  crowds  left 
the  town  on  Wednesday  night,  yet  crowds  were  left  behind ;  multi- 
tudes of  whom,  for  fear  of  being  suddenly  overwhelmed,  left  their 
houses,  and  repaired  to  the  fields,  and  open  places  in  the  city.  Tower 
Hill,  Moorfields,  but  above  all  Hyde  Park,  were  filled  best  part  of  the 
night,  with  men,  women,  and  children,  lamenting.  Some,  with 
stronger  imaginations  than  others,  mostly  women,  ran  crying  in  the 
streets  An  earthquake  !  an  earthquake  !  Such  a  distress,  perhaps,  is 
not  recorded  to  have  happened  before  in  this  careless  city.  Mr. 
Whitefield  preached  at  midnight  in  Hyde  Park.  Surely  God  will 
visit  this  city  :  it  will  be  a  time  of  mercy  to  some.  O  may  I  be  found 
watching ! " 

Mr.  Wesley  proceeds  with  his  Journal. — April  15,  "I  met  with 
Mr.  Salmon's  Foreigner's  Companion  through  the  universities  of  Cam- 
bridge and  Oxford,  printed  in  1748,  and  made  the  following  extract 
from  page  25.  '  The  times  of  the  day  the  university  go  to  this  church, 
are  ten  in  the  morning,  and  two  in  the  afternoon,  on  Sundays  and 
holidays:  the  sermon  usually  lasting  about  half  an  hour.  But  when 
I  happened  to  be  at  Oxford,  in  1742,  Mr.  W.  the  Methodist,  at  Christ 
Church,  entertained  his  audience  two  hours;  and  having  insulted  and 
abused  all  degrees,  from  the  highest  to  the  lowest,  was  in  a  manner 
hissed  out  of  the  pulpit  by  the  lads.'  And  high  time  for  them  to  do 
so,  if  the  historian  said  true ;  but,  unfortunately  for  him,  I  measured 
the  time  by  my  watch,  and  it  was  within  the  hour.  1  aljused  neither 
high  nor  low,  as  my  sermon,  in  print,  will  prove :  neither  was  I 
hissed  out  of  the  pulpit,  or  treated  with  the  least  incivility,  either  by 
young  or  old.    What  then  shall  I  say  to  my  old  high-church  friend, 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


209 


whom  I  once  so  much  admired  ?  I  must  rank  him  among  the  apocry- 
phal writers;  such  as  the  judicious  Dr.  Mather,  the  wary  Bishop 
Burnet,  and  the  most  modest  Mr.  Oldmixton." 

The  censure  here  passed  on  Oldmixton  I  think  is  just.  He  appears  to 
me  to  be  a  bold,  dashing,  impertinent  writer.  His  prejudice  is  so  great, 
that  his  assertions,  as  an  historian,  deserve  no  credit,  unless  supported 
by  authentic  documents.  I  think  far  otherwise  of  Dr.  Mather,  and 
Bishop  Burnet.  It  is  indeed  true,  that  Burnet's  History  of  his  own 
Time,  is  written  with  great  caution  ;  but  this  surely  does  not  deserve 
censure,  but  commendation.  The  truth  seems  to  be,  that  Burnet  was 
a  man  of  great  moderation  ;  on  which  account,  the  zealots,  both  of 
the  high  and  low  church  party,  became  his  inveterate  enemies.  For 
the  satisfaction  of  the  reader,  I  shall  give  a  short  account  both  of  Dr. 
Mather  *  and  of  Bishop  Burnet.f 

*  Dr.  Cotton  Mather,  an  eminent  American  divine,  was  born  at  Boston,  in  New  Eng- 
land, in  1663.  He  became  minister  of  Boston  in  1684,  and  spent  his  life  in  the  discharge 
of  his  office,  and  in  promoting  several  excellent  societies  for  the  public  good,  particularly 
one  for  suppressing  disorders,  one  for  reforming  manners,  and  a  society  of  peace-makers, 
whose  professed  business  it  was  to  compose  differences,  and  prevent  lawsuits.  His  repu- 
tation was  not  confined  to  his  own  country ;  for  in  1710,  the  university  of  Glasgow  sent 
a  diploma  for  the  degree  of  doctor  in  divinity  ;  and,  in  1714,  the  Royal  Society  of  London 
chose  him  one  of  their  Fellows.  He  died  in  1728.  His  chief  work  was,  Magnalia  Christi 
Americana,  or  an  Ecclesiastical  History  of  New  England,  from  its  first  planting  in  1620, 
to  1698,  in  folio. 

t  Gilbert  Burnet,  was  born  at  Edinburgh  in  1643,  of  an  ancient  family  in  the  shire  of 
Aberdeen.  His  father  being  bred  to  the  study  of  the  law,  was,  at  the  restoration,  appointed 
one  of  the  Lords  of  Session,  with  the  title  of  Lord  Grimond.  Our  author,  the  youngest 
son  of  his  father,  was  sent  to  continue  his  studies  at  Aberdeen,  at  ten  years  of  age,  and 
was  admitted  M.  A.  before  he  was  fourteen.  His  own  inclination  led  him  to  the  study  of 
the  civil  and  feudal  law  ;  and  he  used  to  say,  that  it  was  from  this  study  he  had  received 
more  just  notions  of  civil  society  and  government,  than  those  which  divines  maintain. 
About  a  year  after,  he  began  to  apply  himself  to  the  study  of  divinity,  and  was  admitted 
preacher  before  he  was  eighteen.  Sir  Alex.  Burnet,  his  cousin-german,  offered  him  a 
benefice,  but  he  refused  to  accept  of  it.  In  1663,  he  came  to  England,  and  spent  a  short 
time  at  Oxford  and  Cambridge.  In  1664,  he  made  a  tour  through  Holland  and  France.  At 
Amsterdam,  by  the  help  of  a  Jewish  Rabbi,  he  perfected  himself  in  the  Hebrew  language  ; 
and  likewise  became  acquainted  with  the  leading  men  of  the  different  persuasions  tolerated 
in  that  country ;  as  Calvinists,  Arminians,  Lutherans,  Anabaptists,  Brownists,  Papists, 
and  Unitarians ;  amongst  each  of  which  he  used  frequently  to  declare,  he  met  with  men 
of  such  unfeigned  piety  and  virtue,  that  he  became  fixed  in  a  strong  principle  of  universal 
charity,  and  an  invincible  abhorrence  of  all  severities  on  account  of  religious  dissensions. 

Upon  his  return  from  his  travels,  he  was  admitted  minister  of  Salton,  in  which  station 
he  served  five  years  in  the  most  exemplary  manner.  He  drew  up  a  memorial,  in  which 
he  took  notice  of  the  principal  errors  in  the  Scots  Bishops,  and  sent  a  copy  of  it  to  several 
of  them,  which  exposed  him  to  their  resentments.  Being  engaged  in  drawing  up  the 
"  Memoirs  of  the  Dukes  of  Hamilton,"  Duke  Lauderdale  invited  him  to  London,  and  in- 
troduced him  to  King  Charles  II.  After  his  return  to  Scotland,  he  married  Lady  Blar- 
garet  Kennedy,  daughter  of  the  Earl  of  Cassilis,  a  lady  of  piety  and  good  understanding, 
and  strongly  inclined  to  the  Presbyterians.  The  day  before  their  marriage,  he  delivered 
the  leuiy  a  deed,  renouncing  all  pretensions  to  her  fortune,  which  was  considerable,  and 
which  must  have  fallen  into  his  hands,  she  having  no  intention  to  secure  it. 

Burnet's  intimacy  with  the  Dukes  of  Hamilton  and  Lauderdale,  occasioned  him  to  be 
frequently  sent  for  by  the  King  and  the  Duke  of  York,  who  had  conversations  Avith  him  in 

IS*  27 


210 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


''June  22.  I  met,"  says  he,  "a  daughter  of  my  worthy  old  friend 
Mr.  Erskine,  at  the  Foundery :  she  was  deeply  wounded  by  the  sword 
of  the  spirit :  confessed  she  had  turned  many  to  Deism,  and  feared 
there  could  be  no  mercy  for  her. — July  18,  I  had  the  satisfaction  of 
bringing  back  to  Mr.  Erskine  his  formerly  disobedient  daughter.  She 
fell  at  his  feet :  it  was  a  moving  interview — all  wept — our  Heavenly 
Father  heard  our  prayers." — December  2.  Being  in  Wales,  he  ob- 
serves, "  I  encouraged  a  poor  girl  to  seek  a  cure  from  him  who  hath 
wounded  her.  She  has  the  outward  mark,  too :  being  daily  threat- 
ened to  be  turned  out  of  doors  by  her  master,  a  great  swearer  and 
strict  churchman,  a  constant  communicant  and  habitual  drunkard." 

1751.  James  Wheatley  was  at  this  time  a  preacher  among  the 
Methodists,  and  a  dabbler  in  physic.  Some  very  heavy  complaints 
were  brought  against  him,  for  improper  conduct  to  several  womeu, 
of  which  Mr.  John  Wesley  has  given  a  pretty  full  statement  in  his 
printed  Journal  for  the  year  1751,  which  account  is  fully  confirmed 
by  Mr.  Charles  Wesley's  private  Journal,  now  before  me.  They 
brought  Wheatley  and  his  accusers  face  to  face,  and  the  charges  were 
so  clearly  proved,  that  he  was  obliged  to  confess  the  truth.  To  screen 
himself  as  far  as  possible,  he  accused  others,  and  said  the  rest  of  the 
preachers  were  like  himself.  This  was  a  serious  charge.  Ten  of 
them  were  called  together  to  meet  Wheatley ;  and  T.  Maxfield  first, 
then  each  of  the  others,  asked  him — "  What  sin  can  you  charge  me 
with?" — Wheatley  was  silent;  which  convinced  them  that  he  was 

private.  But  Lauderdale,  being  offended  at  the  freedom  with  which  Burnet  spoke  to  him, 
took  pains  to  prejudice  the  king  against  him.  In  1675,  Sir  Harbottle  Grimstone,  master 
of  the  Rolls,  appointed  him  preacher  of  the  chapel  there,  notwithstanding  the  opposition 
of  the  Court.  In  1679  and  81,  he  published  his  History  of  the  Reformation,  for  which  he 
had  the  thanks  of  both  houses  of  parliament.  About  this  time  he  became  acquainted 
with  the  Earl  of  Rochester,  and  spent  one  evening  in  a  week  with  him,  for  a  whole  winter, 
discoursing  on  those  topics  on  which  skeptics,  and  men  of  loose  morals,  object  to  the  chris- 
tian religion.  The  happy  effect  of  these  conferences,  occasioned  his  publication  of  the 
account  of  the  life  and  death  of  that  Earl.  When  the  inquir}'  concerning  the  Popish  plot 
was  on  foot,  the  king  consulted  him  often,  and  offered  him  the  bishopric  of  Chichester  if 
he  would  engage  in  his  interests  ;  but  he  refused  to  accept  it  on  these  terms. 

On  the  accession  of  King  James  to  the  throne,  he  obtained  leave  to  go  out  of  the  king- 
dom. He  lived  in  great  retirement  for  some  time  at  Paris,  then  travelled  to  Italy  and 
Rome,  where  he  was  favorably  received  by  the  Pope.  He  afterwards  pursued  his  travels 
through  Switzerland  and  Germany,  and,  in  1683,  came  to  Utrecht,  with  an  intention  to 
settle  in  some  of  the  Seven  Provinces.  Here  he  received  an  invitation  from  the  Prince 
and  Princess  of  Orange,  to  come  to  the  Hague,  which  he  accepted.  He  was  immediately 
acquainted  with  all  their  designs,  and  entered  heartily  into  them.  When  the  Prince  of 
Orange  came  over  to  England,  Burnet  attended  him  in  quality  of  chaplain,  and  was  soon 
advanced  to  the  see  of  Salisbury.  He  declared  for  moderate  measures  with  regard  to  the 
clergy  who  scrupled  to  take  the  oaths  ;  and  many  were  displeased  with  him,  for  declaring 
for  the  toleration  of  Nonconformists.  In  1699,  he  pubhshed  his  Exposition  of  the  39  Ar- 
ticles, which  occasioned  a  representation  against  him  in  the  Lower  House  of  Convocation, 
in  1701  ;  but  he  was  vindicated  by  the  Upper  House.  He  died  in  1715,  and  was  interred 
in  the  Church  of  St.  James,  Clerkenwell,  where  he  nas  a  monument  errected  to  him.  See 
Encyclopaedia  Britannica. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


211 


guilty  of  wilful  lying.  They  were  now  obliged  to  silence  him,  and 
Mr.  John  Wesley  has  been  censured  for  using  too  much  severity 
towards  him :  but  as  the  facts  were  clearly  proved,  he  and  his  brother, 
for  they  acted  jointly  in  the  matter,  could  do  no  less  than  put  him 
away  from  the  connexion. 

Mr.  Wesley  goes  on  with  his  Journal,  and  observes,  that  Wheat- 
ley's  charge  put  his  brother  and  him  upon  a  resolution  of  strictly 
examining  into  the  life  and  moral  behavior  of  every  preacher  in  the 
connexion  with  them  ;  "  and  the  office,"  says  he,  "fell  upon  me." — It 
certainly* could  not  have  fallen  into  fitter  hands.  Mr.  John  Wesley's 
great  weakness  was,  a  proneness  to  believe  every  one  sincere  in  his 
professions  of  religion,  till  he  had  the  most  positive,  and,  perhaps, 
repeated  proofs  of  his  insincerity ;  and  to  believe  their  testimonies  of 
things  as  true,  without  making  proper  allowance  for  their  ignorance. 
This  exposed  him  to  frequent  imposition  and  mistake.  The  case  was 
far  otherwise  with  Mr.  Charles :  he  quickly  penetrated  into  a  man's 
character,  and  it  was  not  easy  to  impose  upon  him.  He  totally  dif- 
fered from  his  brother  concerning  the  qualifications  necessary  for  an 
itinerant  preacher,  and  sometimes  silenced  a  man  whom  his  brother 
had  admitted.  The  one  looked  at  the  possible  harm  an  unqualified 
preacher  might  do  to  many  persons ;  the  other,  at  the  possible  good  he 
might  do  to  some.  This  was  the  real  principle  which  governed  the 
two  brothers  in  their  very  different  conduct  towards  the  lay-preachers  ; 
which  made  some  of  them  represent  Mr.  Charles  as  an  enemy  to 
them  all.  But  this  certainly  v/as  far  from  being  the  case.  Mr. 
Charles  Wesley  being  clothed  with  his  new  office,  set  out  the  next 
morning,  June  29,  to  visit  the  societies  in  the  midland  and  northern 
counties,  as  far  as  Newcastle ;  in  which  journey  Mrs.  Wesley  accom- 
panied him.  I  do  not  find,  however,  in  the  whole  of  his  Journal,  the 
least  accusation,  of  a  nature  similar  to  that  of  Wheatley,  against  any 
preacher  in  the  connexion.  In  this  journey  he  was  a  great  blessing 
to  the  people  wherever  he  came ;  many  were  added  to  the  societies, 
and  the  old  members  were  quickened  in  their  zeal  and  diligence,  to 
work  out  their  own  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling. — July  21,  he 
observes,  "I  rode  to  Birstal  (near  Leeds)  where  John  Nelson  com- 
forted our  hearts  with  his  account  of  the  success  of  the  gospel  in 
every  place  where  he  has  been  preaching,  except  in  Scotland.  There 
he  has  been  beating  the  air  for  three  weeks,  and  spending  his  strength 
in  vain.  Twice  a  day  he  preached  at  Musselborough  to  some  thou- 
sands of  mere  hearers,  without  orfe  soul  being  converted.  I  preached 
at  one,  to  a  different  kind  of  people.  Such  a  sight  have  I  not  seen 
for  many  months.  They  filled  the  valley  and  side  of  the  hill  as 
grasshoppers  for  multitude  :  yet  my  voice  reached  the  most  distant — 
God  sent  the  word  home  to  many  hearts." — July  25,  he  was  taken 
ill  of  a  fever,  and  on  the  28th,  his  fever  increasing,  he  says,  "I  judged 
it  incumbent  on  me,  to  leave  my  thoughts  concerning  the  work  and 


212 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


the  instruments,  and  began  dictating  the  following  letter." — Unfortu- 
nately the  letter  was  not  transcribed  into  the  Journal,  a  blank  space 
being  left  for  it :  I  apprehend  it  is  not  now  to  be  found  any  where. 

He  goes  on.  August  3,  "I  was  enabled  to  ride  out,  and  to  confer 
with  the  preachers  and  others. — August  5,  I  went  to  the  room,  that  I 
might  hear  with  my  own  ears,  one  (of  the  preachers)  of  whom  many 
strange  things  had  been  told  me.  But  such  a  preacher  never  have  I 
heard  before,  and  hope  I  never  shall  again.  It  was  beyond  descrip- 
tion. I  cannot  say  that  he  preached  false  doctrine,  or  true,  or  any 
doctrine  at  all ;  but  pure  unmixed  nonsense.  Not  one  sentence  did 
he  utter  that  could  do  the  least  good.  Now  and  then  a  text  of  Scrip- 
ture was  dragged  in  by  head  and  shoulders.  I  could  scarcely  refrain 
from  stopping  him.  He  set  my  blood  a  galloping,  and  threw  me  into 
such  a  sweat,  that  I  expected  the  fever  to  follow.  Some  begged  me 
to  step  into  the  desk  and  speak  a  few  words  to  the  dissatisfied  hear- 
ers. I  did  so,  taking  no  notice  of  M.  F — k,  late  superintendent  of 
all  Ireland !  I  talked  closely  with  him,  utterly  averse  to  working, 
and  told  him  plainly  he  should  either  work  with  his  hands,  or  preach 
no  more.  He  complained  of  my  brother;  I  answered  I  would  repair 
the  supposed  injury  by  setting  him  up  again.  At  last  he  yielded  to 
work."    The  same  day  he  silenced  another  preacher. 

August  12,  being  at  Newcastle,  he  desired  W.  Shent,  who  was  with 
him.  to  go  to  Musselborough.  Before  he  set  out,  he  gave  Mr.  Wesley 
the  following  account  of  a  remarkable  trial  they  had  lately  had  at 
Leeds.  "At  Whitecoat-Hill,  three  miles  from  Leeds,  a  few  weeks 
since,  as  our  brother  Maskew  was  preaching,  a  mob  arose,  broke  the 
windows  and  doors,  and  struck  the  constable  Jacob  Hawley,  one  of 
the  society.  On  this  we  indicted  them  for  an  assault ;  and  the  ring- 
leader of  the  mob,  John  Helling  worth,  indicted  our  brother  the  con- 
stable, and  got  persons  to  swear  the  constable  struck  him.  The 
grand  jury  threw  out  our  indictment,  and  found  theirs  against  us, 
so  we  stood  trial  with  them,  on  Monday  July  15,  1751.  The  Recor- 
der, Richard  Wilson,  Esq.  gave  it  in  our  favor,  with  the  rest  of  the 
court.  But  the  foreman  of  the  jury,  Matthew  Priestley,  with  two 
others,  Richard  Cloudsly,  and  Jabez  Bunnel,  would  not  agree  with  the 
rest,  being  our  avowed  enemies.  The  foremen  was  Mr.  Murga- 
troyd's  great  friend  and  champion  against  the  Methodists.  However 
the  Recorder  gave  strict  orders  to  a  guard  of  constables,  to  watch  the 
jury,  that  they  should  have  neither  meat,  drink,  candles,  or  tobacco, 
till  they  were  agreed  in  their  verdict.  They  were  kept  prisoners  all 
that  night  and  the  next  day  till  five  in  the  afternoon,  when  one  of 
the  jury  said,  he  would  die  before  he  would  give  it  against  us.  Then 
he  spake  closely  to  the  foreman  concerning  his  prejudice  against  the 
Methodists,  till  at  last  he  condescended  to  refer  it  to  one  man.  Him 
the  other  charged  to  speak  as  he  would  answer  it  to  God  in  the  day 
of  judgment.    The  man  turned  pale,  and  trembled,  and  desired  that 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


213 


another  might  decide  it.  Another,  John  Hardwick,  being  called  upon, 
immediately  decided  it  in  favor  of  the  Methodists.  After  the  trial,  Sir 
Henry  Ibison,  one  of  the  justices,  called  a  brother,  and  said,  '  You 
see  God  never  forsakes  a  righteous  man,  take  care  you  never  forsake 
him.'  '* 

Besides  Richard  Wilson,  Esq.  Recorder  of  Leeds,  the  following 
justices  were  present;  J.  Frith,  mayor;  Alderman  Micklethwait, 
Alderman  Denison,  Alderman  Sawyer,  Alderman  Smith,  and  Alder- 
man Brooks.  Sir  Henry  Ibison  was  mentioned  above.  Mr.  Wesley 
left  Newcastle,  August  24,  and  on  the  26th,  reached  Thirsk  in  York- 
shire, where  his  Journal  for  the  present  year  ends. 

It  is  evident  from  the  nature  of  the  thing,  that  he  must  have  met 
with  great  difficulties  in  executing  the  design  of  his  journey,  and 
have  made  himself  many  enemies.  But  he  seldom  regarded  conse- 
quences, when  he  was  convinced  that  he  was  doing  his  duty.  His 
mind,  however,  was  sometimes  much  burdened.  On  one  occasion,  he 
observes,  "  Preaching  I  perceive,  is  not  my  principal  business.  God 
knoweth  my  heart  and  all  its  burdens.  O  that  he  would  take  the 
matter  into  his  own  hand,  though  he  lay  me  aside  as  a  broken  ves- 
sel !  " — But  he  was  frequently  comforted  and  strengthened  in  preach- 
ing and  praying  with  the  societies.  After  one  of  these  opportuni- 
ties he  says,  "  My  faith  was  greatly  strengthened  for  the  work. 
The  manner,  and  the  instruments  of  carrying  it  on,  I  leave  entirely 
to  God." 

July  8, 1754.  Mr.  Charles  Wesley,  Avith  his  brother,  who  was  indis- 
posed, Mr.  Charles  Perronet,  and  another  friend,  set  out  for  Norwich. 
On  the  10th,  in  the  evening  they  reached  Lakenham,  where  they 
were  informed  the  whole  city  was  in  an  uproar  about  James  Wheat- 
ley,  "  whose  works  of  darkness,"  says  Mr.  Wesley,  "  are  now  brought 
to  light;  whereby  the  people  are  so  scandalized  and  exasperated,  that 
they  are  ready  to  rise  and  tear  him  in  pieces.  We  do  not  therefore 
wonder  that  the  clergy  are  not  forward  to  show  their  friendly  inclina- 
tions to  us;  yet  one  has  sent  us  a  civil  message,  excusing  his  not 
visiting  us  till  the  tumult  is  over." — The  next  day  the  gentleman 
with  whom  they  lodged  at  Lakenham  dined  with  the  mayor  of  Nor- 
wich, a  wise  resolute  man,  who  labored  for  peace.  He  was  employed 
all  day  in  taking  the  affidavits  of  the  women  whom  Wheatley  had 
tried  to  corrupt ;  these  accounts  were  printed  and  cried  about  the 
streets,  which  occasioned  great  confusion.  "What  could  satan,  or 
his  apostles,"  says  Mr.  Wesley,  "  do  more,  to  shut  the  door  against  the 
gospel  in  this  place  forever  7  Yet  several  came  to  us,  entreating  us 
to  preach.  The  advertisement  we  had  printed  here  last  year,  dis- 
claiming Mr.  Wheatley,  did  much  good,  and,  with  the  blessing  of 
God,  helped  the  people  to  distinguish.    Our  host  also,  has  assured  the 

•  See  also  Mr.  John  Wesley's  printed  Journal  in  his  "Works,  vol.  xxix.  page  299. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 

mayor,  that  Mr.  Wheatley  is  no  Methodist,  or  associate  of  ours.  A 
letter  of  Charles  Perronet's  toWheatley  they  have  printed  there,  con- 
trary to  our  express  orders.  It  is  not  fit  that  our  hand  should  be  upon 
him.  Fresh  discoveries  are  daily  made  of  his  lewdness,  enough  to 
make  the  ears  of  all  who  hear  to  tingle  :  yet  he  is  quite  insensible  !  " 
These  things  are  now  mentioned,  because  the  notoriety  of  them  at  the 
time  appears  a  sufficient  justification  of  Mr.  John  Wesley's  conduct 
towards  Wheatley. 

Sunday,  July  14.  They  walked  to  Mr.  Edwards's  in  Norwich,  and 
at  seven  o'clock  in  the  morning  Mr.  Charles  Wesley  took  the  field. 
He  preached  on  Hog-Hill  to  about  2000  hearers,  his  brother  standing 
by  him.  A  drunkard  or  two  were  troublesome,  but  more  out  of  mirth 
than  malice.  They  afterwards  went  to  church,  and  the  people,  both 
in  the  streets  and  at  the  cathedral,  were  remarkably  civil.    He  adds, 

The  lessons.  Psalms,  Epistles,  and  Gospel,  were  very  encouraging. 
The  anthem  made  our  hearts  rejoice :  *  O  pray  for  the  peace  of  Jeru- 
salem ;  they  shall  prosper  that  love  thee.  Peace  be  within  thy  walls, 
and  prosperity  within  thy  palaces.  For  my  brethren  and  compan- 
ion's sake  will  I  now  say,  peace  be  within  thee.  Because  of  the  house 
of  the  Lord  our  God,  will  I  seek  thy  good.'  We  received  the  sacra- 
ment at  the  hands  of  the  bishop.  In  the  afternoon  I  went  to  St. 
Peter's,  and  at  five  o'clock  to  Hog-Hill,  where  it  was  computed  that 
ten  thousand  persons  were  present.  Again  I  preached  repentance 
towards  God,  and  faith  in  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  They  listened  with 
great  seriousness — their  hearts  were  plainly  touched,  as  some  showed 
by  their  tears.  Who  could  have  thought  the  people  of  Norwich  would 
ever  more  have  borne  a  field-preacher?  It  is  the  Lord's  doing,  and 
it  is  marvellous  in  our  eyes.  To  him  be  all  the  glory,  who  saith,  '  I 
will  work,  and  who  shall  hinder  7 ' " 

July  19.  Mr.  John  Wesley  left  them,  and  Mr.  Charles  continued 
his  labors.  "  At  night,"  he  says,  "I  had  multitudes  of  the  great  vulgar 
and  the  small  to  hear  me,  with  three  justices,  and  nine  clergymen : 
many,  I  am  persuaded,  felt  the  sharp  two-edged  sword.  Sunday, 
July  21.  My  audience  at  seven  in  the  morning  Avas  greatly  increas- 
ed. I  dwelt  chiefly  on  those  words,  '  He  hath  sent  me  to  preach  glad 
tidings  to  the  meek,  or  poor ;'  and  labored,  as  all  last  week,  to  bring 
them  to  a  sense  of  their  wants ;  and  for  this  end  I  have  preached  the 
law,  which  is  extremely  wanted  here.  The  poor  sinners  have  been 
surfeited  with  smooth  words  and  flattering  invitations.  The  greater 
cause  have  we  for  wonder  and  thanksgiving,  that  they  can  now  en- 
dure sound  and  severe  doctrine.  I  received  the  sacrament  again  from 
his  lordship,  among  a  score  of  communicants.  If  the  gospel  prevail 
in  this  place,  they  will  by  and  by  find  the  difference. — ^July  22,  God 
is  providing  us  a  place ;  an  old  large  brewhouse,  which  the  owner,  a 
justice  of  peace,  has  reserved  for  us.  He  has  refused  several,  always 
declaring  he  would  let  it  to  none  but  Mr.  John  Wesley.    Last  Satur- 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


215 


day  Mr.  Edwards  agreed,  in  my  brother's  name,  to  take  a  lease  for 
seven  years ;  and  this  morning  Mr.  S.  has  sent  his  workmen  to  begin 
to  put  it  into  repair.  The  people  are  much  pleased  at  our  having  it : 
so  are  not  satan  and  his  Antinomian  apostles." 

July  27.  He  was  informed  of  the  death  of  a  person  whom  he  con- 
sidered and  loved  as  a  son  in  the  gospel,  but  whose  unsteadiness  had 
given  him  great  pain.  His  observations  on  the  occasion  show,  that 
he  had  a  mind  susceptible  of  the  finest  sentiments  of  friendship. 
"Just  now,"  says  he,  "I  hear  from  Leeds^  that  my  poor  rebellious  son 
has  taken  his  flight.  But  God  healed  his  backslidings  first,  and  he  is 
at  rest !  My  poor  J.  H — n  is  at  rest  in  the  bosom  of  his  Heavenly 
Father.  O  what  a  turn  has  it  given  my  heart !  what  a  mixture  of 
passions  do  I  feel  here  !  But  joy  and  thankfulness  are  uppermost.  I 
opened  the  book  of  consolation,  and  cast  my  eye  upon  a  word  which 
shall  wipe  away  all  tears :  '  I  will  ransom  them  from  the  power  of  the 
grave ;  I  will  redeem  them  from  death.' — Sunday,  July  28,  I  met 
our  little  society,  or  rather  candidates  for  a  society,  at  five  in  the 
morning.  At  seven,  I  preached  Christ  Jesus,  the  Saviour  of  all  men, 
to  a  numerous  quiet  congregation,  and  afterwards  heard  the  bishop 
preach,  and  received  the  sacrament  from  him.  At  five  in  the  evening, 
after  prayer  for  an  open  door,  I  went  forth  to  such  a  multitude  as  we 
have  not  seen  before  in  Norwich.  During  the  hymn,  a  pale  trembling 
opposer  labored  to  interrupt  the  work  of  God,  and  draw  off  the  peo- 
ple's attention :  but  as  soon  as  I  began  to  read  the  history  of  the  prodi- 
gal son,  his  commission  ended,  and  he  left  me  to  a  quiet  audience. 
Now  the  door  was  opened  indeed.  For  an  hour  and  a  half  I  showed 
their  sins  and  wanderings  from  God,  and  invited  them  back  to  their 
Father's  house.  And  surely  he  had  compassion  on  them,  inclining 
many  hearts  to  return.  God,  I  plainly  found,  had  delivered  them 
into  my  hand.  He  filled  my  mouth  with  persuasive  words,  and  my 
heart  with  strong  desires  for  their  salvation.  I  concluded,  and  began 
again,  testifying  my  good  will  towards  them,  which  was  the  sole  end 
of  my  coming.  But  if  I  henceforth  see  them  no  more,  yet  is  my  labor 
with  my  God.  They  have  heard  words  whereby  they  may  be  saved ; 
and  many  of  them,  I  cannot  doubt,  will  be  our  crown  of  rejoicing 
in  the  great  day.  Several  serious  persons  followed  me  to  Mr.  Ed- 
wards's, desiring  to  be  admitted  into  our  society.  I  told  them,  as  others 
before,  to  come  among  us  first  for  some  time,  and  see  how  they  liked 
it  We  spent  some  time  together  in  conference,  praise,  and  prayer.  I 
am  in  no  haste  for  a  society  :  first  let  us  see  how  the  candidates  live." 
-^Had  this  cautious  and  prudent  conduct  been  observed,  through 
every  part  of  the  Methodist  discipline,  the  preachers  and  members  of 
the  societies,  would  not  indeed  have  been  so  numerous  as  at  present, 
but  they  would  have  had  a  degree  of  excellence,  they  have  not  yet 
attained. 

Mr.  Wesley  goes  on.    July  30,  "I  preached  at  five,  and  found  the 


216 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


people's  hearts  opened  for  the  word.  The  more  satan  rages,  the  more 
our  Lord  will  own  and  bless  us.  A  poor  rebel  at  the  conclusion  lifted 
up  his  voice;  for  whom  I  first  prayed,  and  then  turning  full  upon  him, 
preached  repentance  and  Christ  to  his  heart.  I  desired  him  to  turn  his 
face  towards  me,  but  he  could  not.  However  he  felt  the  invisible 
chain,  which  held  him  to  hear  the  offers  of  grace  and  salvation.  I 
have  great  hope  that  satan  has  lost  his  slave ;  some  assured  me  they 
saw  him  depart  in  tears.  July  31, 1  expounded  Isaiah  xxxii.  1,  to  my 
constant  hearers,  who  seem  more  and  more  to  know  their  wants.  At 
night,  I  laid  the  axe  to  the  root,  and  showed  their  actual  and  original 
corruption,  from  Rev.  iii.  17.  '  Thou  sayest,  I  am  rich,  and  knowest 
not  that  thou  art  wretched,  and  miserable,  and  poor,  and  blind,  and 
naked.'  The  strong  man  was  disturbed  in  his  palace,  and  roared  on 
every  side.  My  strength  increased  with  the  opposition.  A  gentle- 
man on  horseback,  with  others,  was  ready  to  gnash  upon  me  with 
his  teeth,  but  my  voice  prevailed,  and  they  retreated  to  their  strong 
hold,  the  alehouse.  There,  with  difficulty,  they  procured  some  butch- 
ers to  appear  in  their  quarrel ;  but  they  had  no  commission  to  ap- 
proach till  I  had  done.  Then,  in  the  last  hymn,  they  made  up  to  the 
table  with  great  fury.  The  foremost  often  lifted  up  his  stick  to  strike 
me,  being  within  his  reach ;  but  he  was  not  permitted.  I  staid  to 
pray  for  them,  and  walked  quietly  to  my  lodgings.  Poor  Rabshakeh 
muttered  something  about  the  Bishop  of  Exeter  ;  but  did  not  accept  of 
my  invitation  to  Mr.  Edwards's.  The  concern  and  love  of  the  people 
were  much  increased,  by  my  supposed  danger.  We  joined  together 
in  prayer  and  thanksgiving  as  usual ;  and  I  slept  in  peace." 

Mr.  Wesley's  Journal  gives  us  no  further  information  of  his  labors, 
or  of  any  of  his  proceedings,  till  the  latter  end  of  the  year  1756. 
The  number  of  lay-preachers  was  now  greatly  increased ;  and  though 
very  few  of  them  had  enjoyed  the  benefits  of  a  learned,  or  even  a 
good  education  in  the  common  branches  of  knowledge,  yet  there  were 
among  them  men  of  strong  sense,  and  great  powers  of  mind,  who 
soon  became  useful  and  able  preachers  of  the  gospel.  We  may  nat- 
urally suppose,  that  these,  conscious  of  their  abilities  and  usefulness, 
would  begin  to  feel  some  uneasiness  under  the  very  humble  character 
of  a  Methodist  preacher,  which  the  public  at  that  time  held  in  great 
contempt.  This  seems  to  have  been  actually  the  case;  for  they 
wished  to  promote  a  plan,  which  no  doubt  they  hoped  might  both  be 
useful  to  the  people,  and  give  them  a  greater  degree  of  respectability 
in  the  public  opinion.  To  accomplish  this  purpose,  they  were  desirous 
that  the  preachers,  or  some  of  them  at  least,  should  have  some  kind 
of  ordination,  and  be  allowed  to  administer  the  ordinances  to  the  peo- 
ple, through  all  the  societies.  Both  Mr.  John  and  Charles  Wesley 
opposed  this  attempt,  as  a  total  dereliction  of  the  avowed  principles 
on  which  the  societies  were  first  united  together.  When  they  became 
itinerant  preachers,  and  began  to  form  societies,  they  utterly  disclaimed 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY.  217 

any  intention  of  making  a  separate  party  in  the  nation  :  they  never 
intended  that  the  societies  should  be  separate  churches  :  the  members 
were  constantly  exhorted  to  attend  their  respective  places  of  worship, 
whether  the  Established  Church,  or  a  Dissenting  meeting ;  and  the 
limes  of  preaching  on  the  Lord's  day  were  purposely  fixed,  to  give 
them  liberty  so  to  do.  They  had  no  intention  to  separate  any  from 
their  former  church-membership,  but  to  awaken  persons  of  all  denom- 
inations to  a  serious  sense  of  religion ;  to  call  them  back  to  their  first 
principles,  to  be  helpers  of  their  faith,  and  to  stir  them  up  to  work 
out  their  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling!  Their  leading  object 
was,  to  bring  persons  of  all  persuasions  to  an  experimental  and  prac- 
tical knowledge  of  the  fundamental  truths  of  the  Christian  religion ; 
to  unite  them  together  in  brotherly  love,  while  each  retained  his  for- 
mer religious  connexion  and  his  peculiar  opinions  on  church  govern- 
ment and  modes  of  worship.  It  is  evident  that  the  Methodist  socie- 
ties Avere  formed  on  these  broad  and  disinterested  principles,  however 
narrow-minded  and  interested  men  may  have  misconstrued  them,  or 
endeavored  to  pervert  them.  It  was,  indeed,  a  new  thing  in  the 
world;  but  the  two  brothers  were  fully  persuaded  that  this  was  the 
peculiar  calling  of  the  Methodists.  They  had  been  gradually  led  into 
this  plan,  under  a  concurrence  of  circumstances  which  appeared  to 
them  providential,  and  many  years'  experience  of  its  extensive  useful- 
ness, had  confirmed  them  in  this  opinion.  To  separate  the  people, 
therefore,  from  their  former  connexions,  and  unite  them  into  an  inde- 
pendent body,  they  thought  was  departing  from  their  proper  calling, 
and  quitting  the  station  which  God  had  appointed  them  for  the  benefit 
of  the  nation.  This  subject  has  often  been  discussed,  but  the  ques- 
tion has  never  been  fairly  stated.  It  is  not  merely,  whether  the  Meth- 
odists shall  separate  from  the  Church  of  England?  but  whether 
they  shall  separate  from  the  Church,  and  from  every  denomination  of 
Dissenters  hitherto  known  in  the  kingdom,  and  become  a  body,  dis- 
tinct and  independent  of  both.  Thus  far,  they  have  been  a  kind  of 
middle  link,  uniting  the  Dissenters,  and  members  of  the  Church,  in 
the  interests  of  experimental  religion,  and  in  christian  love  and  charity 
to  one  another.  A  separation  therefore,  will  make  the  breach  wider 
tlian  ever :  it  will  overturn  the  original  constitution  of  Methodism, 
and  totally  subvert  the  very  spirit  of  it.  This  in  my  opinion  will  be- 
of  serious  consequence,  not  only  to  the  Methodists  themselves,  but  to 
the  nation  at  large.^ 

The  contagion,  however,  had  gone  forth :  the  plague  was  begun : 
a  division  in  the  society  of  Leeds,  had  already  taken  place,  and  the 
minds  of  many  in  different  societies  were  greatly  unsettled,  by  a  few 


*  This  subject  is  here  incidentally  mentioned,  as  it  gave  rise  to  Mr.  Charles  Wesley's 
journey  through  many  of  the  societies  this  year.  It  will  be  considered  more  at  length,  in . 
the  latter  part  of  the  life  of  Mr.  John  Wesley. 

19  28 


218 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


of  the  preachers.  Mr.  Charles  Wesley  was  much  affected  with  these 
proceedings.  He  considered  the  present  attempts  to  separate  those  of 
the  people  from  the  Church,  who  had  belonged  to  her,  and  the  Dissenters 
among  them  from  their  former  connexions,  as  a  partial  evil  only  :  but 
he  looked  forward  to  the  consequences,  which  would  probably  follow, 
when  none  were  left  to  oppose  them.  While  under  these  painful  ex- 
ercises of  mind,  the  words  of  the  Lord  by  the  prophet,  often  gave  him 
comfort:  "I  will  bring  the  third  part  through  the  fire."  He  often 
preached  from  these  words  in  the  journey  we  are  going  to  describe  ; 
and  would  often  mention  them  to  his  friends  in  conversation,  even  to 
the  close  of  his  life.  He  seemed  to  expect,  that  when  he  and  his 
brother  were  removed  hence,  troubles  would  arise  in  the  societies ; 
but  that,  after  various  struggles,  a  third  part  would  be  found  to  ad- 
here to  their  original  callings  and  to  the  original  simplicity  of  the 
Methodists. 

September  17.  He  left  Bristol,  and  visited  the  societies  in  Glouces- 
tershire and  Staffordshire,  every  where  confirming  the  brethren  in  the 
truths  of  the  gospel,  and  in  their  peculiar  calling  as  Methodists.  On 
the  22d,  he  came  to  Nottingham,  and  spent  the  afternoon  in  taking 
down  the  names  of  those  in  the  society,  and  conversing  with  them. 
He  adds,  "  We  rejoiced  to  meet  once  more,  after  so  long  a  separation. 
My  subject  both  at  night  and  in  the  morning,  was,  "  I  will  bring  the 
third  part  through  the  fire."  It  was  a  time  of  solemn  rejoicing. 
There  had  been,  twelve  months  ago,  a  great  revival  and  increase  of 
the  society ;  but  satan  was  beginning  again  to  sow  his  tares.  My 
coming  at  this  season,  I  trust,  will  be  the  means  of  preventmg  a  di- 
vision."  The  next  day  he  came  to  Sheftield.  "Here  also,"  he  says, 
"  I  delivered  my  own  soul,  and  the  people  seemed  awakened  and 
alarmed.  I  spake  plainly  and  lovingly  to  the  society,  of  continuing 
in  the  Church:  and  though  many  of  them  were  Dissenters  and  pre- 
destinarians,  none  were  offended."  It  is  probable  they  understood  his 
meaning,  and  then  there  was  no  just  cause  of  offence.  By  advising 
those  who  belonged  to  the  Church,  to  continue  in  it,  he  advised  the 
Dissenters  to  continue  in  their  respective  meetings,  or  churches.  His 
object  was,  to  dissuade  the  members  of  the  Methodist  societies  from 
leaving  their  former  connexions,  and  uniting  into  a  separate  body. 
In  doing  this  he  sometimes  mentioned  the  Dissenters,  as  well  as  the 
members  of  the  Church  of  England,  but  not  always,  as  in  most  places 
these  formed  the  bulk  of  the  Methodist  societies. 

Passing  through  Huntslet,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Crook,  minister  of  the 
place,  stopped  him  and  took  him  to  his  house.  Here  he  met  with 
Dr.  Cockburn,  his  old  school-fellow  and  friend,  who  had  waited  for 
him  near  a  week,  to  take  him  to  York.  Mr.  Wesley  spent  a  delight- 
ful hour  in  conversation  with  them,  full  of  life  and  zeal,  and  simpli- 
city, and  then  went  on  to  Leeds.  Sunday,  September  26,  he  preached 
at  seven  in  the  morning,  then  walked  to  Huntslet,  and  preached 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY.  ^19 

twice  for  Mr.  Crook;  in  the  evening  he  returned  to  Leeds,  and 
preached  a  fourth  time  to  a  very  crowded  audience.  In  the  society, 
he  observes,  "  I  could  speak  of  nothing  but  love,  for  I  felt  nothing 
else.  Great  was  our  rejoicing  over  each  other.  Satan,  I  believe,  has 
done  his  worst,  and  will  get  no  further  advantage  by  exasperating 
their  spirits  against  their  departed  brethren.  They  were  unanimous 
to  stay  in  the  Church,  because  the  Lord  stays  in  it,  and  multiplies  his 
witnesses  therein.  Monday  the  27th,  I  breakfasted  with  Miss  N., 
who  was  not  so  evil-affected  towards  her  forsaken  brethren  as  I 
expected.  Nothing  can  ever  bring  such  as  her  back,  but  the  charity 
which  hopeth  all  things,  beareth  all  things,  endureth  all  things. — I 
went  to  the  Church-prayers,  with  several  who  have  been  long  dealt 
with  to  forsake  them  utterly.  They  will  stand  the  firmer,  I  hope, 
for  their  shaking." 

September  28.  I  set  out  with  Dr.  Cockburn,  for  York,  and 
preached  from  Hab.  iii.  2.  '  O  Lord,  revive  thy  work.'  The  crowd 
made  our  room  excessively  hot :  but  that  did  not  hinder  their  atten- 
tion.— Our  preacher  stationed  here,  had  quite  left  off  preaching  in  the 
morning.  Many  told  me,  I  could  not  get  a  congregation  at  five 
o'clock  :  but  I  found  it  otherwise.  The  room  was  almost  full,  while 
I  explained,  '  Being  made  free  from  sin,  and  become  the  servants  of 
God,  ye  have  your  fruit  unto  holiness,  and  the  end  everlasting  life.' 
I  insisted  largely  on  the  necessity  of  laboring  after  holiness.  The 
hearers  appeared  much  stirred  up. — I  spent  the  day  (September  29) 
in  conferring  with  all  comers.  The  doctor's  house  was  open  to  all, 
and  his  heart  also :  his  whole  desire  being  to  spread  the  gospel." 

October  1.  He  met  with  a  Miss  T.  earnestly  seeking  salvation; 
who  had  been  awakened  by  reading  Theron  and  Aspasio,  written  by 
Mr.  Hervey. — While  at  York,  Mr.  Wesley's  time  was  fully  occupied j 
not  merely  with  preaching  night  and  morning,  and  conversing  with 
the  members  of  the  society :  but  in  attending  persons  of  learning  and 
character,  who  were  desirous  of  his  company,  to  state  their  objections 
to  the  doctrines  and  economy  of  the  Methodists,  and  to  hear  his 
answers.  This  day  he  spent  an  hour  with  Mr.  D.  and  answered  his 
candid  objections.  He  had  also  an  opportunity  of  defending  his  old 
friend  Mr.  Ingham.   "It  is  hard,"  says  he,  "that  a  man  should  be 

hanged  for  his  looks;  for  the  appearance  of  M  nism.  Their 

spirit  and  practices,  he  has  as  utterly  renounced  as  we  have :  their 
manner  and  phrase  cannot  so  soon  be  shaken  off." — Simplicity  and 
goodness  constantly  met  with  his  approbation :  under  whatever  dress 
or  form  he  saw  them,  they  attracted  his  notice  and  ensured  his  friend- 
ship. He  found  Mercy  Bell  here,  and  these  amiable  qualities  shone 
so  bright  through  the  little  singularities  of  her  profession,  that  he 
had  sweet  fellowship  with  her.  He  adds,  "  I  marvel  not  that  the 
Friends,  so  fallen  from  their  first  simplicity,  cannot  receive  her  testi- 
mony."— Thus  speaks  Mr.  Wesley  of  a  woman,  who  was  a  public 


206  THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 

teacher  among  the  Friends.  Many  similar  instances  occur  in  his  life, 
which  plainly  show  that  his  love  of  truth  and  goodness,  always  broke 
through  his  high-church  prejudices,  and  united  his  heart,  in  christian 
fellowship,  to  the  wise  and  good  of  every  communion. 

October  2.  The  whole  day  was  spent  in  singing,  conference,  and 
prayer.  ''I  attended,"  says  he,  "the  quire-service.  The  people 
there  were  marvellously  civil,  and  obliged  me  with  the  anthem  I 
desired,  Hab.  iii.,  a  feast  for  a  king,  as  Queen  Anne  called  it.  The 
Rev.  Mr.  Williamson  walked  with  me  to  his  house,  in  the  face  of  the 
sun.  I  would  have  spared  him,  but  he  was  quite  above  fear.  A 
pious  sensible  Dissenter  cleaved  to  us  all  day,  and  accompanied  us 
to  the  preaching.  I  discoursed  on  my  favorite  subject,  '  I  will  bring 
the  third  part  through  the  fire.'  We  glorified  God  in  the  fire,  and 
rejoiced  in  hope  of  coming  forth  as  gold.  Sunday,  October  3.  From 
five  till  near  eight  in  the  morning  I  talked  closely  with  each  of  the 
society :  then,  at  Mr.  Williamson's  request,  I  preached  on  the  Ordi- 
nances from  Isaiah  Ixiv.  5.  '  In  those  is  continuance  and  we  shall  be 
saved.  I  dwelt  longest  on  what  had  been  most  neglected,  family 
prayer,  public  prayer,  and  the  sacrament.  The  Lord  set  to  his  seal, 
and  confirmed  the  word  with  a  double  blessing. — I  received  the  sacra- 
ment at  the  minster.  They  were  obliged  to  consecrate  twice,  the 
congregation  being  doubled  and  trebled  through  my  exhortation  and 
example.  Glory  be  to  God  alone. — I  went  to  Mr.  Williamson's 
church,  who  read  prayers  as  one  who  felt  them,  and  then  beckoned 
me.  I  stepped  up  into  the  pulpit,  when  no  one  expected  it,  and  cried 
to  a  full  audience,  '  The  kingdom  of  God  is  at  hand ;  repent  ye,  and 
believe  the  gospel'  They  were  all  attention.  The  word  did  not 
return  void,  but  accomplished  that  for  which  it  was  sent.  Neither  is 
he  that  planted,  any  thing,  neither  is  he  that  watereth." 

October  5.  Being  returned  to  Leeds,  he  conversed  with  one  of  the 
preachers  who  seemed  desirous  of  making  a  separation;  and  adds, 

I  threw  away  some  words  on  one,  who  is  wiser  in  his  own  eyes 
than  seven  men  who  can  render  a  reason." — The  next  day,  he  again 
conversed  with  the  same  preacher,  who  frankly  confessed,  if  any  of 
the  societies  should  desire  him  to  take  charge  of  them  as  a  distinct 
body,  he  should  not  refuse  them.  Mr.  Wesley  told  him  plainly,  that 
the  ground  of  all  such  designs  was  pride  :  but  his  words  were  spoken 
into  the  air. — He  now  set  out  for  Seacroft,  and  rode  on  to  Aberford, 
to  see  his  old  friend  Mr.  Ingham,  who  was  absent,  laboring  in  his 
Lord's  vineyard.  '-I  had  the  happiness,"  says  he,  "  of  finding  lady 
Margaret  at  home,  and  their  son  Ignatius.  She  informed  me  that 
Mr.  Ingham's  circuit  takes  in  about  four  hundred  miles;  that  he  has 
six  fellow-laborers,  and  a  thousand  persons  in  his  societes,  most  of 
them  converted.  I  rejoiced  in  his  success.  Ignatius  would  hardly 
be  satisfied  at  my  not  preaching.  We  passed  an  hour  and  a  half 
profitably,  and  got  safe  back  to  Seacroft  before  night.    Soon  after, 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


221 


our  dearest  brother  Grimshaw  found  us,  and  brought  a  blessing  with 
him.  I  preached  from  Luke  xxi.  34,  '  Take  heed  to  yourselves,'  &c., 
and  further  enforced  our  Lord's  warning  on  the  society. — Our  hearts 
were  comforted  and  knit  together. — October  8,  we  had  another  blessed 
hour  with  them,  before  we  left  this  lively  people.  I  continued  till 
one  o'clock,  in  conference  with  my  worthy  friend  and  fellow-laborer, 
Mr.  Grimshaw;  a  man  after  my  own  heart;  whose  love  of  the 
church,  flows  from  his  love  of  Christ.  With  such,  may  my  lot  be 
cast  in  both  worlds. 

"  I  rode  with  my  faithful  brother  Grimshaw  to  Bramley,  and 
preached  to  a  multitude  of  serious  souls,  who  eagerly  received  our 
Lord's  saying,  '  Look  up,  and  lift  up  your  heads,'  6cc,  They  seemed 
broad  awake,  when  I  called  again  in  the  morning,  October  2,  'Watch 
ye  therefore,  and  pray  always,'  &c.  Their  spirit  quickened  mine. 
We  had  sweet  fellowship  together.  I  have  no  doubt  but  they  will 
be  counted  worthy  to  escape,  and  to  stand  before  the  Son  of  man. — 
Returning  to  Leeds,  I  met  my  brother  Whitefield,  and  was  much 
refreshed  by  the  account  of  his  abundant  labors.  I  waited  on  him 
to  our  room,  and  gladly  sat  under  his  word. — October  10.  From 
Isaiah  Ixiv.  5,  I  earnestly  pressed  the  duties  of  constant  communi- 
cating, of  hearing,  reading,  preaching  the  word ;  of  fasting,  of  private, 
family,  and  public  prayer.  The  spirit  of  love  and  union  was  in  the 
midst  of  us. — I  came  to  Birstal  before  noon.  My  congregation  was 
a  thousand  or  two  less,  through  George  Whitefield's  preaching  to-day 
at  Haworth.  Between  four  and  five  thousand  were  left  to  receive 
my  warning  from  Luke  xxi.  34.  After  church  service,  we  met  again : 
every  soul  seemed  to  hang  on  the  word.  Two  such  precious  oppor- 
tunities, I  have  not  enjoyed  this  many  a  day.  It  was  the  old  time 
revived;  a  weighty  spirit  rested  on  the  congregation,  and  they  stood 
like  men  prepared  to  meet  the  Lord." 

October  11.  Mr.  Whitefield,  and  Mr.  Grimshaw,  were  present  at 
a  watch-night  at  Leeds.  Mr.  Wesley  preached  first,  and  Mr.  White- 
field  after  him.  It  was  a  time  of  great  solemnity,  and  of  great 
rejoicing  in  hope  of  the  glorious  appearing  of  the  great  God. — He 
now  left  Leeds,  but  continued  preaching  in  the  neighboring  places  a 
few  days.  At  Birstal,  he  makes  the  following  observation:  "The 
word  was  clothed  with  power,  both  to  awaken  and  to  confirm.  My 
principal  concern  is  for  the  disciples,  that  their  houses  may  be  built 
on  the  rock,  before  the  rains  descend.  I  hear  in  most  places,  the 
effect  of  the  word ;  but  I  hearken  after  it,  less  than  formerly,  and 
take  little  notice  of  those,  who  say  they  receive  comfort,  or  faith,  or 
forgiveness.    Let  their  fruits  show  it." 

October  17.  He  came  to  Mr.  Grimshaw's,  at  Haworth,  and  was 
greatly  refreshed  with  the  simplicity  and  zeal  of  the  people.  Here  a 
young  preacher  in  Mr.  Ingham's  connexion  came  to  spend  the 
evening  with  him,  "  I  found  great  love  for  him,"  says  Mr.  Wesley, 
19* 


222 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY, 


"and  wished  all  our  sons  in  the  gospel,  were  equally  modest  and 
discreet." — He  was  now  more  fully  informed  of  the  state  of  the  peo- 
ple in  several  societies:  that,  having  been  prejudiced  against  the 
Church  of  England,  by  some  of  the  preachers,  their  minds  had  been 
unsettled,  and  rendered  dissatisfied  with  the  Methodist  economy. 
These  were  easily  induced  to  leave  the  society,  and  unite  themselves 
to  some  independent  body :  seldom  with  advantage,  but  often  with 
loss.  He  talked  largely  with  Mr.  Grimshaw,  how  to  remedy  the 
evil.  "  We  agreed,"  says  he,  1.  That  nothing  can  save  the  Metho- 
dists from  falling  a  prey  to  every  seducer,  but  close  walking  with 
God,  in  all  the  commandments  and  ordinances;  especially  reading 
the  word,  and  prayer,  private,  family,  and  public.  2.  That  the 
preachers  should  be  allowed  more  time  in  every  place,  to  visit  from 
house  to  house,  after  Mr.  Baxter's  manner.  3.  That  a  small  treatise 
should  be  written,  to  ground  them  in  their  calling,  and  preserve  them 
against  seducers;  and  be  lodged  in  every  family." 

He  now  set  out  for  Lancashire,  accompanied  by  his  zealous  friend 
Mr.  Grimshaw.  They  reached  Manchester  on  the  20th.  They  found 
the  society  in  a  low  divided  state,  and  reduced  nearly  one  half  I 
make  more  allowance,"  says  Mr.  Wesley,  "  for  this  poor  shattered 
society,  because  they  have  been  neglected,  if  not  abused,  by  our 
preachers.  The  leaders  desired  me  not  to  let  J.  T.  come  among  them 
again,  for  he  did  them  more  harm  than  good,  by  talking  in  his  witty 
way  against  the  Church  and  clergy.  As  for  poor  J.  H.  he  could  not 
advise  them  to  go  to  church,  because  he  never  went  himself  But 
some  informed  me,  that  he  advised  them  not  to  go.  I  talked  with  the 
leaders,  and  earnestly  pressed  them  to  set  an  example  to  the  flock,  by 
walking  in  all  the  commandments  and  ordinances.  I  wrote  my 
thoughts  to  my  brother,  as  follows.  'Mr.  Walker's  letter^  deserves 
to  be  seriously  considered.  One  only  thing  occurs  to  me  now,  which 
might  prevent  in  a  great  measure  the  mischiefs  which  will  probably 
ensue  after  our  death :  and  that  is,  greater,  much  greater  deliberation 
and  care  in  admitting  preachers.  Consider  seriously,  if  we  have  not 
been  too  easy  and  too  hasty  in  this  matter.  Let  us  pray  God  to  show 
us,  if  this  has  not  been  the  principal  cause,  why  so  many  of  our 
preachers  have  lamentably  miscarried.  Ought  any  new  preacher  to 
.be  received  before  we  know  that  he  is  grounded,  not  only  in  the  doc- 
trines we  teach,  but  in  the  discipline  also,  and  particularly  in  the 
communion  of  the  Church  of  England?  If  we  do  not  insist  on  that 
^ogyv  t  for  our  desolate  mother,  as  a  prerequisite,  yet  should  we  not  be 
well  assured  that  the  candidate  is  no  enemy  to  the  Church?  I  met 
the  society  in  calm  love,  and  exhorted  them  to  stand  fast  in  one  mind 

*  Several  letters  passed  between  Mr.  John  Wesley,  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Walker,  of  Truro, 
about  this  time.    They  are  published  in  the  Arminian  Magazine. 

•}•  Natural  affection  j  such  as  parents  have  for  their  children,  or  children  for  their 
parents. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


and  one  spirit ;  in  the  old  paths,  or  ways  of  God's  appointing. 
Henceforth  they  will  not  believe  every  spirit.  The  Lord  stablish 
their  hearts  with  grace." 

October  23.  He  breakfasted  with  Mr.  Richard  Barlow,  whose  uni- 
form conduct,  for  a  great  many  years,  has  done  honor  to  the  Metho- 
dist society,  and  to  religion  in  general.  "I  rejoiced,"  says  Mr. 
Wesley,  "  in  the  remembrance  of  his  blessed  sister,  now  in  glory. 
For  seven  years,  she  adorned  the  gospel  in  all  things." — He  after- 
wards took  horse  with  Mr.  Philips  for  Hafield.  The  next  day,  Sun- 
day the  24th,  he  preached  in  the  church,  Avhich  was  better  filled  than 
had  ever  been  known  in  a  morning ;  and  in  the  evening  was  exceed- 
ingly crowded.  He  makes  a  short  observation  here,  that  shows  his 
attachment  to  the  Church  of  England,  in  a  much  stronger  light  than 
anything  which  another  person  could  say  of  him.  I  tasted  the  good 
word,"  says  he,  "  while  reading  it.  Indeed  the  scripture  comes  with 
double  weight  to  me  in  a  church.  If  any  pity  me  for  my  bigotry,  I 
pity  them  for  their  blind  prejudice,  which  robs  them  of  so  many  bles- 
sings." 

October  24.  He  returned  to  Manchester,  and  makes  the  following 
observations  on  Mr.  Whitefield's  candor  and  liberality.  "  Here  I  re- 
joiced to  hear  of  the  great  good  Mr.  Whitefield  has  done  in  our 
societies.  He  preached  as  universally  as  my  brother.  He  warned 
them  every  where  against  apostasy,  and  insisted  on  the  necessity  of 
holiness  after  justification.  He  beat  down  the  separating  spirit, 
highly  commending  the  prayers  and  services  of  our  church  ;  charged 
our  people  to  meet  their  bands  and  classes  constantly,  and  never  to 
leave  the  Methodists,  or  God  would  leave  them.  In  a  word,  he  did 
his  utmost  to  strengthen  our  hands ;  and  he  deserves  the  thanks  of 
all  the  churches  for  his  abundant  labor  of  love." 

October  29,  he  wrote  to  Mr.  Grimshaw  as  follows:  ''I  could  not 
leave  this  shattered  society  so  soon  as  I  proposed.  They  have  not 
had  fair  play  from  our  treacherous  sons  in  the  gospel,  but  have  been 
scattered  by  them  as  sheep  upon  the  mountains.  I  have  once  more 
persuaded  them  to  go  to  church  and  sacrament,  and  stay  to  carry 
them  thither  the  next  Lord's  day. — Nothing  but  grace  can  keep  our 
children,  after  our  departure,  from  running  into  a  thousand  sects,  a 
thousand  errors.  Grace,  exercised,  kept  up  and  increased  in  the  use 
of  all  the  means  ;  especially  family  and  public  prayer  and  the  sacra- 
ment, will  keep  them  steady.  Let  us  labor,  while  we  continue  here, 
to  ground  and  build  them  up  in  the  Scriptures,  and  in  all  the  ordi- 
nances. Teach  them  to  handle  well  the  sword  of  the  spirit,  and  the 
shield  of  faith.  Should  I  live  to  see  you  again,  I  trust  you  will 
assure  me,  there  is  not  a  member  of  all  your  societies  but  reads  the 
Scriptures  daily,  uses  private  prayer,  joins  in  family  and  public  wor- 
ship, and  communicates  constantly.  '  In  those  is  continuance,  ajid  we 
shall  be  saved.'  " 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


"To  MY  BELOVED  BRETHREN  AT  LeEDS,  &C. 

"  Grace  and  peace  be  multiplied !  I  thank  my  God  on  your 
behalf,  for  the  grace  which  is  given  unto  you,  by  which  ye  stand  fast 
in  one  mind  and  in  one  spirit.  My  Master,  I  am  persuaded,  sent  me 
to  you  at  this  time  to  confirm  your  souls  in  the  present  truth — in  your 
calling,  in  the  old  paths  of  gospel  ordinances.  O  that  ye  may  be  a  pat- 
tern to  the  flock  for  your  unanimity  and  love.  O  that  ye  may  continue 
steadfast  in  the  word,  and  in  fellowship,  and  in  breaking  of  bread, 
and  in  prayers  (private,  family,  and  public.)  till  we  all  meet  around 
the  great  white  throne  ! — I  knew  beforehand,  that  the  Sanballats,  and 
Tobiahs,  would  be  grieved  when  they  heard  there  was  a  man  come 
to  seek  the  good  of  the  Church  of  England.  I  expected  they  would 
pervert  my  words,  as  if  I  should  say,  '  The  church  could  save  you.' 
So  indeed  you  and  they  thought,  till  I  and  my  brethren  taught  you 
better ;  and  sent  you  in  and  through  all  the  means  to  Jesus  Christ 
But  let  not  their  slanders  move  you.  Continue  in  the  old  ship.  Jesus 
hath  a  favor  for  our  church,  and  is  wonderfully  visiting  and  reviving 
his  work  in  her.  It  shall  be  shortly  said,  '  Rejoice  ye  with  Jerusalem, 
and  be  glad  with  her,  all  ye  that  love  her  :  rejoice  for  joy  with  her, 
all  ye  that  mourn  for  her.'  Blessed  be  God  you  see  your  calling. 
Let  nothing  hinder  you  from  going  constantly  to  church  and  sacra- 
ment. Read  the  Scriptures  daily  in  your  families,  and  let  there  be  a 
church  in  every  house.  The  word  is  able  to  build  you  up,  and  if  ye 
watch  and  pray  always,  ye  shall  be  counted  worthy  to  stand  before 
the  Son  of  man.  W atch  ye  therefore,  stand  fast  in  the  faith,  quit  your- 
selves like  men,  be  strong:  let  all  your  things  be  done  in  love.  I 
rejoice  in  hope  of  presenting  you  all  in  that  day.  Look  up,  for  your 
eternal  salvation  draweth  near. 

I  examined  more  of  the  society.  Most  of  them  have  known  the 
grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  October  30,  I  dined  with  my  candid 
friend  and  censor.  Dr.  Byrom.  I  stood  close  to  Mr.  Clayton  in  church, 
as  all  the  week  past,  but  not  a  look  would  he  cast  towards  me, 

'  So  stiff  was  his  parochial  pride,' 

and  so  faithfully  did  he  keep  his  covenant  with  his  eyes,  not  to  look 
upon  an  old  friend,  when  called  a  Methodist. — October  31,  I  spake 
with  the  rest  of  the  classes.  I  refused  tickets  to  J.  and  E.  R.  all  the 
rest  were  willing  to  follow  my  advice,  and  go  to  church  and  sacra- 
ment. The  Dissenters  I  sent  to  their  respective  meetings."  These 
extracts  from  Mr.  Charles  Wesley's  Journal  for  the  present  year, 
show,  in  the  clearest  light,  that  he  had  a  just  view  of  the  peculiar 
calling  of  the  Methodists,  and  that  he  was  exceedingly  anxious  they 
should  abide  in  it.  He  was  fully  convinced,  that  all  attempts  to  form 
the  people  into  an  independent  body,  originated  in  the  pride  and  self- 
ishness of  some  of  the  preachers,  and  would  be  injurious  to  the  pro- 
gress of  the  work.    He  saw,  however,  that,  under  various  pretences, 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY.  225 

the  preachers  would  finally  prevail,  and  obtain  their  purpose,  though 
not  during  the  life  of  his  brother.  He  was  still  comforted  with  the 
hope,  that  whenever  such  an  event  should  take  place,  there  would 
be  found,  perhaps,  a  third  part  of  the  people  in  the  societies  who 
would  have  judgment  and  virtue  enough  left  to  withstand  it,  and 
continue  a  connexion  on  the  original  plan.  How  far  his  expectations 
will  be  realized,  time  must  discover. 

November  1,  Mr.  Wesley  left  Manchester,  and  on  the  6th  came  safe 
to  his  friends  at  Bristol.  This,  I  believe,  was  the  last  journey  he  ever 
took  through  any  considerable  part  of  the  kingdom.  He  afterwards 
divided  his  labors  chiefly  between  London  and  Bristol,  and  continued 
to  preach  till  within  a  short  time  of  his  death.  Many  conjectures 
have  been  made  concerning  the  reasons  which  induced  him  to  desist 
from  travelling,  and  from  taking  the  same  active  part  in  the  govern- 
ment of  the  societies  which  before  he  had  done.  Not  a  few  have 
attributed  his  conduct,  in  this  respect,  to  a  loss  of  zeal,  and  true  vital 
rehgion ;  and  I  confess  that  I  was  once  of  that  opinion ;  but  I  have 
since  been  more  perfectly  informed,  and  better  acquainted  with  the 
nature  of  his  situation.  The  following  circumstances  will  throw  some 
light  on  this  matter.  1.  His  determined  opposition  against  all  at- 
tempts to  unite  the  members  of  the  Methodist  societies  into  an  inde- 
pendent body,  made  the  leading  preachers,  who  wished  it,  his  enemies. 
2.  His  avowed  opinion,  that  many  preachers  were  admitted  into  the 
connexion,  as  itinerants,  who  were  not  qualified  for  that  station, 
united  all  of  this  description  with  the  former,  and  both  together  en- 
deavored to  persuade  the  people  that  Mr.  Charles  Wesley  was  an 
enemy  to  all  the  lay-preachers,  and  no  friend  to  Methodism  itself: 
nor  were  persons  wanting,  who  whispered  these  things  into  the  ears 
of  Mr.  John  Wesley,  to  prejudice  his  mind  against  his  brother.  Mr. 
Charles  being  fully  aware  of  all  this,  and  wishing  to  avoid  a  low  and 
illiberal  opposition,  and  especially  occasions  of  frequent  difference 
with  his  brother,  thought  it  best  to  retire  from  a  situation  in  which  all 
his  words  and  actions  were  artfully  misconstrued  and  misrepresented, 
and  from  having  any  share  in  the  government  of  the  societies,  which 
he  saw,  or  thought  he  saw,  was  approaching  towards  a  system  of 
human  policy,  that  in  the  end  could  not  be  carried  on  without  some- 
times having  recourse  to  the  arts  of  misrepresentation  and  deception. 
These  he  abhorred  in  all  persons,  but  when  practised  under  the  mask 
of  religion,  they  always  appeared  to  him  more  detestable. 

He  still  continued,  however,  firmly  attached  to  the  Methodists,  and 
labored  by  every  means  which  his  situation  would  permit,  to  avert 
the  evils  he  feared,  and  to  promote  the  good  of  the  societies.  He 
never  lost  sight  of  any  attempts  to  detach  the  people  from  their 
former  connexions,  and  unite  them  into  an  independent  body,  and 
uniformly  opposed  them  with  all  the  influence  he  had.    In  1758,  he 


29 


226 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


published  his  testimony  on  this  subject  in  the  following  words : 
think  myself  bound  in  duty,  to  add  my  testimony  to  my  brother^s- 
His  twelve  reasons  against  our  ever  separating  from  the  Church  of 
England,  are  mine  also.  I  subscribe  to  them  with  all  my  heart. 
Only  with  regard  to  the  first,  I  am  quite  clear,  that  it  is  neither  expe- 
dient nor  LAWFUL  for  me  to  separate.  And  I  never  had  the  least  in- 
clination or  temptation  so  to  do.  My  affection  for  the  church  is  as 
strong  as  ever :  and  I  clearly  see  my  calling  ;  which  is  to  live  and 
to  die  in  her  communion.  This  therefore  I  am  determined  to  do,  the 
Lord  being  my  helper." 

In  1786,  after  Mr.  John  Wesley  had  been  prevailed  upon  to  ordain 
some  of  the  preachers,  he  republished  the  same  testimony,  and  in  other 
ways  showed  the  most  marked  disapprobation  of  his  brother's  con- 
duct. Yet  he  still  continued  to  preach  in  the  societies  as  usual,  and 
to  correspond  with  his  brother ;  not  only  on  matters  relating  to  the 
new  ordination  among  the  Methodists,  but  on  other  subjects.  In  a 
letter  to  his  brother,  dated  April  9,  1787,  he  observes,  "  I  served  West 
Street  Chapel  on  Friday  and  yesterday.  Next  Saturday  I  propose  to 
sleep  in  your  bed.    S.  B.  and  I  shall  not  disagree. 

Stand  to  your  own  proposal :  '  Let  us  agree  to  differ.'  I  leave 
America  and  Scotland  to  your  latest  thoughts  and  recognitions  :  only 
observing  now  that  you  are  exactly  right :  '  He  did  nothing  before  he 
asked  me.'  True,  he  asked  your  leave  to  ordain  two  more  preachers, 
before  he  ordained  them :  but  while  your  answer  was  coming  to  pro- 
hibit him,  he  took  care  to  ordain  them  both.  Therefore,  his  asking 
you  was  a  mere  compliment.  This  I  should  not  mention,  but  out  of 
concern  for  your  authority.  Keep  it  while  you  live ;  and,  after  your 
death,  detur  digniori — or  rather,  dignioribits.^ — You  cannot  settle  the 
succession :  you  cannot  divine  how  God  will  settle  it.  Have  the 
people  of  given  you  leave  to  die  E.  A.  P.  J.  7"f 

In  this  letter,  speaking  of  genius,  he  observes,  "I  never  knew  a 
genius  that  came  to  good.  What  can  be  the  reason  ?  Are  they  as 
premature  in  evil  as  in  good ;  or  do  their  superior  talents  overset  them  ? 
Must  every  man  of  a  superior  understanding  lean  to,  and  trust  and 
pride  himself  in  it? — I  never  envied  a  man  of  great  parts:  I  never 
wished  a  friend  of  mine  possessed  of  them. 

"Poor  J.  H. !  What  has  genius  done  for  him?  ruined  his  fortune, 
and  ruined  his  body.  Last  night  I  heard  he  was  dying  of  a  putrid 
fever.  We  prayed  for  him  at  the  table  :  but  I  know  not  whether  he 
is  alive  or  dead.    His  sickness  was  sent  to  prepare  him  either  for 

*  Let  it  be  given  to  one  more  worthy ;  or  rather,  in  the  plural,  to  those  who  are  more 
worthy  of  it.  He  speaks  ironically  of  these  worthies,  who  aimed  at  the  supreme  power 
in  the  societies,  over  the  head  of  his  brother. 

f  EcclesicB  Anglicancs  Presbyter  Johannes.  John,  Presbyter  of  the  Church  of  England. 
This  signature,  I  believe,  Mr.  John  Wesley  sometimes  used  in  the  early  part  of  life,  when 
writing  to  his  brother. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


227 


Paradise,  or  for  orders.  Such  a  messenger  may  perhaps  take  Samuel 
or  Charles,  from  the  evil.  I  never  sought  great  things  for  them;  or 
greater  for  myself,  than  that  I  may  escape  to  land — on  a  hrokcn 
piece  of  the  ship.  It  is  my  daily  and  hourly  prayer,  that  I  may  es- 
cape safe  to  land — and  that  an  entrance  may  be  ministered  to  you 
abundantly,  into  the  everlasting  kingdom  of  Jesus  Christ." 

Mr.  Charles  Wesley  had  a  weak  body,  and  a  poor  state  of  health, 
during  the  greatest  part  of  his  life.  I  believe  he  laid  the  foundation 
of  both,  at  Oxford,  by  too  close  application  to  study,  and  abstinence 
from  food.  He  rode  much  on  horseback,  which  probably  contribu- 
ted to  lengthen  out  life  to  a  good  old  age.  I  visited  him  several  times 
in  his  last  sickness,  and  his  body  was  indeed  reduced  to  the  most 
extreme  state  of  weakness.  He  possessed  that  state  of  mind  which 
he  had  been  always  pleased  to  see  in  others — unaffected  humility, 
and  holy  resignation  to  the  will  of  God.  He  had  no  transports  of 
joy,  but  solid  hope  and  unshaken  confidence  in  Christ,  which  kept 
his  mind  in  perfect  peace.  A  few  days  before  his  death  he  composed 
the  following  lines.  Having  been  silent  and  quiet  for  some  time,  he 
called  Mrs.  Wesley  to  him,  and  bid  her  write  as  he  dictated ; 

"  In  age  and  feebleness  extreme, 
Who  shall  a  sinful  worm  redeem  ? 
Jesus,  my  only  hope  thou  art, 
Strength  of  my  failing  flesh  and  heart ; 
0  !  could  I  catch  a  smile  from  thee, 
And  drop  into  eternity !  " 

He  died  March  29,  1788,  aged  seventy-nine  years  and  three  months; 
and  was  buried,  April  5,  in  Marybone  church-yard,  at  his  own  desire. 
The  pall  was  supported  by  eight  clergymen  of  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land. On  his  tomb-stone  are  the  following  lines,  written  by  himself 
on  the  death  of  one  of  his  friends :  they  could  not  be  more  aptly  ap- 
plied to  any  person,  than  to  Mr.  Charles  Wesley. 

"  With  poverty  of  spirit  bless'd, 
Rest,  happy  saint,  in  Jesus  rest ; 
A  sinner  sav'd,  through  grace  forgiv'n, 
Redeem'd  from  earth  to  reign  in  heav'n ! 
Thy  labors  of  unwearied  love, 
By  thee  forgot,  are  crown'd  above  ; 
Crown'd,  through  the  mercy  of  thy  Lord, 
With  a  free,  full,  Immense  reward  I  " 

Mr.  Wesley  was  of  a  warm  and  lively  disposition  ;  of  great  frank- 
ness and  integrity,  and  generous  and  steady  in  his  friendships.  His 
love  of  simplicity,  and  utter  abhorrence  of  hypocrisy,  and  even  of 
affectation  in  the  professors  of  religion,  made  him  sometimes  appear 
severe  on  those  who  assumed  a  consequence,  on  account  of  their  ex- 
perience, or,  were  pert  and  forward  in  talking  of  themselves  and 
others.    These  persons  were  sure  of  meeting  with  a  reproof  from  him, 


228  THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 

which  some,  perhaps,  might  call  precipitate  and  imprudent,  though 
it  was  evidently  founded  on  a  knowledge  of  the  human  heart.  In 
conversation  he  was  pleasing,  instructive,  and  cheerful ;  and  his  ob- 
servations were  often  seasoned  with  wit  and  humor.  His  religion 
was  genuine  and  unaffected.  As  a  minister,  he  was  familiarly  ac- 
quainted with  every  part  of  divinity ;  and  his  mind  was  furnished 
with  an  uncommon  knowledge  of  the  Scriptures.  His  discourses 
from  the  pulpit  were  not  dry  and  systematic,  but  flowed  from  the 
present  views  and  feelings  of  his  own  mind.  He  had  a  remarkable 
talent  of  expressing  the  most  important  truths  with  simplicity  and 
energy ;  and  his  discourses  were  sometimes  truly  apostolic,  forcing 
conviction  on  the  hearers  in  spite  of  the  most  determined  opposition. 
As  a  husband,  a  father,  and  a  friend,  his  character  was  amiable.  Mrs. 
Wesley  brought  him  five  children,  of  whom  two  sons  and  a  daughter 
are  still  living.  The  sons  discovered  a  taste  for  music,  and  a  fine 
musical  ear,  at  an  early  period  of  infancy,  which  excited  general 
amazement ;  and  are  now  justly  admired  by  the  best  judges  for  their 
talents  in  that  pleasing  art. 

From  a  review  of  the  life  of  Mr.  Charles  Wesley,  as  delineated  in 
the  preceding  sheets,  it  will  appear  evident,  that  the  Methodists  are 
greatly  indebted  to  him  for  his  unwearied  labors  and  great  usefulness 
at  the  first  formation  of  the  societies,  when  every  step  was  attended 
with  difficulty  and  danger.*  And  being  dead  he  yet  speaketh,  by 
his  numerous  and  excellent  hymns,  written  for  the  use  of  the  socie- 
ties, which  still  continue  to  be  the  means  of  daily  edification  and 
comfort  to  thousands.  It  has  been  proposed  to  publish  a  volume  of 
sermons,  selected  from  his  manuscripts,  for  the  benefit  of  his  widow  : 
if  this  should  be  done,  it  is  hoped  the  Methodists  will  show  their 
gratitude  to  his  memory,  and  that  they  are  not  unworthy  of  the  bene- 
fits they  have  received  from  him. 

His  lively  turn  of  thought  did  not  leave  him  in  his  old  age,  as  the 
following  lines  will  testify. 

THE   MAN  OF  FASHION. 
Written  in  1784. 

What  is  a  modem  man  of  fashion  ? 
A  man  of  taste  and  dissipation  : 
A  busy  man,  \\'ithout  employment, 
A  happy  man,  without  enjoyment. 
"Who  squanders  all  his  time  and  treasures, 
On  empty  joys,  and  tasteiess  pleasures  j 
Visits,  attendance,  and  attention, 
And  courtly  arts,  too  low  to  mention. 

In  sleep,  and  dress,  and  sport  and  play, 
He  throws  his  worthless  life  away  ; 

•  The  labors  of  the  Methodist  preachers  at  present,  are  mere  amusement,  compared 
with  his  fatigues  and  dangers. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHAKLE8  WESLEY. 


22^ 


Has  no  opinion  of  his  own, 
But  takes  from  leading  beaux  the  ton  ; 
With  a  disdainful  smile  or  frown, 
He  on  the  rif-raf  crowd  looks  down ; 
The  world  polite,  his  friends  and  he, 
And  all  the  rest  are  Nobody ! 

Taught  by  the  great  his  smiles  to  sell. 
And  how  to  write,  and  how  to  spell ; 
The  great  his  oracles  he  makes, 
Copies  their  vices  and  mistakes ; 
Custom  pursues,  his  only  rule, 
And  lives  an  ape,  and  dies  a  fool ! 

Had  Mr.  Charles  Wesley  engaged  in  the  higher  walks  of  verse, 
there  is  no  doubt  but  he  would  have  been  esteemed  a  considerable 
poet,  even  by  those  who  now  despise  his  hymns.  He  chose  the  most 
excellent  way — the  writing  of  hymns  for  the  instruction  and  edifica- 
tion of  the  many,  rather  than  devote  all  his  life  in  attempts  to  please 
the  fancy  of  the  few.  Some  of  his  hymns  are  certainly  among  the 
best  pieces  in  that  species  of  composition.  The  following  hymn  has, 
through  mistake,  been  attributed  to  his  brother. 

Written  after  a  Riot. 

"  Ye  simple  souls  that  stray 
Far  from  the  path  of  peace, 
(That  unfrequented  way 
To  life  and  happiness  ;) 
How  long  will  ye  your  folly  love, 
And  throng  the  downward  road, 
And  hate  the  wisdom  from  above, 
And  mock  the  sons  of  God  ? 

Madness  and  misery 

Ye  count  our  life  beneath  j 
And  nothing  great  can  see. 
Or  glorious  in  our  death : 
As  born  to  suffer  and  to  grieve. 

Beneath  your  feet  we  lie, 
And  utterly  contemn'd  we  live, 
And  unlamented  die. 

Poor  pensive  sojourners, 

O'erwhelm'd  with  griefs  and  woes, 
Perplex'd  with  needless  fears, 
And  pleasure's  mortal  foes ; 
More  irksome  than  a  gaping  tomb 

Our  sight  ye  cannot  bear. 
Wrapt  in  the  melancholy  gloom 
Of  fanciful  despair. 

So  wretched  and  obscure, 

The  men  whom  you  despise, 
So  foolish,  weak,  and  poor, 
Above  your  scorn  we  rise : 
Our  conscience  in  the  Holy  Ghost, 
Can  witness  better  things ; 

20 


230 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  CHARLES  WESLEY. 


For  he  whose  blood  is  all  our  boast, 
Hath  made  us  priests  and  kings. 

Riches  unsearchable 

In  Jesus'  love  we  know, 
And  pleasures  from  the  well 
Of  life,  our  souls  o'erflow ; 
From  him  the  spirit  we  receive, 

Of  wisdom,  grace,  and  power  ; 
And  alway  sorrowful  we  live. 
Rejoicing  evermore. 

Angels  our  servants  are. 

And  keep  in  all  our  ways, 
And  in  their  hands  they  bear 
The  sacred  sons  of  grace  : 
Our  guardians  to  that  heavenly  bliss, 

They  all  our  steps  attend. 
And  God  himself  our  Father  is, 
And  Jesus  is  our  Friend. 

"With  him  we  walk  in  white. 

We  in  his  image  shine, 
Our  robes  are  robes  of  light, 
Our  righteousness  divine ; 
On  all  the  grov'ling  kings  of  earth 

With  pity  we  look  down, 
And  claim,  in  virtue  of  our  birth, 
A  never-fading  crown." 

Mr.  Charles  Wesley  wrote  short  hymns  on  the  most  important  pas- 
sages in  the  Old  and  New  Testament.  In  these  he  has  expressed  his 
opinion,  on  the  leading  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  with  energy  and  beauty. 

"  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  a  grain  of  mustard-seed.''    Matt.  xiii.  31. 

A  grain  of  grace  may  we  not  see 
This  moment,  and  the  next  a  tree  ? 
Or  must  we  patiently  attend, 
To  find  the  precious  seed  ascend  ? 
Our  Lord  declares  it  must  be  so  j 
And  striking  deep  our  root,  we  grow, 
And  lower  sink,  and  higher  rise, 
Till  Christ  transplant  us  to  the  skies." 

The  following  comment  on  a  much  disputed  passage  shows  his 
humanity  and  benevolence. 

"  To-7norro7V  shalt  thou  and  thy  sons  he  with  meV    1  Sam.  ixviii.  19. 

"  What  do  these  solemn  word?  portend  ? 
A  gleam  of  hope  when  life  shall  end  : 
'  Thou  and  thy  sons,  though  slain,  shall  be 
To-morrow  in  repose  with  me  ! ' 
Not  in  a  state  of  hellish  pain. 
If  Saul  with  Samuel  doth  remain, 
Not  in  a  state  of  damn'd  despair, 
If  loving  Jonathan  be  there." 


THE 


LIEE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


BOOK  SECOND. 


CHAPTER  1. 

GIVING   SOME  ACCOUNT   OF  MR.  JOHN   WESLEY,  FROM   HIS   BIRTH  TO  THE 

YEAR  1729. 

When  we  view  Mr.  Wesley  rising  into  public  notice,  from  the 
bosom  of  a  family  which  had  long  been  venerable  for  christian  knowl- 
edge and  piety,  the  mind  feels  a  degree  of  prepossession  in  his  favor, 
and  our  expectation  is  raised  of  something  great  and  good  from  him. 
As  we  proceed  to  examine  his  education,  and  the  principles  instilled 
into  his  mind,  at  an  early  period  of  life,  we  shall  see  a  solid  founda- 
tion laid  of  sound  knowledge  and  genuine  piety.  But  that  every  one 
may  judge  for  himself  in  this  matter,  I  shall  endeavor  to  trace,  step 
by  step,  the  circumstances  of  his  early  life,  during  the  period  men- 
tioned in  this  chapter. 

He  was  the  second  son  of  Samuel  and  Susannah  Wesley,  and  bom 
at  Epworth  in  Lincolnshire,  on  the  17th  of  June,  1703,  O.  S.  There 
has  indeed  been  some  variation  in  the  accounts  given  of  his  age  by 
different  persons  of  the  family ;  but  the  certificate  of  it,  sent  him  by 
his  father  a  little  before  he  was  ordained  priest,  to  satisfy  the  bishop 
of  his  age,  puts  the  matter  beyond  a  doubt.  The  original  lies  before 
me,  and  the  following  is  a  faithful  copy. 

"  Epworth,  August  23,  1728. 
"  John  Wesley,  M.  A.  Fellow  of  Lincoln  College,  was  twenty-five 
years  old  the  17th  of  June  last,  having  been  baptized  a  few  hours 
after  his  birth,  by  me, 

"  Samuel  Wesley,  Rector  of  Epworth." 

When  he  was  nearly  six  years  old,  a  calamity  happened  which 
threatened  the  whole  family  with  destruction,  and  him  in  particular  ; 
his  parents  for  a  short  time  believing,  that  he  was  actually  consuming 
in  the  flames  of  their  house.    But  his  mother's  letter  to  the  Rev.  Mr. 


232 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


Hoole,  will  be  the  best  account  of  this  matter.  It  is  dated  August 
24,  1709,  and  is  as  follows. 

Rev.  Sir, — My  master  is  much  concerned  that  he  was  so  unhap- 
py as  to  miss  of  seeing  you  at  Epworth ;  and  he  is  not  a  little 
troubled  that  the  great  hurry  of  business  about  building  his  house 
will  not  afford  him  leisure  to  write.  He  has  therefore  ordered  me  to 
satisfy  your  desire  as  well  as  I  can,  which  I  shall  do  by  a  simple 
relation  of  matters  of  fact,  though  I  cannot  at  this  distance  of  time 
recollect  every  calamitous  circumstance  that  attended  our  strange 
reverse  of  fortune.  On  Wednesday  night,  February  the  Qth,  between 
the  hours  of  eleven  and  twelve,  our  house  took  fire,  by  what  accident 
God  only  knows.  It  was  discovered  by  some  sparks  falling  from  the 
roof  upon  a  bed  where  one  of  the  children  (Hetty)  lay,  and  burnt  her 
feet.  She  immediately  ran  to  our  chamber  and  called  us ;  but  I  be- 
lieve no  one  heard  her,  for  Mr.  Wesley  was  alarmed  by  a  cry  of  fire  in 
the  street,  upon  which  he  rose,  little  imagining  that  his  own  house  was 
on  fire ;  but  on  opening  his  door,  he  found  it  Avas  full  of  smoke,  and 
that  the  roof  was  already  burnt  through.  He  immediately  came  to 
my  room  (as  I  was  very  ill  he  lay  in  a  separate  room  from  me)  and 
bid  me  and  my  two  eldest  daughters  rise  quickly  and  shift  for  our 
lives,  the  house  being  all  on  fire.  Then  he  ran  and  burst  open  the  nur- 
sery door,  and  called  to  the  maid  to  bring  out  the  children.  The  two 
little  ones  lay  in  the  bed  with  her ;  the  three  others  in  another  bed. 
She  snatched  up  the  youngest,  and  bid  the  rest  follow,  which  they  did, 
except  Jackey.  When  we  were  got  into  the  hall,  and  saw  ourselves 
surrounded  with  flames,  and  that  the  roof  was  on  the  point  of  falling, 
we  considered  ourselves  inevitably  lost,  as  Mr.  Wesley  in  his  fright  had 
forgot  the  keys  of  the  doors  above  stairs.  But  he  ventured  up  stairs 
once  more,  and  recovered  them,  a  minute  before  the  stair-case  took 
fire.  When  we  opened  the  street  door,  the  strong  north-east  wind 
drove  the  flames  in  with  such  violence,  that  none  could  stand  against 
them :  Mr.  Wesley,  only,  had  such  presence  of  mind  as  to  think  of  the 
garden-door,  out  of  which  he  helped  some  of  the  children ;  the  rest 
got  through  the  windows.  I  was  not  in  a  condition  to  climb  up  to 
the  windows  :  nor  could  I  get  to  the  garden  door.  I  endeavored  three 
times  to  force  my  passage  through  the  street  door,  but  was  as  often  beat 
back  by  the  fury  of  the  flames.  In  this  distress  I  besought  our  blessed 
Saviour  to  preserve  me,  if  it  were  his  will,  from  that  death,  and  then 
waded  through  the  fire,  naked  as  I  was,  which  did  me  no  farther 
harm  than  a  little  scorching  my  hands  and  face. 

"  While  Mr.  Wesley  was  carrying  the  children  into  the  garden,  he 
heard  the  child  in  the  nursery  cry  out  miserably  for  help,  which  ex- 
tremely afiected  him ;  but  his  affliction  was  much  increased,  when  he 
had  several  times  attempted  the  stairs  then  on  fire,  and  found  they 
would  not  bear  his  weight.    Finding  it  was  impossible  to  get  near 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


233 


him,  he  gave  him  up  for  lost,  and  kneeling  down,  he  commended  his 
soul  to  God,  and  left  him,  as  he  thought,  perishing  in  the  flames. 
But  the  boy  seeing  none  come  to  his  help,  and  being  frightened,  the 
chamber  and  bed  being  on  fire,  he  climbed  up  to  the  casement,  where 
he  was  soon  perceived  by  the  men  in  the  yard,  who  immediately  got 
up  and  pulled  him  out,  just  in  the  article  of  time  that  the  roof  fell  in, 
and  beat  the  chamber  to  the  ground.  Thus,  by  the  infinite  mercy  of 
Almighty  God,  our  lives  were  all  preserved  by  little  less  than  a 
miracle,  for  there  passed  but  a  few  minutes  between  the  first  alarm 
of  fire,  and  the  falling  of  the  house." 

Mr.  John  Wesley's  account  of  what  happened  to  himself,  varies  a 
little  from  this  relation  given  by  his  mother.  "  I  believe,"  says  he, 
"  it  was  just  at  that  time  (when  they  thought  they  heard  him  cry)  I 
waked  :  for  I  did  not  cry,  as  they  imagined,  unless  it  was  afterwards. 
I  remember  all  the  circumstances  as  distinctly  as  though  it  were  but 
yesterday.  Seeing  the  room  was  very  light,  I  called  to  the  maid  to 
take  me  up.  But  none  answering,  I  put  my  head  out  of  the  curtains, 
and  saw  streaks  of  fire  on  the  top  of  the  room.  I  got  up  and  ran  to 
the  door,  but  could  get  no  further,  all  the  floor  beyond  it  being  in  a 
blaze.  I  then  climbed  upon  a  chest  which  stood  near  the  window  : 
one  in  the  yard  saw  me,  and  proposed  running  to  fetch  a  ladder. 
Another  answered,  '  there  will  not  be  time :  but  I  have  thought  of 
another  expedient.  Here  I  will  fix  myself  against  the  wall :  lift  a 
light  man,  and  set  him  on  my  shoulders.'  They  did  so,  and  he  took 
me  out  of  the  window.  Just  then  the  roof  fell ;  but  it  fell  inward,  or 
we  had  all  been  crushed  at  once.  When  they  brought  me  into  the 
house  where  my  father  was,  he  cried  out,  '  Come,  neighbors !  let  us 
kneel  down  !  let  us  give  thanks  to  God  !  He  has  given  me  all  my 
eight  children  :  let  the  house  go,  I  am  rich  enough ! '  " 

"  The  next  day,  as  he  was  walking  in  the  garden,  and  surveying 
the  ruins  of  the  house,  he  picked  up  part  of  a  leaf  of  his  Polyglot 
Bible,  on  which  just  those  words  were  legible.  '  Vade  ;  vende  omnia 
qucB  habes,  et  attolle  crucem^  et  sequere  me.  Go ;  sell  all  that  thou 
hast;  and  take  up  thy  cross  and  follow  me.' 

The  peculiar  danger  and  wonderful  escape  of  this  child,  excited  a 
good  deal  of  attention  and  inquiry  at  the  time,  especially  among  the 
friends  and  relations  of  the  family.  His  brother  Samuel,  being  then 
at  Westminster,  writes  to  his  mother  on  this  occasion  in  the  following 
words,  complaining  that  they  did  not  inform  him  of  the  particulars. 

I  have  not  heard  a  word  from  the  country,  since  the  first  letter  you 
sent  me  after  the  fire.  I  am  quite  ashamed  to  go  to  any  of  my  re- 
lations. They  ask  me  whether  my  father  means  to  leave  Epworth? 
whether  he  is  building  his  house  7  whether  he  has  lost  all  his  books 
and  papers  7  if  nothing  was  saved  ?  what  was  the  lost  child,  a  boy 
or  a  girl  7  what  was  its  name  7  &c.  To  all  which  I  am  forced 
*  See  Arminian  Magazine,  vol.  i.  page  32. 

20*  30 


234 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


to  answer,  I  cannot  tell ;  I  do  not  know ;  I  have  not  heard — I  have 
asked  my  father  some  of  these  questions,  but  am  still  an  ignoramus." 

All  the  children  received  the  first  rudiments  of  learning  from  their 
mother,  who,  as  we  have  seen,  was  admirably  qualified  for  this  ofiice 
in  her  own  family.  I  can  find  no  evidence  that  the  boys  were  ever 
put  to  any  school  in  the  country,  their  mother  having  a  very  bad  opin- 
ion of  the  common  methods  of  instructing  and  governing  children. 
But  she  was  not  only  attentive  to  their  progress  in  learning,  she  like- 
wise endeavored  to  give  them,  as  early  as  possible,  just  and  useful 
notions  of  religion.  Her  mind  seems  to  have  been  led  to  a  more  than 
ordinary  attention  to  Mr.  Wesley  in  this  respect.  In  one  of  her  pri- 
vate meditations,  when  he  was  near  eight  years  old,  she  mentions 
him,  in  a  manner  that  shows  how  much  her  heart  was  engaged  in 
forming  his  mind  for  religion.  I  shall  transcribe  the  whole  medita- 
tion for  the  benefit  of  the  reader. 

^'Evening,  May  17,  1711.    Son  John. 

''What  shall  I  render  to  the  Lord  for  all  his  mercies?  The  little 
unworthy  praise  that  I  can  offer,  is  so  mean  and  contemptible  an 
offering,  that  I  am  even  ashamed  to  tender  it.  But,  Lord,  accept  it 
for  the  sake  of  Christ,  and  pardon  the  deficiency  of  the  sacrifice. 

"I  would  offer  thee  myself,  and  all  that  thou  hast  given  me;  and 
I  would  resolve,  O  give  me  grace  to  do  it,  that  the  residue  of  my  life 
shall  be  all  devoted  to  thy  service.  And  I  do  intend  to  be  more 
particularly  careful  of  the  soul  of  this  child,  that  thou  hast  so  merci- 
fully provided  for,  than  ever  I  have  been ;  that  I  may  do  my  endeavor 
to  instil  into  his  mind  the  principles  of  thy  true  religion,  and  virtue. 
Lord  give  me  grace  to  do  it  sincerely  and  prudently,  and  bless  my 
attempts  with  good  success." 

Her  good  endeavors  were  not  without  the  desired  effect;  for  I 
believe  it  was  about  this  time,  being  eight  years  old,  that  he  began  to 
receive  the  sacrament. 

In  the  month  of  April,  1712,  he  had  the  smallpox,  together  with 
four  others  of  the  children.  His  father  was  then  in  London,  to  whom 
his  mother  writes  thus:  Jack  has  bore  his  disease  bravely,  like  a 
man,  and  indeed  like  a  Christian,  without  any  complaint;  though  he 
seemed  angry  at  the  smallpox  when  they  were  sore,  as  we  guessed  by 
his  looking  sourly  at  them,  for  he  never  said  any  thing."  In  1714, 
he  was  placed  at  the  Charter-house,  and  became  distinguished  for  his 
diligence  and  progress  in  learning;  so  that,  in  1719,  when  his  father 
was  hesitating  in  what  situation  he  should  place  Charles,  his  brother 
Samuel  writes  thus  of  him :  "My  brother  Jack,  I  can  faithfully 
assure  you,  gives  you  no  manner  of  discouragement  from  breeding 
your  third  son  a  scholar. "  Two  or  three  months  afterwards  he 
mentions  him  again,  in  a  letter  to  his  father  :  "  Jack  is  with  me,  and  a 
brave  boy,  learning  Hebrew  as  fast  as  he  can." 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


He  was  now  sixteen,  and  the  next  year  was  elected  to  Christ 
Church,  Oxford.  Here  he  pursued  his  studies  with  great  advantage, 
I  beUeve  under  the  direction  of  Dr.  Wigan,  a  gentleman  eminent  for 
his  classical  knowledge.  Mr.  Wesley's  natural  temper  in  his  youth 
was  gay  and  sprightly,  with  a  turn  for  wit  and  humor.  When  he 
was  about  twenty-one  years  of  age,  "  he  appeared,  as  Mr.  Badcock  has 
observed,  the  very  sensible  and  acute  collegian — a  young  fellow  of 
the  finest  classical  taste,  of  the  most  liberal  and  manly  sentiments."=^^ 
His  perfect  knowledge  of  the  classics  gave  a  smooth  polish  to  his  wit, 
and  an  air  of  superior  elegance  to  all  his  compositions.  He  had 
already  begun  to  amuse  himself  occasionally  with  writing  verses, 
though  most  of  his  poetical  pieces  at  this  period,  were,  I  believe,  either 
imitations  or  translations  of  the  Latin.  Some  time  in  this  year,  how- 
ever, he  wrote  an  imitation  of  the  65th  Psalm,  which  he  sent  to  his 
father,  who  says,  "I  like  your  verses  on  the  65th  Psalm,  and  would 
not  have  you  bury  your  talent." 

In  the  summer  of  this  year,  his  brother,  Mr.  Samuel  Wesley,  broke 
his  leg,  and  when  he  was  recovering,  wrote  to  Mr.  John  Wesley  at 
Oxford,  informing  him  of  his  misfortune,  and  requesting  some  verses 
from  him.  Mr.  Wesley's  answer  is  dated  the  17th  of  June,  when  he 
was  just  twenty-one  years  of  age.  The  letter  shows  his  lively  and 
pleasant  manner  of  writing  when  young;  and  the  verses  afford  a 
specimen  of  his  poetical  abilities  to  give  a  beautiful  and  elegant  dress, 
to  verses  intended  as  ridicule. 

"I  believe,"  says  he,  "I  need  not  use  many  arguments  to  show  I  am 
sorry  for  your  misfortune,  though  at  the  same  time  I  am  glad,  you  are 
in  a  fair  way  of  recovery.  If  I  had  heard  of  it  from  any  one  else,  I 
might  probably  have  pleased  you  with  some  impertinent  consolations; 
but  the  way  of  your  relating  it  is  a  sufficient  proof,  that  they  are 
what  you  don't  stand  in  need  of.  And  indeed,  if  I  understand  you 
rightly,  you  have  more  reason  to  thank  God  that  you  did  not  break 
both,  than  to  repine  because  you  have  broke  one  leg.  You  have  un- 
doubtedly heard  the  story  of  the  Dutch  seaman,  who  having  broke 
one  of  his  legs  by  a  fall  from  the  main-mast,  instead  of  condoling 
himself,  thanked  God  that  he  had  not  broke  his  neck.  I  scarce  know 
whether  your  first  news  vexed  me,  or  your  last  news  pleased  me 
more  :  but  I  can  assure  you,  that  though  I  did  not  cry  for  grief  at  the 
former,  I  did  for  joy  at  the  latter  part  of  your  letter.  The  two  things 
which  I  most  wished  for  of  almost  any  thing  in  the  world,  were  to 
see  my  mother,  and  Westminster  once  again,  and  to  see  them  both 
together  was  so  far  above  my  expectations,  that  I  almost  looked  upon 
it  as  next  to  an  impossibility.  I  have  been  so  very  frequently  disap- 
pointed when  I  had  set  my  heart  on  any  pleasure,  that  I  will  never 
again  depend  on  any  before  it  comes.  However,  I  shall  be  obliged  to 


*"Westminster  Magazine. 


236 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


you  if  you  will  tell  me,  as  near  as  you  can,  how  soon  my  uncle  is 
expected  in  England, =^  and  my  mother  in  London." 

''Since  you  have  a  mind  to  see  some  of  my  verses,  I  have  sent  you 
some,  which  employed  me  above  an  hour  yesterday  in  the  afternoon. 
There  is  one,  and  I  am  afraid  but  one  good  thing  in  them,  that  is, 
they  are  short. 

From  the  Latin. 

"  As  o'er  fair  Cloe's  rosy  cheek, 
Careless  a  little  vagrant  pass'd, 
With  artful  hand  around  his  neck 
A  slender  chain  the  virgin  cast. 

As  Juno  near  her  throne  above, 

Her  spangled  bird  delights  to  see  ; 
As  Venus  has  her  fav'rite  dove, 

Cloe  shall  have  her  fav'rite  flea. 

Pleas'd  at  his  chains,  with  nimble  steps 

He  o'er  her  snowy  bosom  stray'd  : 
Now  on  her  panting  breast  he  leaps, 

Now  hides  between  his  little  head. 

Leaving  at  length  his  old  abode. 

He  found,  by  thirst  or  fortune  led. 
Her  swelling  lips  that  brighter  glow'd 

Than  roses  in  their  native  bed. 

Cloe,  your  artful  bands  undo. 

Nor  for  your  captive's  safety  fear  ; 
No  artful  bands  are  needful  now 

To  keep  the  willing  vagrant  here. 

Whil'st  on  that  heav'n 't  is  giv'n  to  stay, 
(Who  would  not  wish  to  be  so  blest,) 

No  force  can  draw  him  once  away. 
Till  death  shall  seize  his  desin'd  breast." 

Towards  the  close  of  this  year,  Mr.  Wesley  began  to  think  of  en- 
tering into  deacon's  orders ;  and  this  led  him  to  reflect  on  the  impor- 
tance of  the  ministerial  office,  the  motives  of  entering  into  it,  and  the 
necessary  qualifications  for  it.  On  exaniinnig  the  step  he  intended  to 
take,  through  all  its  consequences  to  himself  and  others,  it  appeared  of 
the  greatest  magnitude,  and  made  so  deep  an  impression  on  his  mind, 
that  he  became  more  serious  than  usual,  and  applied  himself  with 
more  attention  to  subjects  of  divinity.  Some  doubts  arising  in  his 
mind  on  the  motives  which  ought  to  influence  a  man  in  taking  holy 
orders,  he  proposed  them  to  his  father,  with  a  frankness  that  does 
great  credit  to  the  integrity  of  his  heart.    His  father's  answer  is  dated 

*  The  uncle  here  mentioned  was  his  mother's  only  brother.  He  was  in  the  service  of 
the  East-India  Company,  and  the  public  prints  having  stated  that  he  was  returning  home 
in  one  of  the  Company's  ships,  Mrs.  Wesley  came  to  London  when  the  ship  arrived,  to 
meet  him.   But  the  information  was  false,  and  she  disappointed.   Private  Papers. 


THE  LtFE  OP  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


237 


the  26th  of  January,  1725.  "As  to  what  you  mention  of  entering 
into  holy  orders,  it  is  indeed  a  great  work,  and  I  am  pleased  to  find 
you  think  it  so.  As  to  the  motives  you  take  notice  of,  my  thoughts 
are ;  if  it  is  no  harm  to  desire  getting  into  that  office,  even  as  Eli's 
sons,  to  eat  a 'piece  of  bread;  yet  certainly  a  desire  and  intention  to 
lead  a  stricter  life,  and  a  belief  that  one  should  do  so,  is  a  better  reason; 
though  this  should,  by  all  means,  be  begun  before,  or  ten  to  one  it  will 
deceive  us  afterwards.  But  if  a  man  be  unwilling  and  undesirous  to 
enter  into  orders,  it  is  easy  to  guess  whether  he  can  say  so  much  as, 
with  common  honesty,  that  he  trusts  he  is  '  moved  to  it  by  the  Holy 
Ghost.'  But  the  principal  spring  and  motive,  to  which  all  the  former 
should  be  only  secondary,  must  certainly  be  the  glory  of  God,  and 
the  service  of  his  Church  in  the  edification  of  our  neighbor.  And 
woe  to  him  who,  with  any  meaner  leading  view,  attempts  so  sacred 
a  work."  He  then  mentions  the  qualifications  necessary  for  holy 
orders,  and  answers  a  question  which  his  son  asked.  "  You  ask  me 
which  is  the  best  commentary  on  the  Bible?  I  answer,  the  Bible 
itself  For  the  several  paraphrases  and  translations  of  it  in  the 
Polyglot,  compared  with  the  original,  and  with  one  another,  are,  in 
my  opinion,  to  an  honest,  devout,  industrious,  and  humble  man,  in- 
finitely preferable  to  any  comment  I  ever  saw.  But  Grotius  is  the 
best,  for  the  most  part,  especially  on  the  Old  Testament."  He  then 
hints  to  his  son,  that  he  thought  it  too  soon  for  him  to  take  orders ; 
and  encourages  him  to  work  and  write  while  he> could.  "You  see,'* 
says  he,  "  time  has  shaken  me  by  the  hand  ;  and  death  is  but  a  little 
behind  him.  My  eyes  and  heart  are  now  almost  all  I  have  left ;  and 
1  bless  God  for  them." 

His  mother  wrote  to  him  in  February  on  the  same  subject,  and 
seemed  desirous  that  he  should  enter  into  orders  as  soon  as  possible. 
"  I  think,"  says  she,  "  the  sooner  you  are  a  deacon  the  better,  because  it 
may  be  an  inducement  to  greater  application  in  the  study  of  practical 
divinity,  which  of  all  other  studies  I  humbly  conceive  to  be  the  best 
for  candidates  for  orders."  His  mother  was  remarkable  for  taking 
every  opportunity  to  impress  a  serious  sense  of  religion  on  the  minds 
of  her  children ;  and  she  was  too  watchful  to  let  the  present  occasion 
slip  without  improvement.  "  The  alteration  of  your  temper,"  says 
she,  in  the  same  letter,  "  has  occasioned  me  much  speculation.  I,  who 
am  apt  to  be  sanguine,  hope  it  may  proceed  from  the  operations  of 
God's  Holy  Spirit,  that,  by  taking  off  your  relish  for  earthly  enjoy- 
ments, he  may  prepare  and  dispose  your  mind  for  a  more  serious  and 
close  application  to  things  of  a  more  sublime  and  spiritual  nature.  If 
it  be  so,  happy  are  you  if  you  cherish  those  dispositions  ;  and  now, 
in  good  earnest,  resolve  to  make  religion  the  business  of  your  life ;  for, 
after  all,  that  is  the  one  thing  that,  strictly  speaking,  is  necessary : 
all  things  beside  are  comparatively  little  to  the  purposes  of  life.  I 


238 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


heartily  wish  you  would  now  enter  upon  a  strict  examination  of  your- 
self, that  you  may  know  whether  you  have  a  reasonable  hope  of 
salvation  by  Jesus  Christ.  If  you  have,  the  satisfaction  of  knowing 
it  will  abundantly  reward  your  pains :  if  you  have  not,  you  will  find 
a  more  reasonable  occasion  for  tears  than  can  be  met  with  in  a  tragedy. 
This  matter  deserves  great  consideration  by  all,  but  especially  by  those 
designed  for  the  ministry;  who  ought  above  all  things  to  make  their 
own  calling  and  election  sure,  lest  after  they  have  preached  to  others, 
they  themselves  should  be  cast  away." 

These  advices  and  exhortations  of  his  parents  had  a  proper  influence 
on  his  mind.  He  began  to  apply  himself  with  diligence  to  the  study 
of  divinity  in  his  leisure  hours,  and  became  more  desirous  of  entering 
into  orders.  He  wrote  twice  to  his  father  on  this  subject.  His  father 
answered  him  in  March,  and  informed  him  that  he  had  changed  his 
mind,  and  was  then  inclined  that  he  should  take  orders  that  summer : 
"  But  in  the  first  place,"  says  he,  "  if  you  love  yourself  or  me,  pray 
heartily." 

The  books  which,  in  the  course  of  his  reading  this  summer,  before 
his  ordination,  had  the  greatest  influence  both  on  his  judgment  and 
affections,  were  Thomas  a  Kempis  and  Bishop  Taylor's  Rules  of  Holy 
Living  and  Dying.  Not  that  he  implicitly  received  every  thing  they 
taught ;  but  they  roused  his  attention  to  the  spirit  and  tendency  of  the 
Christian  religion,  and  thoroughly  convinced  him  that  its  influence 
over  the  heart  and  life  is  much  more  extensive  than  he  had  before 
imagined.  "  He  began  to  see  that  true  religion  is  seated  in  the  heart, 
and  that  God's  law  extends  to  all  our  thoughts  as  well  as  words  and 
actions."  *  He  was  however,  very  angry  at  Kempis  for  being  too 
strict,  though  he  then  read  him  only  in  Dean  Stanhope's  translation.^ 
We  cannot  but  remark  here  a  singular  feature  in  Mr.  Wesley's  char- 
acter ;  that  contrary  to  the  disposition  of  most  young  men  of  twenty- 
two,  who  have  been  educated  in  the  habits  of  study,  he  was  diffident 
of  his  own  judgment  till  he  had  heard  the  opinion  of  others ;  and  this 
disposition  is  more  or  less  visible  through  the  whole  of  his  life.  On 
this  occasion  he  consulted  his  parents,  stated  his  objections  to  some 
things  in  Kempis,  and  asked  their  opinion.  His  letter  is  dated  May 
29.  "  I  was  lately  advised,"  says  he,  "  to  read  Thomas  a  Kempis  over, 
which  I  had  frequently  seen,  but  never  much  looked  into  before.  I 
think  he  must  have  been  a  person  of  great  piety  and  devotion ;  but 
it  is  my  misfortune  to  difl"er  from  him  in  some  of  his  main  points.  I 
cannot  think  that  when  God  sent  us  into  the  world,  he  had  irreversi- 
bly decreed  that  we  should  be  perpetually  miserable  in  it.  If  our 
taking  up  the  cross  imply  our  bidding  adieu  to  all  joy  and  satisfaction, 
how  is  it  reconcilable  with  what  Solomon  expressly  affirms  of  religion, 
*  That  her  ways  are  ways  of  pleasantness,  and  all  her  paths  are  peace '? 
Another  of  his  tenets  is,  that  all  mirth  or  pleasure  is  useless,  if  not 

♦Wesley's  "Works,  vol.  xxvi.  p.  274.  f  Ibid. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


239 


sinful — and  that  nothing  is  an  affliction  to  a  good  man ;  that  he  ought 
to  thank  God  even  for  sending  him  misery.  This,  in  my  opinion,  is 
contrary  to  God's  design  in  afflicting  us:  for  though  he  chasteneth 
those  whom  he  loveth,  yet  it  is  in  order  to  humble  them.  I  hope  when 
you  have  time,  you  will  give  me  your  thoughts  on  these  subjects,  and 
set  me  right  if  I  am  mistaken." 

His  mother's  letter  in  answer  to  this  is  dated  June  the  8th,  in 
which  she  makes  many  judicious  observations  on  the  points  he  had 
mentioned.  Among  other  things,  she  says,  ''I  take  Kempis  to  have 
been  an  honest  weak  man,  that  had  more  zeal  than  knowledge,  by 
his  condemning  all  mirth  or  pleasure,  as  sinful  or  useless,  in  opposi- 
tion to  so  many  direct  and  plain  texts  of  Scripture.  Would  you 
judge  of  the  lawfulness  or  unlawfulness  of  pleasure?  of  the  inno- 
cence or  malignity  of  actions?  take  this  rule: — Whatever  weakens 
your  reason,  impairs  the  tenderness  of  your  conscience,  obscures  your 
sense  of  God,  or  takes  off  the  relish  of  spiritual  things;  in  short, 
whatever  increases  the  strength  and  authority  of  your  body  over  your 
mind ;  that  thing  is  sin  to  you,  however  innocent  it  may  be  in  itself" 

His  father's  letter  is  dated  July  14.  "  As  for  Thomas  a  Kempis," 
says  he,  "all  the  world  are  apt  to  strain  either  on  one  side  or  the 
other  :  but,  for  all  that,  mortification  is  still  an  indispensable  christian 
duty.  The  world  is  a  Syren,  and  we  must  have  a  care  of  her :  and 
if  the  young  man  will  rejoice  in  his  youth,  yet  let  him  take  care  that 
his  joys  be  innocent;  and,  in  order  to  this,  remember,  that  for  all 
these  things  God  will  bring  him  into  judgment.  I  have  only  this  to 
add  of  my  friend  and  old  companion,  that,  making  some  grains  of 
allowance,  he  may  be  read  to  great  advantage ;  nay,  that  it  is  almost 
impossible  to  peruse  him  seriously  without  admiring,  and  I  think  in 
some  measure  imitating  his  heroic  strains  of  humility,  piety,  and 
devotion.  But  I  reckon  you  have,  before  this,  received  your  mother's 
letter,  who  has  leisure  to  bolt  the  matter  to  the  bran."  ^ 

Perceiving  the  good  effects  of  consulting  his  parents,  and  that  his 
mother  in  particular  took  a  pleasure  in  discussing  at  large  the  subjects 
he  proposed  to  her,  he  consulted  her  in  a  letter  dated  June  the  18th, 
on  some  things  he  had  met  with  in  Bishop  Taylor.  "  You  have  so 
well  satisfied  me,"  says  he,  "as  to  the  tenets  of  Thomas  a  Kempis, 
that  I  have  ventured  to  trouble  you  once  more  on  a  more  dubious 
subject.  I  have  heard  one  I  take  to  be  a  person  of  good  judgment 
say,  that  she  would  advise  no  one  very  young,  to  read  Dr.  Taylor  on 
Living  and  Dying.  She  added,  that  he  almost  put  her  out  of  her 
senses  when  she  was  fifteen  or  sixteen  years  old ;  because  he  seemed 
to  exclude  all  from  being  in  a  way  of  salvation  who  did  not  come  up 
to  his  rules,  some  of  which  are  altogether  impracticable.  A  fear  of 
being  tedious  will  make  me  confine  myself  to  one  or  two  instances, 

•  Extracts  of  both  these  letters  are  inserted  in  the  Armin.  Magaz.  vol.  i.  p.  30,  33 :  but 
the  original  of  his  father's,  and  a  copy  of  his  mother's,  are  before  me. 


240 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


in  which  I  am  doubtful ;  though  several  others  might  be  produced  of 
almost  equal  consequence."  He  then  states  several  particulars  which 
Bishop  Taylor  makes  necessary  parts  of  humility  and  repentance; 
one  of  which,  in  reference  to  humility,  is,  that,  "We  must  be  sure, 
in  some  sense  or  other,  to  think  ourselves  the  worst  in  every  company 
where  we  come."  And  in  treating  of  repentance  he  says,  "Whether 
God  has  forgiven  us  or  no,  we  know  not,  therefore  be  sorrowful  for 
ever  having  sinned." — "  I  take  the  more  notice  of  this  last  sentence," 
says  Mr.  Wesley,  "  because  it  seems  to  contradict  his  own  words  in 
the  next  section,  where  he  says,  that  by  the  Lord's  Supper  all  the 
members  are  united  to  one  another,  and  to  Christ  the  Head.  The 
Holy  Ghost  confers  on  us  the  graces  necessary  for,  and  our  souls 
receive  the  seeds  of,  an  immortal  nature.  Now  surely  these  graces 
are  not  of  so  little  force  as  that  we  cannot  perceive  whether  we  have 
them  or  not:  if  we  dwell  in  Christ  and  Christ  in  us,  which  he  will 
not  do  unless  we  are  regenerate,  certainly  we  must  be  sensible  of  it. 
If  we  can  never  have  any  certainty  of  our  being  in  a  state  of  sal- 
vation, good  reason  it  is,  that  every  moment  should  be  spent,  not  in 
joy,  but  in  fear  and  trembling ;  and  then  undoubtedly,  in  this  life, 
we  are  of  all  men  most  miserable.  God  deliver  us  from  such  a  fear- 
ful expectation  as  this.  Humility  is  undoubtedly  necessary  to  salva- 
tion; and  if  all  these  things  are  essential  to  humility,  who  can  be 
humble?  who  can  be  saved?" 

His  mother's  answer  is  dated  July  21.  She  observes,  that  though 
she  had  a  great  deal  of  business,  was  infirm,  and  but  slow  of  under- 
standing, yet  it  was  a  great  pleasure  to  correspond  with  him  on  reli- 
gious subjects,  and  if  it  might  be  of  the  least  advantage  to  him,  she 
should  greatly  rejoice.  She  then  tells  him,  that  what  Dr.  Taylor 
calls  humility  is  not  the  virtue  itself,  but  the  accidental  effects  of  it, 
which  may  in  some  instances,  and  must  in  others,  be  separated  from 
it.    She  then  proceeds  to  state  her  own  idea  of  humility. 

"  Humility  is  the  mean  between  pride,  or  an  overvaluing  ourselves 
on  one  side,  and  a  base  abject  temper  on  the  other.  It  consists  in  an 
habitual  disposition  to  think  meanly  of  ourselves ;  which  disposition 
is  wrought  in  us  by  a  true  knowledge  of  God ;  his  supreme  essential 
glory,  his  absolute  immense  perfection  of  being ;  and  a  just  sense  of 
our  dependence  upon  him.  and  past  offences  against  him ;  together 
with  a  consciousness  of  our  present  infirmities  and  frailties,"  &c.,  &c. 

This  correspondence  would  undoubtedly  tend  very  much  to 
improve  so  young  a  man  as  Mr.  Wesley  then  was.  It  engaged  him 
in  a  close  and  critical  examination  of  the  authors  he  was  reading, 
and  fixed  the  subjects  on  his  mind.  It  is  indeed  evident,  that  Dr. 
Taylor's  work  not  only  affected  his  heart,  but  engaged  him  in  the 
pursuit  of  further  knowledge  of  subjects  so  interesting  to  his  happi- 
ness. He  therefore  answered  his  mother's  letter  on  the  29th  of  July; 
and  both  this  letter  and  the  answer  to  it  are  worthy  of  being  pre- 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY.  24t* 

served ;  the  one,  as  a  specimen  of  his  manner  of  reasoning  at  this 
early  period  of  life ;  and  the  other,  as  it  affords  some  excellent  prac- 
tical observations.  But  as  they  are  too  long  to  be  inserted  here,  I 
shall  only  present  the  reader  with  an  extract  from  each,  which  I  hope 
he  will  not  think  tedious. 

"You  have  much  obliged  me,"  says  Mr.  Wesley,  "by  your 
thoughts  on  Dr.  Taylor,  especially  with  respect  to  humility,  which 
is  a  point  he  does  not  seem  to  me  sufficiently  to  clear.  As  to  absolute 
humility,  consisting  in  a  mean  opinion  of  ourselves,  considered  with 
respect  to  God  alone,  1  can  readily  join  with  his  opinion.  But  I  am 
more  uncertain  as  to  comparative,  if  I  may  so  term  it ;  and  think 
some  plausible  reasons  may  be  alleged  to  show,  it  is  not  in  our  power, 
and  consequently  not  a  virtue,  to  think  ourselves  the  worst  in  every 
company. 

"  We  have  so  invincible  an  attachment  to  truth  already  perceived, 
that  it  is  impossible  for  us  to  disbelieve  it.  A  distinct  perception 
commands  our  assent,  and  the  will  is  under  a  moral  necessity  of 
yielding  to  it.  It  is  not  therefore  in  every  case  a  matter  of  choice, 
whether  we  will  believe  ourselves  worse  than  our  neighbor,  or  no ; 
since  we  may  distinctly  perceive  the  truth  of  this  proposition,  He 
is  worse  than  I;  and  then  the  judgment  is  not  free.  One,  for 
instance,  who  is  in  company  with  a  free-thinker,  or  other  person  sig- 
nally debauched  in  faith  and  practice,  cannot  avoid  knowing  himself 
to  be  the  better  of  the  two:  these  propositions  extorting  our  assent; 
an  atheist  is  worse  than  a  believer ;  a  man  who  endeavors  to  please 
God  is  better  than  he  who  defies  him. 

"If  a  true  knowledge  of  God  be  necessary  to  absolute  humility,  a 
true  knowledge  of  our  neighbor  should  be  necessary  to  comparative. 
But  to  judge  one's  self  the  worst  of  all  men,  implies  a  want  of  such 
knowledge.  No  knowledge  can  be,  where  there  is  not  certain  evi- 
dence ;  which  we  have  not,  whether  we  compare  ourselves  with  our 
acquaintance,  or  strangers.  In  the  one  case  we  have  only  imperfect 
evidence,  unless  we  can  see  through  the  heart ;  in  the  other,  we  have 
none  at  all. 

"  Again,  this  kind  of  humility  can  never  be  well-pleasing  to  God, 
since  it  does  not  flow  from  faith,  without  which  it  is  impossible  to 
please  him.  Faith  is  a  species  of  belief,  and  belief  is  defined  an 
assent  to  a  proposition  upon  reasonable  grounds.  Without  rational 
grounds  there  is  therefore  no  belief,  and  consequently  no  faith. 

"  That  we  can  never  be  so  certain  of  the  pardon  of  our  sins,  as  to 
be  assured  they  will  never  rise  up  against  us,  I  firmly  believe.  We- 
know  that  they  will  infallibly  do  so  if  ever  we  apostatize;  and  I  am 
not  satisfied  what  evidence  there  can  be  of  our  final  perseverance, 
till  we  have  finished  our  course.  But  I  am  persuaded  we  may  know 
if  we  are  now  in  a  state  of  salvation,  since  that  is  expressly  promised 
21  31 


342 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


in  the  Holy  Scriptures  to  our  sincere  endeavors,  and  we  are  surely- 
able  to  judge  of  our  own  sincerity. 

''As  I  understand  faith  to  be  an  assent  to  any  truth  upon  rational 
grounds,  I  do  not  think  it  possible,  without  perjury,  to  swear  I  believe 
anything,  unless  I  have  rational  grounds  for  my  persuasion.  Now 
that  which  contradicts  reason  cannot  be  said  to  stand  on  rational 
grounds;  and  such  undoubtedly  is  every  proposition  which  is  incom- 
patible with  the  Divine  justice  or  mercy.  I  can  therefore  never  say 
I  believe  such  a  proposition ;  since  it  is  impossible  to  assent  upon 
reasonable  evidence  where  it  is  not  in  being. 

"  What  then  shall  I  say  of  predestination?  An  everlasting  pur- 
pose of  God  to  deliver  some  from  damnation,  does,  I  suppose,  exclude 
all  from  that  deliverance  who  are  not  chosen.  And  if  it  was  inevit- 
ably decreed  from  eternity,  that  such  a  determinate  part  of  mankind 
should  be  saved,  and  none  beside  them,  a  vast  majority  of  the  world 
were  only  born  to  eternal  death,  without  so  much  as  a  possibility  of 
avoiding  it.  How  is  this  consistent  with  either  the  Divine  justice  or 
mercy?  Is  it  merciful  to  ordain  a  creature  to  everlasting  misery? 
Is  it  just  to  punish  man  for  crimes  which  he  could  not  but  commit? 
That  God  should  be  the  author  of  sin  and  injustice,  which  must,  I 
think,  be  the  consequence  of  maintaining  this  opinion,  is  a  contradic- 
tion to  the  clearest  ideas  we  have  of  the  Divine  nature  and  perfec- 
tions. 

"I  call  faith  an  assent  upon  rational  grounds;  because  I  hold  Di- 
vine testimony  to  be  the  most  reasonable  of  all  evidence  whatever. 
Faith  must  necessarily,  at  length,  be  resolved  into  reason.  God  is 
true,  therefore  what  he  says  is  true :  he  hath  said  this,  therefore  this 
is  true.  When  any  one  can  bring  me  more  reasonable  propositions 
than  these,  I  am  ready  to  assent  to  them :  till  then,  it  will  be  highly 
unreasonable  to  change  my  opinion." 

This  letter  is  sufficient  evidence  how  deeply  Mr.  Wesley  was 
engaged,  at  this  time,  in  the  study  of  Dr.  Taylor's  Rules  of  Holy 
Living  and  Dying,  to  which  he  chiefly  ascribes  his  first  religious 
impressions ;  and  it  is  pleasing  to  observe  how  early  he  adopted  his 
opinion  of  universal  redemption,  which  he  so  uniformly  held,  and  so 
ably  defended  in  the  subsequent  part  of  his  life. 

His  mother's  letter  is  dated  August  the  18th.  ''You  say  that  I 
have  obliged  you  by  sending  my  thoughts  of  humility,  and  yet  you 
do  not  seem  to  regard  them  in  the  least ;  but  still  dwell  on  that  single 
poiftt  in  Dr.  Taylor,  of  thinking  ourselves  the  worst  in  every  com- 
pany ;  though  the  necessity  of  thinking  so  is  not  inferred  from  my 
definition.  I  shall  answer  your  arguments,  after  I  have  observed, 
that  we  differ  in  our  notions  of  the  virtue  itself.  You  will  have  it 
consist  in  thinking  meanly  of  ourselves ;  I,  in  an  habitual  disposition 
tO:  think  meanly  of  ourselves ;  which  I  take  to  be  more  comprehen- 
sive, because  it  extends  to  all  the  cases  wherein  that  virtue  can  be 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   JOHN  WESLEt.  Mf 

exercised ;  either  in  relation  to  God,  ourselves,  or  our  neighbor ;  and 
renders  your  distinction  of  absolute  and  comparative  humility  per- 
fectly needless. 

"We  may  in  many  instances  think  very  meanly  of  ourselves 
without  being  humble ;  nay  sometimes  our  very  pride  will  lead  us  to 
condemn  ourselves ;  as  when  we  have  said  or  done  anything  which 
lessens  that  esteem  of  men  we  earnestly  covet.  As  to  what  you  call 
absolute  humility,  with  respect  to  God,  what  great  matter  is  there  in 
it  7  Had  we  only  a  mere  speculative  knowledge  of  that  awful  Being, 
and  only  considered  him  as  the  Creator  and  Sovereign  Lord  of  the 
universe ;  yet  since  that  first  notion  of  him  implies  that  he  is  a  God 
of  absolute  and  infinite  perfection  and  glory,  we  cannot  contemplate 
that  glory,  or  conceive  him  present,  without  the  most  exquisite 
diminution  of  ourselves  before  him. 

"  The  other  part  of  your  definition  I  cannot  approve,  because  I 
think  all  those  comparisons  are  rather  the  effects  of  pride  than  of 
humility. 

Though  truth  is  the  object  of  the  understanding;  and  all  truths 
as  such,  agree  in  one  common  excellence,  yet  there  are  some  truths 
which  are  comparatively  of  so  small  value,  because  of  little  use,  that 
it  is  no  matter  whether  we  know  them  or  not.  Among  these  I  rank 
the  right  answer  to  your  question,  whether  our  neighbor  or  we  be 
worse.  Of  what  importance  can  this  inquiry  be  to  us?  Compari- 
sons in  these  cases  are  very  odious,  and  do  most  certainly  proceed 
from  some  bad  principle  in  those  who  make  them.  So  far  should  we 
be  from  reasoning  upon  the  case,  that  we  ought  not  to  permit  our- 
selves to  entertain  such  thoughts,  but  if  they  ever  intrude,  to  reject 
them  with  abhorrence. 

"Supposing  that  in  some  cases  the  truth  of  that  proposition,  my 
neighbor  is  worse  than  I,  be  ever  so  evident,  yet  what  does  it  avail? 
Since  two  persons  in  different  respects  may  be  better  and  worse  than 
each  other.  There  is  nothing  plainer  than  that  a  free-thinker  as  a 
free-thinker ;  and  an  atheist  as  an  atheist,  is  worse  in  that  respect 
than  a  believer  as  a  believer.  But  if  that  believer's  practice  does  not 
correspond  to  his  faith — he  is  worse  than  an  infidel. 

"  If  we  are  not  obliged  to  think  ourselves  the  worst  in  every  com- 
pany, I  am  perfectly  sure  that  a  man  sincerely  humble,  will  be  afraid 
to  think  himself  the  best  in  any.  And  though  it  should  be  his  lot 
(for  it  can  never  be  his  choice)  to  fall  into  the  company  of  notorious 
sinners;  who  makes  thee  to  differ?  Or,  what  hast  thou  that  thou 
hast  not  received  ?  is  sufficient,  if  well  considered,  to  humble  us,  and 
silence  all  aspiring  thoughts  and  self-applause ;  and  may  instruct  us 
to  ascribe  our  preservation  from  enormous  offences  to  the  sovereign 
grace  of  God,  and  not  to  our  own  natural  purity  or  strength. 

"You  are  somewhat  mistaken  in  your  notions  of  faith.  All  faith 
is  an  assent,  but  all  assent  is  not  faith.    Some  truths  are  self-evident, 


244 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


and  we  assent  to  them  because  they  are  so.  Others,  after  a  regular 
and  formal  process  of  reason  by  way  of  deduction  from  some  self- 
evident  principle,  gain  our  assent.  This  is  not  properly  faith  but 
science.  Some  again  we  assent  to,  not  because  they  are  self-evident, 
or  because  we  have  attained  the  knowledge  of  them  in  a  regular 
method  by  a  train  of  arguments ;  but  because  they  have  been  revealed 
to  us,  either  by  God  or  man,  and  these  are  the  proper  objects  of  faith. 
The  true  measure  of  faith  is  the  authority  of  the  revealer,  the  weight 
of  which  always  holds  proportion  to  our  conviction  of  his  ability  and 
integrity.  Divine  faith  is  an  assent  to  Avhatever  God  has  revealed  to 
us,  because  he  has  revealed  it."=^ 

It  was  impossible  for  Mr.  Wesley  to  correspond  with  such  a  parent, 
and  on  such  subjects,  without  being  improved.  And  it  is  certain  that 
he  never  forgot  some  of  the  rules  and  maxims  which  he  had  learned 
from  her.  The  effect  of  his  present  inquiries  was  deep  and  lasting. 
In  reading  Kempis,  he  tells  us  that  he  had  frequently  much  sensible 
comfort,  such  as  he  was  an  utter  stranger  to  before.  And  the  chap- 
ter in  Dr.  Taylor  on  purity  of  intention,  convinced  him  of  the  neces- 
sity of  being  holy  in  heart,  as  well  as  regular  in  his  outward  deport- 
ment. Meeting  likewise  with  a  religious  friend  about  this  time, 
which  he  never  had  before,  he  began  to  alter  the  whole  form  of  his 
conversation,  and  to  set  in  earnest  upon  a  new  life.  He  communi- 
cated every  week.  He  watched  against  all  sin,  whether  in  word  or 
deed;  and  began  to  aim  at,  and  pray  for,  inward  holiness.f 

Having  now  determined  to  devote  himself  wholly  to  God,  his  let- 
ters to  his  parents  carried  a  savor  of  religion,  which  before  they  had 
wanted :  this  made  his  father  say  to  him  in  a  letter  of  August  the  2d, 

If  you  be  what  you  write,  you  and  I  shall  be  happy,  and  you  Avill 
much  alleviate  my  misfortune."  He  soon  found  that  his  son  was  not 
double  minded.  The  time  of  his  ordination  now  drew  near.  His 
father  wrote  to  him  on  this  subject,  in  a  letter  dated  September  the 
7th,  in  which  he  says,  God  fit  you  for  your  great  work.  Fast, 
watch,  and  pray ;  believe,  love,  endure,  and  be  happy ;  towards 
which  you  shall  never  want  the  most  ardent  prayers  of  your  affection- 
ate father."  In  preparing  for  his  ordination  he  found  some  scruples 
on  his  mind  respecting  the  damnatory  clause  in  the  Athanasian 
creed  ;  which  he  proposed  to  his  father,  who  afterwards  gave  him  his 
opinion  upon  it.  Having  prepared  himself  with  the  most  conscien- 
tious care  for  the  ministerial  office,  he  was  ordained  Deacon  on  Sun- 
day, the  nineteenth  of  this  month,  by  Dr.  Potter,  then  Bishop  of 
Oxford. 

Mr.  Wesley's  ordination  supplied  him  with  an  additional  motive 
to  prosecute  the  study  of  Divinity ;  which  he  did,  by  directing  his 

*  The  remaining  part  of  this  letter  on  predestination  is  inserted  in  the  Arminian  Maga- 
zine, vol.  i.  page  36,  though  with  an  error  in  the  date, 
f  Wesley's  Works,  vol.  xxvi.  page  274. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


245 


inquiries  into  the  evidences  and  reasonableness  of  the  christian  re- 
ligion. He  wrote  to  his  mother  on  this  subject  November  the  3d, 
who  in  her  answer  dated  the  10th,  encourages  him  to  persevere  in 
such  investigations  without  any  fear  of  being  injured  by  them.  "I 
highly  approve,"  says  she,  "of  your  care  to  search  into  the  grounds 
and  reasons  of  your  most  holy  religion  ;  which  you  may  do,  if  your 
intention  be  pure,  and  yet  retain  the  integrity  of  your  faith.  Nay,  the 
more  you  study  on  that  subject,  the  more  reason  you  will  find  to  depend 
on  the  veracity  of  God ;  inasmuch  as  your  perception  of  him  will  be 
clearer,  and  you  will  more  plainly  discover  the  congruity  there  is 
between  the  ordinances  and  precepts  of  the  gospel,  and  right  reason. 
Nor  is  it  an  hard  matter  to  prove  that  the  whole  system  of  Christianity 
is  founded  thereon." 

It  was  however,  but  a  small  portion  of  his  time  that  Mr.  Wesley 
employed  in  these  studies.  His  private  diary  shows  how  diligent  he 
was  in  the  study  of  the  classics,  and  other  books  in  different  branches 
of  science,  and  in  the  performance  of  his  academical  exercises.  The 
time  also  drew  near  when  it  was  expected  that  the  election  of  a  Fel- 
low of  Lincoln  College  would  take  place ;  with  a  view  to  which  his 
friends  had  been  exerting  themselves  in  his  favor  all  the  summer.=^ 
When  Dr.  Morley,  the  Rector,  was  spoken  to  on  the  subject,  he  said, 
"  I  will  inquire  into  Mr.  Wesley's  character."  He  did  so,  and  gave 
him  leave  to  stand  a  candidate.  He  afterwards  became  his  friend  in 
that  business,  and  used  all  the  influence  he  had  in  his  favor.  His 
father  in  a  letter  of  July  says,  "  I  waited  on  Dr.  Morley,  and  found 
him  more  civil  than  ever.  I  will  write  to  the  Bishop  of  Lincoln  again, 
and  to  your  brother  Samuel  the  next  post.  Study  hard  lest  your 
opponents  beat  you."  In  another  letter,  speaking  of  Dr.  Morley,  he 
says,  "  You  are  infinitely  obliged  to  that  generous  man." 

In  election  business,  the  passions  of  men  generally  run  high,  and 
every  circumstance  is  laid  hold  of,  which  can  by  any  means  be  so 
managed  as  to  influence  the  public  opinion  against  an  opponent.  And 
Mr.  Wesley's  late  seriousness  did  not  escape  the  banter  and  ridicule 
of  his  adversaries  at  Lincoln,  on  this  occasion.  In  reference  to  this 
his  father  observes  in  a  letter  of  August;  "  As  for  the  gentlemen  can- 
didates you  write  of — Does  any  body  think  that  the  devil  has  no 
agents  left  ?  It  is  a  very  callow  virtue,  sure,  that  cannot  bear  being 
laughed  at.  I  think  our  Captain  and  Master  endured  something  more 
for  us,  before  he  entered  into  glory :  and  unless  we  follow  his  steps, 
in  vain  do  we  hope  to  share  that  glory  with  him.  Nor  shall  any  who 
sincerely  endeavor  to  serve  him,  either  by  turning  others  to  righteous- 
ness, or  keeping  them  steadfast  in  it,  lose  their  reward."  And  in  his 
letter  of  October  the  19th,  he  exhorts  him  to  bear  patiently  what  was 
said  of  him  at  Lincoln  :  ''but  be  sure,"  says  he,  "  never  to  return  the 
like«  treatment  to  your  enemy.    You  and  I  have  hitherto  done  the 

♦  His  father  mentions  it  in  his  letter  of  the  26th  of  January  of  this  year. 
21* 


246 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


best  we  could  in  that  affair;  do  you  continue  to  do  the  same,  and 
rest  the  whole  with  Providence." 

His  mother  writes  to  him  on  this  occasion  more  in  the  way  of  en- 
couragement and  caution.  "If  it  be,"  says  she,  "a  weak  virtue, 
that  cannot  bear  being  laughed  at,  I  am  sure  it  is  a  strong  and  well 
confirmed  virtue  that  can  stand  the  test  of  a  brisk  buffoonery.  I 
doubt  too  many  people,  though  well  inclined,  have  yet  made  ship- 
wreck of  faith  and  a  good  conscience  merely  because  they  could  not 
bear  raillery.  Some  young  persons  have  a  natural  excess  of  bashful- 
ness ;  others  are  so  tender  of  what  they  call  honor,  that  they  cannot 
endure  to  be  made  a  jest  of  I  would  therefore  advise  those  who  are 
in  the  beginning  of  a  christian  course,  to  shun  the  company  of  profane 
wits,  as  they  would  the  plague  or  poverty :  and  never  to  contract  an 
intimacy  with  any,  but  such  as  have  a  good  sense  of  religion." 

But  notwithstanding  the  warm  opposition  which  his  opponents 
made  against  him,  Mr.  Wesley's  general  good  character  for  learning 
and  diligence,  gave  such  firmness  and  zeal  to  his  friends,  that  on 
Thursday,  March  the  17th,  1726,  he  was  elected  Fellow  of  Lincoln 
College.^^  His  father  emphatically  expresses  his  satisfaction  on  this 
occasion,  in  a  letter  of  the  first  of  April.  "  I  have  both  of  yours  since 
your  election  :  in  both,  you  express  yourself  as  becometh  you.  What 
will  be  my  own  fate  before  the  summer  be  over,  God  knows ;  sedpassi 
graviora. — Wherever  I  am,  my  Jack  is  Fellow  of  Lincoln."  His 
mother,  in  a  letter  of  March  30,  tells  him,  in  her  usual  strain  of  piety, 
"  I  think  myself  obUged  to  return  great  thanks  to  Almighty  God,  for 
giving  you  good  success  at  Lincoln.  Let  whoever  he  pleased  be  the 
instrument,  to  him  and  to  him  alone  the  glory  appertains." 

The  Monday  following  his  election,  being  March  21,  he  wrote  to  his 
brother  Samuel,f  expressing  his  gratitude  for  the  assistance  he  had 
given  him  in  that  affair.  With  this  letter  he  sent  two  or  three  copies 
of  verses,  which  seem,  by  what  he  says  of  them,  to  have  been  written 
at  an  early  period.  "  I  have  not  yet,"  says  he,  "  been  able  to  meet 
with  one  or  two  gentlemen,  from  whom  I  am  in  hopes  of  getting  two 
or  three  copies  of  verses.  The  most  tolerable  of  my  own,  if  any  such 
there  were,  you  probably  received  from  Leyburn.  Some  of  those  I 
had  besides,  I  have  sent  here;  and  shall  be  very  glad  if  they  are 
capable  of  being  so  corrected,  as  to  be  of  any  service  to  you."  He  sent 
three  specimens  of  his  poetry  with  this  letter  :  the  two  following  I 
shall  insert ;  which,  considered  as  hasty  productions,  the  mere  amuse- 
ment of  an  hour  or  two,  and  sent  in  their  rough  state,  I  am  confident 
every  good  judge  will  pronounce  excellent,  notwithstanding  the 
modesty  with  which  he  speaks  of  them. 

*  Private  Diary. 

•}•  This  letter,  and  the  verses  which  accompanied  it,  were  inserted  some  years  ago,  by 
Mr.  Badcock,  in  the  Westminster  Magazine.    The  letter  is  there  without  a  date,  which  I 

^have  taken  from  Mr.  John  Wesley's  Diary.  Mr.  Badcock  tells  the  public,  that  he  had  a 
variety  of  curious  papers  by  him,  which  show  Mr.  Wesley  in  a  light  which  perhaps  he 

.had  forgot,  &c. — I  shall  have  occasion  to  mention  this  circumstance  in  another  place. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLET. 


247 


Horace,  Lib.  I.  Ode  XXII. 

Integrity  needs  no  defence ; 
The  man  who  trusts  to  innocence, 
Nor  wants  the  darts  Numidians  throw, 
Nor  arrows  of  the  Parthian  bow. 

Secure  o'er  Libya's  sandy  seas, 
Or  hoary  Caucasus  he  strays, 
O'er  regions  scarcely  known  to  fame, 
Wash'd  by  Hydaspes'  fabled  stream. 

While  void  of  cares,  of  nought  afraid, 
Late  in  the  Sabine  woods  I  stray'd ; 
On  Sylvia's  lips,  while  pleas'd  I  sung, 
How  love  and  soft  persuasion  hung ! 

A  rav'nous  wolf  intent  on  food, 
Rush'd  from  the  covert  of  the  wood ; 
Yet  dar'd  not  violate  the  grove 
Secur'd  by  innocence  and  love. 

Nor  Mauritania's  sultry  plain, 
So  large  a  savage  does  contain  ; 
Nor  e'er  so  huge  a  monster  treads 
Warlike  Apulia's  beechen  shades. 

Place  me  where  no  revolving  sun 
Does  o'er  his  radient  circle  run  ; 
Where  clouds  and  damps  alone  appear. 
And  poison  the  unwholesome  year : 

Place  me  in  that  effulgent  day 
Beneath  the  sun's  directer  ray ; 
No  change  from  its  fix'd  place  shall  move 
The  basis  of  my  lasting  love. 


In  imitation  of,  Quis  desiderio  sit  Pudor,  &c.    Sent  to  a  gentleman  on  the  death  of  his 

Father. 

What  shame  shall  stop  our  flowing  tears  ? 

What  end  shall  our  just  sorrows  know  ? 
Since  fate,  relentless  to  our  prayers, 

Has  giv'n  the  long  destructive  blow ! 

Ye  Muses,  strike  the  sounding  string. 

In  plaintive  strains  his  loss  deplore ; 
And  teach  an  artless  voice  to  sing 

The  great,  the  bounteous,  now  no  more ! 

For  him  the  wise  and  good  shall  mourn. 

While  late  records  his  fame  declare : 
And  oft  as  rolling  years  return, 

Shall'pay  his  tomb  a  grateful  tear. 

Ah !  what  avail  their  plaints  to  thee  ? 

Ah !  what  avails  his  fame  declar'd  ? 
Thou  blam'st,  alas !  the  just  decree 

Whence  virtue  meets  its  just  reward. 


248 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


Though  sweeter  sounds  adorn'd  thy  tongue 

Than  Thracian  Orpheus  whilom  play'd  ; 
When  list'ning  to  the  morning  song 

Each  tree  bow'd  down  its  leafy  head  : 

Never !  ah,  never  from  the  gloom 

Of  unrelenting  Pluto's  sway, 
Could  the  thin  shade  again  resume 

Its  ancient  tenement  of  clay. 

Indulgent  patience,  heav'n-bom  guest ! 

Thy  healing  \nngs  around  display  ; 
Thou  gently  calmest  the  stormy  breast 

And  driv'st  the  tyrant  grief  away. 

Corroding  care  and  eating  pain, 

By  just  degrees  thy  influence  own  ; 
And  lovely  lasting  peace  again 

Resumes  her  long  deserted  throne. 

His  parents  now  invited  him  to  spend  some  time  with  them  in  the 
country.  Accordingly  he  left  Oxford  in  April,  and  staid  the  whole 
summer  at  Epworth  and  Wroote.  During  this  time  he  usually  read 
prayers  and  preached  twice  on  the  Lord's-day,  and  otherways  assist- 
ed his  father  as  occasion  required.  His  time  here  was  by  no  means 
wasted ;  he  still  pursued  his  studies,  had  frequent  opportunities  of 
conversing  with  his  parents  on  subjects  highly  interesting  and  in- 
structive, and  kept  a  regular  diary  of  what  passed.  He  often  takes 
notice  of  the  particular  subjects  discussed  in  their  various  conversa- 
tions, and  mentions  the  practical  observations  his  parents  made,  and 
sometimes  adds  his  own.  Among  others,  were  the  following ;  how- 
to  increase  our  faith,  our  hope,  and  our  love  of  God :  prudence,  sim- 
plicity, sincerity,  pride,  vanity ;  wit,  humor,  fancy,  coifrtesy,  and 
general  usefulness.  His  parents  made  such  observations  as  reflection 
and  long  experience  had  suggested  to  them,  and  he  carefully  minuted 
down  such  rules  and  maxims  as  appeared  to  him  important. 

Mr.  Wesley  returned  to  Oxford  on  the  21st  of  September,  and  re- 
sumed his  usual  course  of  studies.  His  literary  character  was  now 
established  in  the  University  :  he  was  acknowledged  by  all  parties  to 
be  a  man  of  talents,  and  an  excellent  critic  in  the  learned  languages. 
His  compositions  were  distinguished  by  an  elegant  simplicity  of  style, 
and  justness  of  thought,  that  strongly  marked  the  excellence  of  his 
classical  taste.  His  skill  in  logic,  or  the  art  of  reasoning,  was  uni- 
versally known  and  admired.  The  high  opinion  that  was  entertain- 
ed of  him,  in  these  respects,  was  soon  publicly  expressed  by  choosing 
him  Greek  lecturer  and  moderator  of  the  classes,  on  the  7th  of  No- 
vember; though  he  had  only  been  elected  Fellow  of  the  college  in 
March,  was  little  more  than  twenty-three  years  of  age,  and  had  not 
yet  proceeded  Master  of  Arts. 

I  have  been  the  more  exact  in  bringing  forward  all  the  particulars 
concerning  him,  from  the  latter  end  of  the  year  1724,  to  the  present 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


249 


time,  because  they  have  been  very  imperfectly  known,  and  some 
of  them  very  erroneously  stated  by  all  his  biographers,  who  have 
hitherto  attempted  to  give  any  account  of  him.  It  is  also  evident, 
that  an  accurate  knowledge  of  these  particulars,  does  him  credit: 
the  correspondence  relative  to  his  ordination  gives  the  reader  a  view 
of  the  simplicity  and  integrity  of  his  heart,  in  the  most  artless  and 
undisguised  manner,  and  does  infinite  honor  to  the  rational  affec- 
tion and  pious  care  of  his  parents  :  it  likewise  points  out  to  us  the 
kind  of  advice  which  had  the  chief  influence  in  forming  his  religious 
character  ;  and  the  circumstances  of  his  preferment  at  Lincoln  Col- 
lege, give  the  most  unequivocal  proof  of  his  merit,  and  of  the  high 
reputation  he  had  acquired  in  the  university  for  learning,  diligence, 
and  attention  to  discipline,  at  this  early  period  of  life. 

It  appears  from  what  has  already  been  said,  that  Mr.  Wesley  did 
not  devote  all  his  time  to  the  severer  studies,  but  occasionally  paid 
his  court  to  the  muses  with  good  success.  His  paraphrase  on  the 
first  eighteen  verses  of  the  104th  Psalm,  is  a  more  finished  piece  than 
any  thing  he  had  written  before.  He  began  to  write  it  on  the  19th 
of  August  this  year,  when  at  Epworth ;  and  for  its  beauty  and  ex- 
cellence, it  deserves  to  be  printed  with  more  accuracy  than  has  yet 
been  done.  I  shall  therefore  transcribe  it  from  the  original  manuscript. 

Verse  1.         Upborne  aloft  on  vent'rous  wing, 

While,  spurning  earthly  themes,  I  soar, 

Through  paths  untrod  before, 
What  God,  what  seraph  shall  I  sing  ? 
Whom  but  thee  should  I  proclaim, 
Author  of  this  wond'rous  frame  ? 

Eternal  uncreated  Lord, 
Enshrin'd  in  glory's  radiant  blaze ! 

At  whose  prolific  voice,  whose  potent  word, 
Commanded,  nothing  swift  retir'd,  and  worlds  began  their  race. 

2.  Thou,  brooding  o'er  the  realms  of  night, 

Th'  unbottom'd  infinite  abyss, 

Bad'st  the  deep  her  rage  surcease, 
And  said' St  let  there  be  light ! 

JEthereal  light  thy  call  obey'd. 

Glad  she  left  her  native  shade, 
Through  the  wide  void  her  living  waters  past ; 

Darkness  turn'd  his  murmuring  head, 

Resign'd  the  reins,  and  trembling  fled ; 
The  crystal  waves  roU'd  on,  and  filled  the  ambient  waste. 

2.  In  light,  effulgent  robe,  array'd, 

Thou  left'st  the  beauteous  realms  of  day ! 
The  golden  towers  inclin'd  their  head. 
As  their  Sov'reign  took  his  way. 

3,  4.  The  all-encircling  bounds  (a  shining  train, 

Minist'ring  flames  around  him  flew) 
Through  the  vast  profound  he  drew, 

When  lo  I  sequacious  to  his  fruitful  hand, 
Hearen  o'er  the  uncolor'd  void,  her  azure  curtain  threw. 

33 


250 


THE  LIFE  OP  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


Lo !  marching  o'er  the  empty  space, 

The  fluid  stores  in  order  rise 
With  adamantine  chains  of  liquid  glass, 

To  bind  the  new-born  fabric  of  the  skies. 
Verse  3.  Downward  the  Almighty  Builder  rode, 

Old  Chaos  groan'd  beneath  the  God, 

Sable  clouds  his  pompous  car, 

Earnest  winds  before  him  ran, 

Proud  to  wear  their  Maker's  chain, 
And  told,  with  hoarse-resounding  voice,  his  coming  from  afar. 


5.  Embryon  earth  the  signal  knew, 

And  rear'd  from  night's  dark  womb  her  infant  head, 

6.  Though  yet  prevailing  waves  her  hills  o'erspread 

And  stain'd  their  sickly  face  with  pallid  hue. 

7.  But  when  loud  thunders  the  pursuit  began, 

Back  the  affrighted  spoilers  ran  ; 

8.  In  vain  aspiring  hills  opposed  their  race. 

O'er  hills  and  vales  with  equal  haste. 
The  flying  squadrons  past, 
Till  safe  within  the  walls  of  their  appointed  place : 

9.  There  firmly  fix'd,  their  sure  enclosures  stand. 
Unconquerable  bounds  of  ever-during  sand ! 

10.  He  spake !  From  the  tall  mountain's  wounded  side. 
Fresh  springs  roll'd  down  their  silver  tide  : 

O'er  the  glad  vales  the  shining  wanderers  stray, 
Soft  murmuring  as  they  flow, 

11.  While  in  their  cooling  wave  inclining  low. 

The  untaught  natives  of  the  field  their  parching  thirst  allay. 

12.  High  seated  on  the  dancing  sprays, 

Chequering  with  varied  light  their  parent  streams, 
The  feather'd  quires  attune  their  artless  lays 
Safe  from  the  dreaded  heat  of  solar  beams. 


13.  Genial  show'rs  at  his  command. 
Pour  plenty  o'er  the  barren  land  : 
Laboring  with  parent  throes, 

14.  See !  the  teeming  hills  disclose 

A  new  birth  :  see  cheerful  green, 
Transitoiy,  pleasing  scene, 
O'er  the  smiling  landskip  glow. 
And  gladden  all  the  vale  below. 

15.  Along  the  mountain's  craggy  brow, 
Amiably  dreadful  now ! 

See  the  clasping  vine  dispread 
Her  gently-rising  verdant  head : 
See  the  purple  grape  appear. 
Kind  relief  of  human  care  ! 


16.  Instinct  with  circling  life,  thy  skill 

Uprear'd  the  olive's  loaded  bough ; 
What  time  on  Lebanon's  proud  hill 

Slow  rose  the  stately  cedar's  brow. 
Nor  less  rejoice  the  lowly  plains, 

Of  useful  corn  the  fertile  bed, 
Than  when  the  lordly  cedar  reigns, 

A  beauteous,  but  a  barren  shade. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


Vebse  17.  While  in  his  arras  the  painted  train, 

Warbling  to  the  vocal  grove, 
Sweetly  tell  their  pleasing  pain, 
Willing  slaves  to  genial  love. 
18.  While  the  wild-goats,  an  active  throng, 

From  rock  to  rock  light-bounding  lly, 
Jehovah's  praise  in  solemn  song, 
Shall  echo  through  the  vaulted  sky. 

The  reader  who  carefully  examines  these  specimens  of  his  poetical 
talents,  and  at  the  same  time  considers  that  he  was  designed  for  a 
more  noble  employment  than  making  verses,  however  excellent  they 
might  be,  will  highly  approve  of  the  judicious  advice  his  mother  gave 
him  about  this  time.  "  I  would  not  have  you  leave  off  making  verses," 
says  she;  "  rather  make  poetry  sometimes  your  diversion,  though  never 
your  business." 

Mr.  Wesley  Avas  now  more  desirous  than  ever,  of  improving  his 
time  to  the  best  advantage.  But  as  he  had  not  yet  taken  his  degree 
of  Master  of  Arts,  the  whole  of  his  time  was  not  at  his  own  disposal. 
But  such  portions  of  it  as  were,  he  carefully  spent  in  pursuit  of  such 
knowledge  as  promised  to  be  beneficial  to  himself,  and  would  enable 
him  to  benefit  others ;  never  indulging  himself  in  an  idle  useless  curi- 
osity, which  is  the  common  fault  of  most  young  men  in  the  conduct 
of  their  studies.  He  expresses  his  sentiments  on  this  head  in  a  letter 
to  his  mother  of  January,  1727.  "  I  am  shortly  to  take  my  master's 
degree.  As  I  shall  from  that  time  be  less  interrupted  by  business  not 
of  my  own  choosing,  I  have  drawn  up  for  myself  a  scheme  of  studies 
from  which  I  do  not  intend,  for  some  years  at  least,  to  vary.  I  am 
perfectly  come  over  to  your  opinion,  that  there  are  many  truths  it  is 
not  worth  while  to  know.  Curiosity  indeed  might  be  a  suflicient  plea 
for  our  laying  out  some  time  upon  them,  if  we  had  half  a  dozen  cen- 
turies of  life  to  come ;  but  methinks  it  is  great  ill-husbandry  to  spend 
a  considerable  part  of  the  small  pittance  now  allowed  us,  in  what 
makes  us  neither  a  quick  nor  a  sure  return. 

"  Two  days  ago  I  was  reading  a  dispute  between  those  celebrated 
masters  of  controversy,  Bishop  Atterbury  and  Bishop  Hoadly ;  but 
must  own  I  was  so  injudicious  as  to  break  ofi"  in  the  middle.  I  could 
not  conceive,  that  the  dignity  of  the  end  was  at  all  proportioned  to  the 
difficulty  of  attaining  it.  And  I  thought  the  labor  of  twenty  or  thirty 
hours,  if  I  was  sure  of  succeeding,  which  I  was  not,  would  be  but  ill 
rewarded  by  that  important  piece  of  knowledge,  whether  Bishop 
Hoadly  had  misunderstood  Bishop  Atterbury  or  no  ?  " 

The  following  paragraph,  in  the  same  letter,  will  show  the  reader 
how  diligent  he  had  long  been  in  improving  the  occasions  which 
occurred,  of  impressing  a  sense  of  religion  on  the  minds  of  his  compan- 
ions, and  of  his  soft  and  obliging  manner  of  doing  it.  "  About  a  year 
anda  half  ago,"  says  he,  "Istoleout  of  company  at  eight  in  the  evening, 
with  a  young  gentleman  with  whom  I  was  intimate.    As  we  took  a 


252 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


turn  in  an  isle  of  St.  Mary's  Church,  in  expectation  of  a  young  lady's 
funeral,  with  whom  we  were  both  acquainted,  I  asked  him  if  he 
really  thought  himself  my  friend  ?  and  if  he  did,  why  he  would  not 
do  me  all  the  good  he  could  ?  He  began  to  protest, — in  which  I  cut 
him  short,  by  desiring  him  to  oblige  me  in  an  instance,  which  he  could 
not  deny  to  be  'in  his  own  power :  to  let  me  have  the  pleasure  of 
making  him  a  whole  Christian,  to  which  I  knew  he  was  at  least  half 
persuaded  already.  That  he  could  not  do  me  a  greater  kindness,  as 
both  of  us  would  be  fully  convinced  when  we  came  to  follow  that 
young  woman." 

"  He  turned  exceedingly  serious,  and  kept  something  of  that  dispo- 
sition ever  since.  Yesterday  was  a  fortnight  he  died  of  a  consumption. 
I  saw  him  three  days  before  he  died ;  and  on  the  Sunday  following 
did  him  the  last  good  office  I  could  here,  by  preaching  his  funeral 
sermon  ;  which  was  his  desire  when  living." 

Mr.  Wesley  proceeded  Master  of  Arts  on  the  14th  of  February,*  and 
acquired  considerable  reputation  in  his  disputation  for  his  degree ;  on 
which  account  his  mother  congratulates  him  in  a  letter  of  the  four- 
teenth of  March.  On  the  19th  he  writes  thus  to  her.  "  One  advantage 
at  least,  my  degree  has  given  me ;  I  am  now  at  liberty,  and  shall  be 
in  a  great  measure  for  some  time,  to  choose  my  own  employment.  And 
as  I  believe  I  know  my  own  deficiencies  best,  and  which  of  them  are 
most  necessary  to  be  supplied  ;  I  hope  my  time  will  turn  to  somewhat 
better  account,  than  when  it  was  not  so  much  in  my  own  disposal." 
He  had  already  fixed  the  plan  of  his  studies ;  but  how  to  attain  a 
more  practical  knowledge  of  God,  and  a  more  entire  conformity  to 
his  will,  in  the  temper  of  his  mind  and  in  all  his  actions,  was  a  point 
not  so  easily  determined.  He  saw  what  the  law  of  God  required  him 
to  be,  and  was  deeply  sensible  of  his  deficiencies ;  but  he  did  not  yet 
see  the  way  of  faith,  which  the  gospel  points  out  as  the  way  of  vic- 
tory, of  holiness,  and  of  peace.  There  is  nothing  more  natural  in 
this  state  of  mind,  than  for  a  person  to  imagine,  that  some  other  situa- 
tion in  life  would  be  more  advantageous  to  him  than  that  in  which 
he  is  placed.  He  feels  his  present  difficulties  and  hinderances  in  the 
way  of  religion;  but  he  does  not  see,  that  every  situation  of  life  has 
its  difficulties  and  hinderances,  which  a  Christian  is  called  upon  to 
conquer,  not  to  shun.  Mr.  Wesley  however,  thought,  that  the  com- 
pany he  was  necessarily  exposed  to  at  Oxford,  was  a  hinderance  to 
his  progress  in  religion,  and  that  a  seclusion  from  the  world  would  be 
highly  advantageous  to  him  in  this  respect.  Though  we  must  disap- 
prove of  the  opinion,  which  his  riper  judgment  likewise  condemned, 
we  cannot  but  acknowledge  that  it  gives  the  clearest  evidence  of  his 
sincerity ;  and  that  he  was  not  religious,  to  be  seen  of  men.  He 
expresses  the  thoughts  he  then  had  of  this  matter,  in  the  same  letter 


*  Private  Diary. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


253 


of  the  19th  of  March.  "  The  coyiversation  of  one  or  two  persons, 
I  whom  you  may  have  heard  me  s[)eak  of,  I  hope  never  without  grati- 
tude, first  took  off  my  relish  for  most  other  pleasures,  so  far  that  I 
despised  them  in  comparison  of  that.  I  have  since  proceeded  a  step 
further ;  to  shght  them  absolutely.  And  I  am  so  little  at  present  in 
love  with  even  company,  the  most  elegant  entertainment  next  to 
books;  that,  unless  the  persons  have  a  religions  turn  of  thought,! 
am  much  better  pleased  without  them.  I  think  it  is  the  settled 
temper  of  my  soul,  that  1  should  prefer,  at  least  for  sometime,  such  a 
retirement,  as  would  seclude  me  from  all  the  world,  to  the  station  I 
am  now  in.  Not  that  this  is  by  any  means  unpleasant  to  me ;  but  I 
imagine  it  would  be  more  improving  to  be  in  a  place  where  I  might 
confirm  or  implant  in  my  mind  what  habits  I  would,  without  inter- 
ruption, before  the  flexibility  of  youth  be  over. 

"  A  school  in  Yorkshire  was  proposed  to  me  lately,  on  which  I  shall 
think  more,  when  it  appears  whether  I  may  have  it  or  not.  A  good 
salary  is  annexed  to  it.  But  what  has  made  me  wish  for  it  most,  is 
the  frightful  description,  as  they  call  it,  which  some  gentlemen  who 
know  the  place,  gave  me  of  it  yesterday.  It  lies  in  a  little  vale,  so 
pent  up  between  two  hills,  that  it  is  scarce  accessible  on  any  side ;  so 
that  you  can  expect  little  company  from  without,  and  within  there  is 
none  at  all.  I  should  therefore  be  entirely  at  liberty  to  converse  with 
company  of  my  own  choosing,  whom  for  that  reason  I  would  bring 
with  me;  and  company  equally  agreeable,  wherever  I  fixed,  could 
not  put  me  to  less  expense. 

"  The  sun  that  walks  his  airy  way 
To  cheer  the  world,  and  bring  the  day ; 
The  moon  that  shines  with  borrow'd  light, 
The  stars  that  gild  the  gloomy  night, 
All  of  these,  and  all  I  see, 
Should  be  sung,  and  sung  by  me : 
These  praise  their  Maker  as  they  can, 
But  want,  and  ask  the  tongue  of  man." 

"I  am  full  of  business:  but  have  found  a  way  to  write,  without 
taking  any  time  from  that.  It  is  but  rising  an  hour  sooner  in  the 
morning,  and  going  into  company  an  hour  later  in  the  evening  ;  both 
which  may  be  done  without  any  inconvenience."  The  school  how- 
ever was  other  ways  disposed  of;  at  which  his  mother  was  well 
pleased.  "  I  am  not  sorry,"  says  she,  "  that  you  have  missed  the  school; 
that  way  of  life  would  not  agree  with  your  constitution  ;  and  I  hope 
God  has  better  work  for  you  to  do."  ^ 

Mr.  Wesley  saw,  that  a  loose  and  desultory  way  of  reading  and' 
studying,  was  not  the  way  to  accurate  knowledge;  and  to  avoid 
falling  into  this  error,  he  had,  some  time  before  he  took  his  master's 
degree,  laid  down  a  plan  of  study  which  he  now  closely  pursued. 
Certain  hours,  in  the  morning  and  afternoon,  of  each  day  in  the  week, 
22 


254 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


were  appropriated  to  the  study  of  certain  branches  of  knowledge : 
and  he  never  suffered  himself  to  deviate  from  the  rule  he  had  laid 
down.  Thus,  his  hours  of  study  on  Mondays  and  Tuesdays,  were 
devoted  to  the  Greek  and  Roman  classics,  historians  and  poets. — 
Wednesdays,  to  logic  and  ethics. — Thursdays,  to  Hebrew  and 
Arabic. — Fridays,  to  metaphysics  and  natural  pliilosophy. — Satur- 
days, to  oratory  and  poetry,  chiefly  composing. — Sundays,  to  divinity. 
In  the  intermediate  hours,  between  these  more  fixed  studies,  he 
perfected  himself  in  the  French  language,  which  he  had  begun  to 
learn  two  or  three  years  before :  he  also  read  a  great  variety  of 
modern  authors  in  almost  every  department  of  science.  His  method 
was  this:  he  first  read  an  author  regularly  through;  then,  in  the 
second  reading,  transcribed  into  his  collections,  such  passages  as  he 
thought  important,  either  for  the  information  they  contained,  or  the 
beauty  of  expression.  This  method  not  only  inured  him  to  industry 
and  accuracy,  but  it  considerably  increased  his  stock  of  knowledge, 
and  gave  him  a  familiar  acquaintance  with  the  authors  he  had  read. 

It  has  been  doubted  by  some  persons,  whether  the  mathematics 
entered  into  Mr.  Wesley's  plan  of  studies  at  the  university.  But 
among  the  authors  mentioned  in  his  Diary,  I  find,  Euclid,  Keil, 
S'Gravesande,  Sir  Isaac  Nowton,  &c.  and  he  seems  to  have  studied 
them  with  great  attention.  He  sometimes  amused  himself  with  ex- 
periments in  optics. 

It  has  been  before  observed,  that  his  father  had  two  livings.  He 
now  became  less  able  to  attend  to  the  duties  of  his  station,  than  for- 
merly; especially  as  it  was  difficult,  and  sometimes  dangerous  in  the 
winter,  to  pass  between  Epworth  and  Wroote :  and  it  was  not  easy 
to  procure  an  assistant  to  his  mind,  in  this  remote  corner  of  the  king- 
dom. He  was  therefore  desirous,  that  his  son,  Mr.  John  Wesley, 
should  come  into  the  country,  and  reside  chiefly  at  Wroote,  as  his 
curate.  Mr.  Wesley  complied  with  his  father's  request,  who  thus 
expresses  himself  in  a  letter  of  June, — "I  do  not  think  that  I  have 
thanked  you  enough  for  your  kind  and  dutiful  letter  of  the  14th 
instant.  When  you  come  hither,  your  head-quarters  will,  I  believe, 
for  the  most  part  be  at  Wroote,  and  mine  at  Epworth  ;  though  some- 
times making  a  change."  Accordingly,  he  left  Oxford  on  the  4th  of 
August;  and  coming  to  London,  spent  some  days  with  his  brother 
Samuel,  and  then  proceeded  on  his  journey  to  take  upon  him  his 
appointed  charge.  In  this  part  of  Lincolnshire,  the  ague  is  endemic, 
and  in  October  he  was  seized  with  it ;  at  the  same  time  he  was  called 
to  Oxford,  probaljly  to  oblige  Dr.  Morley,  the  Rector  of  Lincoln  Col- 
lege, on  some  election  business.  This  gentleman  had  rendered  such 
services  to  Mr.  Wesley,  in  his  election  to  Lincoln,  that  he  used  to  say, 
•'I  can  refuse  Dr.  Morley  nothing."  In  the  present  instance,  his 
gratitude  overcame  all  objections  against  travelling  on  horseback, 
through  wet  and  cold,  with  an  ague  upon  him.    He  reached  Oxford 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


m 


on  the  16th,  and  left  it  again  on  the  25th,  travelling  in  the  same  man- 
ner back  to  Wroote,  though  often  very  ill  on  the  road.  He  now 
continued  in  the  country  for  some  time,  still  pursuing  the  same  plan 
of  study,  as  far  as  the  nature  of  his  situation  would  permit. 

Mr.  Wesley's  general  knowledge,  and  agreeable  conversation  had 
endeared  him  to  all  his  acquaintance  at  Oxford.  He  was  a  most  en- 
gaging and  instructive  companion ;  open  and  communicative  to  his 
friends,  and  civil  and  obliging  to  all.  The  following  letter  will  set  this 
part  of  his  character  in  a  clear  light.  It  was  written  by  one  of  the  Fel- 
lows of  his  own  college,  who,  it  seems,  had  been  a  good  deal  absent, 
and  knew  little  of  him,  except  what  he  had  learned  from  the  report 
of  those  who  had  been  acquainted  with  him. 

"  Coll.  Line.  Dec.  28,  1727. 
"Sir, — Yesterday  I  had  the  satisfaction  of  receiving  your  kind  and 
obliging  letter,  whereby  you  have  given  me  a  singular  instance  of 
that  goodness  and  civility  which  is  essential  to  your  character ;  and 
strongly  confirmed  to  me,  the  many  encomiums  which  are  given  you 
in  this  respect,  by  all  who  have  the  happiness  to  know  you.  This 
makes  me  infinitely  desirous  of  your  acquaintance.  And  when  I 
consider  those  shining  qualities  Avhich  I  hear  daily  mentioned  in  your 
praise,  I  cannot  but  lament  the  great  misfortune  we  all  suffer,  in  the 
absence  of  so  agreeable  a  person  from  the  college.  But  I  please 
myself  with  the  thoughts  of  seeing  you  here  on  chapter-day,  and  of 
the  happiness  we  shall  have  in  your  company  in  the  summer.  In  the 
mean  time,  I  return  you  my  most  sincere  thanks  for  this  favor,  and 
assure  you,  that  if  it  should  ever  lie  in  my  power  to  serve  you,  no  one 
will  be  more  ready  to  do  it,  than,  sir. 

Your  most  obliged  and  most  humble  servant, 

"  Lew.  Fenton." 

Mr.  Wesley  continued  in  the  country  till  July,  1728,  when  he  re- 
turned by  way  of  London  to  Oxford,  where  he  arrived  on  the  27th  of 
this  month,  with  a  view  to  obtain  priests'  orders.  No  reason  is 
assigned,  why  he  was  not  ordained  priest  sooner:  it  is  evident,  how- 
ever, that  he  had  never  applied  for  it,  probably  on  account  of  his  age. 
On  Sunday,  the  22d  of  September,  he  was  ordained  priest,  by  Dr. 
Potter,  Bishop  of  Oxford,  who  had  ordained  him  deacon  in  1725. 
Mr.  Wesley  himself  has  made  a  mistake  in  the  date  of  his  ordination. 
In  the  first  part  of  his  Farther  Appeal,  he  says,  "I  was  ordained 
deacon  in  1725,  and  priest  in  the  year  following."  This  only  proves, 
that  in  giving  the  dates  of  things  which  had  taken  place,  he  did  not 
always  consult  his  diary,  but  trusted  to  his  memory,  which  some- 
times failed  him.  To  convince  the  reader,  that  I  have  given  the  true 
date,  I  will  insert  below  a  part  of  his  letter  of  Priests'  Orders.^ 

*  Tenor  prgesentium  nos  Johannes  permissione  divina  Oxon.  Episcopus,  Notum 
facimus  universis  quod  nos  Episcopus  antedictus  die  Dominico  (viz.)  Vicesimo  secundo 


256 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


October  1.  He  set  out  for  Lincolnshire,  and  did  not  again  visit 
Oxford  till  the  16th  of  June,  1729.  At  this  time  his  brother  Charles, 
Mr.  Morgan,  and  one  or  two  more,  had  just  formed  a  little  society, 
chiefly  to  assist  each  other  in  their  studies,  and  to  consult  on  the  best 
method  of  employing  their  time  to  advantage.  During  his  stay  here, 
he  was  almost  constantly  with  them  in  the  evenings  ;  but  about  the 
middle  of  August,  he  returned  to  his  charge  at  Wroote,  where  he  con- 
tinued till  he  received  the  following  letter  from  Dr.  Morley,  the 
Rector  of  his  college,  dated  the  21st  of  October. — "  At  a  meeting  of 
the  society,  just  before  I  left  college,  to  consider  of  the  proper  method 
to  preserve  discipline  and  good  government;  among  several  things 
agreed  on,  it  was  in  the  opinion  of  all  that  were  present,  judged  neces- 
sary that  the  junior  Fellows  who  should  be  chosen  Moderators,  shall 
in  person  attend  the  duties  of  their  office,  if  they  do  not  prevail  with 
some  of  the  Fellows  to  officiate  for  them.  We  all  thought  it  would 
be  a  great  hardship  on  Mr.  Fenton,  to  call  him  from  a  perpetual 
Curacy  or  Donative;  yet  this  we  must  have  done,  had  not  Mr. 
Hutchins  been  so  kind  to  him  and  us,  as  to  free  us  from  the  uneasi- 
ness of  doing  a  hard  thing,  by  engaging  to  supply  his  place  in  the 
hall  for  the  present  year.  Mr.  Robinson  would  as  willingly  supply 
yours,  but  the  serving  of  two  cures  about  fourteen  miles  from  Oxford, 
and  ten  at  least  as  bad  as  the  worst  of  your  roads  in  the  isle,  makes 
it,  he  says,  impossible  for  him  to  discharge  the  duty  constantly.  We 
hope  it  may  be  as  much  for  your  advantage  to  reside  at  college  as 
where  you  are,  if  you  take  pupils,  or  can  get  a  curacy  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  Oxon.  Your  father  may  certainly  have  another  curate, 
though  not  so  much  to  his  satisfaction :  yet  we  are  persuaded  that 
this  will  not  move  him  to  hinder  your  return  to  college,  since  the 
interest  of  college,  and  obligation  to  statute  requires  it." — In  conse- 
quence of  this  letter,  he  quitted  his  father's  curacy  at  Wroote.  and 
November  22,  came  to  reside  at  Oxford. 

die  mensis  Septembris,  Anno  Domini  Blillesimo  Septingentesimo  Vicesimo  octavo  in 
Ecclesia  Cathedrali  Christi  Oxon.  Sacros  Ordines  Dei  Omnipotentis  prgesidio  celebrantes  : 
Dilectum  nobis  in  Christo  Johannem  Wesley,  Artis  Magistrum,  e  Coll.  Lincoln.  Oxon. 
Socium. — ad  Sacrum  Presbyteratus  Ordinem  juxta  morem  et  ritus  Ecclesia;  Anglicanae 
admissimus  et  promovimus  ipsumque  in  Presbyterum  tunc  et  ibidem  rite  et  Canonice 
Ordinavimus.  Datum  sub  Sigillo  nostro  Episcopali  in  praemissorum  fidemac  testimonium 
die  mensis  Annoque  Domini  supra  expressis  et  nostrse  Consecrationis  Anno  decimo 
quarto.  Jo.  Oxon. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


257 


CHAPTER  II. 

OF  MR.  Wesley's  residence  at  oxford  from  November,  1729,  to  Octo- 
ber, 1735;  WITH  AN  account  OF  THE  PROCEEDINGS  OF  THE  FIRST  METH- 
ODIST SOCIETY,  DURING  THIS  PERIOD. 

Hitherto  we  have  viewed  Mr.  Wesley,  as  the  polite  collegian, 
rising  into  notice  and  esteem  for  his  literary  talents ;  and  in  the  hum- 
ble station  of  curate  to  his  father.  The  reader  will  observe,  that  he 
did  not  quit  this  station  from  discontent,  or  restless  ambition,  but  at 
the  call  of  the  heads  of  his  college.  It  is  manifest,  that  he  had  not 
the  least  conception  of  what  afterwards  followed.  In  consequence 
of  the  order  he  had  received,  he  now  entered  upon  a  new  situation : 
he  obtained  pupils,  and  became  a  tutor  in  the  college :  he  presided  in 
the  hall  as  moderator  in  the  disputations,  held  six  times  a  week,  and 
had  the  chief  direction  of  a  religious  society.  As  a  tutor  he  was 
singularly  dihgent  and  careful  of  his  pupils,  considering  himself 
responsible  for  them,  not  only  to  their  parents  and  the  community, 
but  to  God;  and  therefore  labored  to  make  them  both  scholars  and 
Christians.  Some  of  them  disapproved  of  his  religious  severities,  and 
refused  to  join  with  him  in  them,  but  still  continued  under  his  care 
as  pupils,  and  warmly  acknowledged  their  obligations  to  him.  As 
moderator  in  the  disputations,  he  acquired  a  facility  and  expertness 
in  arguing;  especially,  as  he  himself  observes,  "in  discerning  and 
pointing  out  well  covered  and  plausible  fallacies,"  which  afterwards 
gave  him  a  great  superiority  over  most  of  his  numerous  adversaries. 
But  his  endeavors  to  become  religious,  will  form  the  chief  subject  of 
this  chapter.  I  call  all  that  he  did  mere  endeavors,  because  he  did 
not  attain  the  end  which  he  aimed  at,  peace  of  mind,  comfort  in  God, 
and  a  command  over  all  his  passions.  He  was  a  long  time  before  he 
was  fully  convinced  that  his  own  endeavors  were  insufficient  to  give 
him  the  mind  that  was  in  Christ.  He  clearly  saw,  in  1725,  what  the 
gospel  was  intended  to  do  for  him,  and  for  all  mankind ;  to  be  the 
means  of  reconciling  him  to  God,  and  giving  him  a  title  to  the  heav- 
enly inheritance ;  of  cleansing  him  from  sin,  and  preparing  him  for 
the  enjoyment  of  heaven  :  and  he  retained  this  view  of  the  general 
design  of  the  gospel,  from  that  period  to  the  end  of  his  life,  without 
the  least  variation.  But  he  did  not  yet  understand  the  method  pro- 
posed in  the  gospel,  of  putting  a  sinner  in  possession  of  these  bless- 
ings, nor  the  order  in  which  the  mind  is  capable  of  acquiring  them. 
It  is  true,  he  read  the  Scriptures  daily,  at  this  time,  and  in  his  reli- 
gious researches  was  homo  unius  libri,  a  man  of  one  book.  But  his 
preconceived  opinions  were  as  a  blind  before  his  mind,  and  com- 
pletely hid  from  his  view,  the  gospel  method  of  attaining  present  sal- 
vation. This  is  no  reproach  to  Mr.  Wesley,  nor  any  objection  against 
22^  33 


258 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


the  doctrines  he  afterwards  embraced.  It  is  the  common  lot  of  all 
men  to  imbibe  in  their  youth,  notions  which  afterwards  hinder  them 
from  perceiving  the  most  obvious  truths.  It  is  well  known  that  the 
systems  of  natural  philosophy,  which  ingenious  men  have  formed  and 
taught  to  young  students,  have  been  the  chief  hinderances  to  the  pro- 
press  of  knowledge.=^  What  kept  his  mind  in  a  state  of  perplexity, 
was  a  confused  notion  of  justification ;  which  he  either  confounded 
with  sanctification,  or  thought  a  man  must  be  sanctified  before  he 
can  be  justified.  This  notion  hindered  him  from  perceiving,  that  to 
justify  in  the  language  of  Paul,  is  to  pardon  a  repenting  believing 
sinner,  as  an  act  of  grace ;  not  for  the  sake  of  any  previous  holiness 
in  him,  but  through  Jesus  Christ  alone.  As  soon  as  he  was  con- 
vinced of  this,  he  was  no  longer  embarrassed  and  perplexed ;  he  saw 
immediately  the  plan  which  the  gospel  proposes  of  reconciling  sinners 
to  God,  of  making  them  holy  in  heart  and  life,  and  of  giving  them  a 
sure  hope,  full  of  immortality. — But  let  us  attend  him  through  the 
period  appropriated  to  this  chapter,  and  we  shall  see  the  efforts  of  a 
great  mind  to  do  the  will  of  God;  and  every  step  we  take,  will  con- 
vince us  of  the  uprightness  of  his  intention. 

It  appears  from  the  account  I  have  given  of  Mr.  Charles  Wesley, 
that  for  more  than  two  years  before  this  time  he  had  studied  very 
hard,  and  through  his  brother's  advice  and  influence  was  become 
deeply  serious;  that  during  the  last  summer  he  had  received  the 
sacrament  weekly,  and  had  prevailed  on  two  or  three  young  men  to 
do  the  same;  and  that  these  gentlemen  had  occasionally  met  together 
for  the  purpose  of  assisting  and  encouraging  each  other  in  their  duty, 
and  of  regulating  their  employments  by  certain  rules.  The  regular 
method  of  arranging  their  studies  and  other  employments  procured 

*  The  two  following  instances  are  remarkable  proofs  of  this.  Galen,  was  well  ac- 
quainted with  the  difference  between  arteries  and  veins  ;  he  knew  the  effects  of  ligatures  in 
the  operation  of  bleeding,  and  had  all  the  principal  data  familiar  to  his  mind,  from  which 
Harvey  concluded,  that  the  blood  circulates  through  the  body.  Yet  Galen,  though  accus- 
tomed to  the  process  of  reasoning,  drew  no  such  conclusion  from  them ;  the  notion  that 
the  blood  moved  to  and  fro,  in  the  vessels,  like  the  flux  and  reflux  of  the  sea,  so  possessed 
and  blinded  his  mind,  that  he  could  not  perceive  a  consequence  which  naturally  and  obvi- 
ously followed  from  the  things  which  he  knew.  This  veil  remained  on  the  minds  of  phil- 
osophers and  physicians  for  about  fourteen  hundred  years,  so  that  Harvey  deserves  as 
much  praise  for  breaking  through  the  shackles  of  ancient  error,  and  impartially  following 
the  light  of  truth,  as  for  the  discovery  itself. 

When  Dr.  Priestley's  experiments  on  air,  were  first  published  in  France,  they  roused  the 
French  chymists  from  a  kind  of  lethargy  (c?e  Vengourdissement,  as  one  of  them  expresses  it,) 
yet  Macquer,  one  of  the  first  chymists,  not  only  in  France,  but  perhaps  in  Europe,  speak- 
ing of  the  discovery  of  the  nitrous  gas,  or  air,  has  frankly  acknowledged,  that  he  hardly 
thought  it  possible  an  experienced  chymist  would  ever  have  made  it.  That  his  principles 
would  have  hindered  him  from  attempting  the  experiment,  which  was  necessary  to  make 
the  discovery  in  question.  So  true  it  is,  that  though  in  general,  knowledge  acquired  leads 
the  mind  to  a  farther  progress,  yet,  if  we  place  too  much  confidence  in  received  opinions, 
and  in  the  consequences  we  draw  from  them,  they  may  sometimes  hinder  us  from  discov- 
ering the  most  obvious  truths.  See  Macquer's  Dictionnaire  de  Chymie.  Tom.  2,  page  323, 
Edit.  1778. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


259 


them  the  distinguishing  epithet  of  Methodists^  which  according  to 
Mr.  Charles,  was  given  them  before  his  brother  came  to  Oxford  in 
November.  This  is  probably  the  most  accurate  account ;  for  when 
Mr.  Wesley  speaks  of  this  appellation,  he  mentions  it  only  in  very 
general  terms,  without  attempting  to  state  at  what  period  of  the 
society  it  was  first  given.  "  The  exact  regularity  of  their  lives  as 
well  as  studies,"  says  he,  "occasioned  a  young  gentleman  of  Christ 
Church  to  say,  'here  is  a  new  set  oi  Methodists  sprung  up;'  alluding 
to  some  ancient  physicians  who  were  so  called.^  The  name  was 
new  and  quaint ;  so  it  took  immediately,  and  the  Methodists  were 
known  all  over  the  university. 

It  does  not  appear,  however,  that  these  gentlemen  met  together  at 
any  fixed  or  stated  times,  or  that  they  had  made  any  regulations  for 
this  purpose  before  Mr.  John  Wesley  joined  them.  When  he  came 
amongst  them,  they  gladly  committed  the  direction  of  the  whole  to 
him ;  and  from  this  time  the  society  began  to  assume  a  more  regular 
form ;  it  is  from  this  period  therefore,  that  he  commences  his  history 
of  it,  in  the  following  words : 

"In  November,  1729,  four  young  gentlemen  of  Oxford,  Mr.  John 
Wesley,  Fellow  of  Lincoln  College  ;  Mr.  Charles  Wesley,  student  of 
Christ  Church;  Mr.  Morgan,  commoner  of  Christ  Church  ;  and  Mr. 
Kirkman,  of  Merton  College ;  began  to  spend  some  evenings  in  a 
week  together,  in  reading  chiefly  the  Greek  Testament.  The  next 
year  two  or  three  of  Mr.  John  Wesley's  pupils  desired  the  liberty  of 
meeting  with  them;  and  afterwards  one  of  Mr.  Charles  Wesley's 
pupils.  It  was  in  1732,  that  Mr.  Ingham  of  Queen's  College,  and 
Mr.  Broughton  of  Exeter,  were  added  to  their  number.  To  these  in 
April,  was  joined  Mr.  Clayton  of  Brazen-Nose,  with  two  or  three  of 
his  pupils.  About  the  same  time  Mr.  James  Harvey  was  permitted  to 
meet  with  them,  and  afterwards  Mr.  Whitefield."  f 

*  Themison  was  the  founder  of  this  sect,  about  thirty  or  forty  years  before  the  Christian 
era  ;  and  it  flourished,  according  to  Alpinus,  about  three  hundred  years.  Le  Clerc  in- 
forms us,  that  the  physicians  of  this  sect  were  called  Methodists,  because  they  took  it  into 
their  head,  to  find  out  a  more  easy  method  of  teaching  and  practising  the  art  of  physic. 
However  this  may  be,  it  is  certain  that  some  of  the  greatest  physicians  of  the  time  in 
which  the  sect  flourished,  were  Methodists.  That  Themison  was  a  man  of  the  most  ex- 
tensive practice,  is  evidently  implied  in  the  words  of  Juvenal,  if  he  speaks  of  the  same 
person,  which  is  generally  supposed.  He  is  describing  the  infirmities  of  an  old  man,  and 
observes, 

 Circumfilit  agmine  facto 

Morborum  omne  genus,  quorum  si  nomina  quceras 

Fromptius  expediam  

Quot  Themison  cegros  autumno  accident  uno. 

"  A  whole  troop  of  all  kinds  of  diseases  rush  upon  him  on  all  sides ;  if  you  ask 
their  names,  I  could  as  soon  reckon  up  how  many  patients  Themison  killed  in  one 
autumn." — Had  his  practice,  however,  been  very  unsuccessful,  it  is  not  probable  it  would 
have  been  so  extensive  as  to  become  almost  proverbial. 

•f  Wesley's  Works,  vol.  xv.  page  375. 


260 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


These  four  young  gentlemen  continued  their  meetings  for  some  time, 
without  any  other  views  than  their  own  benefit.  But  in  the  summer 
of  1730,  Mr.  Morgan  called  at  the  gaol  to  see  a  man  who  was  con- 
demned for  killing  his  wife,  and  told  them,  that,  from  the  conver- 
sation he  had  with  one  of  the  debtors,  he  verily  believed  it  would  do 
much  good  if  any  one  would  be  at  the  pains  of  now  and  then  speak- 
ing with  them.  Having  mentioned  this  several  times,  Mr.  Wesley 
and  his  brother  Charles,  went  with  him  on  the  24th  of  August  to  the 
castle,  and  were  so  well  satisfied  with  their  visit,  that  they  deter- 
mined to  go  thither  once  or  twice  a  week.  They  had  not  done  this 
long,  before  Mr.  Morgan,  who  seems  to  have  led  the  way  in  acts  of 
charity  ^nd  benevolence  to  others,  desired  Mr.  Wesley  to  go  with  him 
to  see  a  poor  woman  in  the  town  who  was  sick.  When  they  began 
to  reflect  on  the  benefit  this  might  be  of  to  the  poor,  they  thought  it 
would  be  well  worth  while  to  spend  two  or  three  hours  in  the  week 
in  this  species  of  charity,  especially  if  the  minister  of  the  parish  in 
which  such  person  was,  did  not  object  to  it.  But  as  this  practice 
was  quite  new^  and  had  an  appearance  of  irregularity,  on  which  ac- 
count it  might  give  ofience,  Mr.  Wesley  did  not  choose  to  proceed 
any  further  without  advice.  He  wrote  to  his  father,  who  was 
remarkably  attached  to  regularity  and  church-order,  stating  what 
they  had  hitherto  done,  and  what  their  design  was ;  begging  to 
have  his  opinion  whether  they  had  already  gone  too  far  ?  Whether 
they  should  stand  still  where  they  were,  or  go  forward? 

His  father's  answer  is  dated  September  21,  in  which  he  says,  '-'As 
to  your  own  designs  and  employments,  what  can  I  say  less  of  them 
than  valde  'proho ;  and  that  I  have  the  highest  reason  to  bless  God, 
that  he  has  given  me  two  sons  together  at  Oxford,  to  whom  he  has 
given  grace  and  courage  to  turn  the  war  against  the  world  and  the 
devil,  which  is  the  best  way  to  conquer  them.  They  have  but  one 
enemy  more  to  combat  with,  the  flesh ;  which  if  they  take  care  to 
subdue  by  fasting  and  prayer,  there  will  be  no  more  for  them  to  do, 
but  to  proceed  steadily  in  the  same  course,  and  expect  the  crown 
which  fadeth  not  away.  You  have  reason  to  bless  God,  as  I  do,  that 
you  have  so  fast  a  friend  as  Mr.  Morgan,  who  I  see  in  the  most 
difiicult  service,  is  ready  to  break  the  ice  for  you. 

"  I  am  afraid  lest  the  main  objection  you  make  against  your  going 
on  in  the  business  of  the  prisoners,  may  secretly  proceed  from  flesh 
and  blood.  For  who  can  harm  you  if  you  are  followers  of  that  \vhich 
is  so  good  ?  And  which  will  be  one  of  the  marks  by  which  the 
Shepherd  of  Israel  will  know  his  sheep  at  the  last  day.  Though,  if 
it  were  possible  for  you  to  sutler  a  little  in  the  cause,  you  would  have 
a  confessor's  reward.  You  own  that  none  but  such  as  are  out  of 
their  senses  would  be  prejudiced  against  you  for  acting  in  this  man- 
ner. Go  on  then  in  God's  name  in  the  path  to  which  your  Saviour 
has  directed  you,  and  that  track  wherein  your  father  has  gone  before 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


261 


you?  For  when  I  was  an  undergraduate,  I  visited  those  in  the 
castle  there,  and  reflect  on  it  with  great  satisfaction  to  this  day. 
Walk  as  prudently  as  you  can,  though  not  fearfully,  and  my  heart 
and  prayers  are  with  you. 

"Your  first  regular  step  is  to  consult  with  him,  if  any  such  there 
be,  who  has  a  jurisdiction  over  the  prisoners ;  and  the  next  is  to 
obtain  the  direction  and  approbation  of  your  bishop.  This  is  Mon- 
day morning,  at  which  time  I  shall  never  forget  you. — Accordingly, 
to  him  who  is  every  where,  I  now  heartily  commit  you." 

This  advice,  from  a  person  on  whose  judgment,  experience,  and 
orthodoxy  they  could  depend,  gave  them  courage:  it  confirmed  them 
in  their  benevolent  purposes,  and  animated  them  with  zeal  in  the 
execution  of  them.  They  carefully  attended,  however,  to  the  pru- 
dential directions ;  and  Mr.  Wesley  immediately  consulted  Mr.  Gerard, 
the  Bishop  of  Oxford's  chaplain,  who  likewise  attended  the  prisoners 
when  any  were  condemned  to  die,  for  at  other  times  they  were  left  to 
their  own  care.  He  proposed  to  him  their  design  of  serving  the 
prisoners  as  far  as  they  could,  and  his  own  intention  of  preaching 
there  once  a  month,  if  the  bishop  should  approve  of  it.  Mr.  Gerard 
commended  the  design,  and  said  he  would  answer  for  the  bishop's 
approbation,  to  whom  he  would  take  the  first  opportunity  of  mention- 
ing it.  The  bishop  being  consulted,  not  only  gave  his  permission, 
but  was  highly  pleased  with  the  undertaking,  and  hoped  it  would 
have  the  desired  success.  • 

Sheltered  by  such  respectable  authority,  they  thought  themselves 
secure,  and  prosecuted  their  design  with  diligence.  But  no  human 
authority  is  sufficient  to  restrain  the  overflowings  of  a  mind  at  enmity 
with  God.  The  old  drones  in  religion,  who  retain  little  of  Christianity 
but  the  name,  think  themselves  insulted  by  any  extraordinary  piety 
and  zeal  in  young  men  :  and  the  gay  and  thoughtless  are  irritated, 
because  they  think  their  peculiar  pleasures  and  whole  manner  of  life 
is  thereby  condemned.  Thus  the  case  seems  to  have  stood  between 
these  young  men  and  their  opponents  at  Oxford.  The  opposition 
increased.  The  men  of  wit  in  Christ  Church  entered  the  lists  against 
them,  and  between  mirth  and  anger,  made  a  pretty  many  reflections 
upon  the  sacramentarians,  as  they  were  pleased  to  call  them.  Their 
allies  of  Merton,  thought  both  this  and  the  title  of  Methodists,  too 
decent,  as  implying  something  commendable;  they  therefore  changed 
it,  and  honored  them  with  the  title  of  the  Holy  Club.  But  most  of 
these  being  persons  of  Avell  known  characters,  they  made  no  proselytes 
from  the  sacrament,  till  a  gentleman  eminent  for  learning,  and  well 
esteemed  for  piety,  joining  them,  told  his  nephew,  that  if  he  dared  to 
go  to  the  weekly  communion  any  longer,  he  would  turn  him  out  of 
doors.  This  argument  had  no  success ;  the  young  gentleman  com- 
municated next  week.  The  uncle  now  became  more  violent,  and 
shook  his  nephew  by  the  throat,  to  convince  him  more  effectually, 


262 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


that  receiving  the  sacrament  every  week  was  founded  in  error  :  but 
this  argument  appearing  to  the  young  gentleman  to  have  no  weight 
in  it,  he  continued  his  usual  practice.  This  eminent  person,  so  well 
esteemed  for  piety,  was  however  indefatigable  in  his  endeavors  to 
suppress  it.  He  now  changed  the  mode  of  attack,  and  like  a  true 
agent  of  satan,  kept  close  to  the  letter  of  the  Apostle's  advice,  but 
grossly  perverted  the  spirit  of  it.  By  a  soft  obliging  manner  towards 
him,  he  melted  down  the  young  gentleman's  resolution  of  being 
so  strictly  religious,  and  from  this  time  he  began  to  absent  himself 
five  Sundays  out  of  six,  from  the  sacrament.  This  success  gave  the 
opposition  new  strength,  and  one  of  the  seniors  of  the  college  consult- 
ing with  the  doctor,  they  prevailed  with  two  other  young  gentlemen 
to  promise  they  would  only  communicate  three  times  a  year. 

The  opposition  noAv  becoming  more  serious,  by  some  persons  of  in- 
fluence taking  so  decided  a  part  against  them,  the  two  Mr.  Wesleys 
wrote  to  their  father  again,  stating  their  situation,  and  asking 
further  advice.  His  answer,  which  is  dated  December  1,  now  lies 
before  me. 

"  This  day  I  received  both  yours,  and  this  evening,  in  the  course 
of  our  reading,  I  thought  I  found  an  answer  that  would  be  more 
proper  than  any  I  myself  could  dictate;  though  since  it  will  not  be 
easily  translated,  I  send  it  in  the  original.  UoIItj  /not  Kav/r^aig  vtt^q  vfjo)v- 

nB7i).rfO0)Uuv  IT]  Tiaguy.XrjcrsL'  vrcegneQiaaevouui  ttj  )^uoa.^     What  WOUld  yOU 

be?  Would  you  be  angels?  I  question  whether  a  mortal  can  ar- 
rive to  a  greater  degree  of  perfection  than  steadily  to  do  good,  and  for 
that  very  reason  patiently  and  meekly  to  suffer  evil.  For  my  part, 
on  the  present  view  of  your  actions  and  designs,  my  daily  prayers  are 
that  God  would  keep  you  humble :  and  then  I  am  sure  that  if  you 
continue  to  suffer  for  righteousness'  sake,  though  it  be  but  in  a  lower 
degree,  the  spirit  of  God  and  of  glory  shall  in  some  good  measure  rest 
upon  you.  And  you  cannot  but  feel  such  a  satisfaction  in  your  own 
minds  as  you  would  not  part  with  for  all  the  world.  Be  never  weary  of 
well-doing :  never  look  back,  for  you  know  the  prize  and  the  crown 
are  before  you  :  though  I  can  scarce  think  so  meanly  of  you,  as  that 
you  should  be  discouraged  with  the  crackling  of  thorns  under  a  pot. 
Be  not  high-minded,  but  fear.  Preserve  an  equal  temper  of  mind 
under  whatever  treatment  you  meet  with,  from  a  not  very  just  or 
well-natured  world.  Bear  no  more  sail  than  is  necessary,  but  steer 
steady.  The  less  you  value  yourselves  for  these  unfashionable  duties 
(as  there  is  no  such  thing  as  works  of  supererogation)  the  more  all 
good  and  wise  men  will  value  you,  if  they  see  your  works  are  all  of 
a  piece  ;  or  which  is  infinitely  more,  he,  by  whom  actions  and  inten- 
tions are  weighed,  will  both  accept,  esteem,  and  reward  you. 

"  I  hear  my  son  John  has  the  honor  of  being  styled  the  father  of 

*  2  Cor.  vii.  4.  Great  is  my  glorying  of  you.  I  am  filled  -vv-ith  comfort.  I  am  exceed- 
ing joyful. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


the  Holy  Club :  if  it  be  so,  I  am  sure  I  must  be  grandfather  of  it ; 
and  I  need  not  say,  that  I  had  rather  any  of  my  sons  sliould  be  so 
dignified  and  distinguished,  than  to  have  the  title  of  His  Holiness." 

In  the  same  letter  he  advises  them  to  use  great  mildness  towards 
their  persecutors,  but  at  the  same  time  to  avoid  a  mean  or  sneaking 
behavior,  and  rather  to  show  an  open  manly  firmness,  which  is 
highly  becoming  in  a  mind  conscious  of  acting  well. 

In  answer  to  this,  Mr.  Wesley  wrote  to  his  father  December  11. 
He  says,  "  We  all  return  you  our  sincere  thanks  for  your  timely  and 
necessary  advice ;  and  should  be  exceedingly  glad  if  it  were  as  easy 
to  follow  it,  as  it  is  impossible  not  to  approve  it.  That  doubtless  is 
the  very  point  we  have  to  gain,  before  any  other  can  be  managed 
successfully,  to  have  an  habitual  lively  sense  of  our  being  only  in- 
struments in  his  hand,  who  can  do  all  things  either  with  or  without 
any  instrument.  But  how  to  fix  this  sense  in  us,  is  the  great  ques- 
tion.— We  hope  you  and  all  our  friends  will  continue  to  intercede 
for  us,  to  him  with  whom  all  things  are  possible. 

"To-morrow  night  I  expect  to  be  in  company  with  the  gentleman 
who  did  us  the  honor  to  take  the  first  notice  of  our  little  society.  I 
have  terrible  reasons  to  think  he  is  as  slenderly  provided  with 
humanity  as  with  sense  and  learning.  However,  I  must  not  let  slip 
this  opportunity,  because  he  is  at  present  in  some  distress,  occasioned 
by  his  being  obliged  to  dispute  in  the  schools  on  Monday;  though  he 
is  not  furnished  with  such  arguments  as  he  wants.  I  intend,  if  he 
has  not  procured  them  before,  to  help  him  to  some  arguments,  that  I 
may  at  least  remove  that  prejudice  from  him,  that  '  we  are  friends 
to  none  but  those  who  are  as  queer  as  ourselves.'  " 

Under  the  encouragement  of  his  father's  letter  they  still  continued 
to  meet  together  as  usual,  and  to  confirm  one  another  in  their  pious 
resolutions.  They  communicated  once  a  week.  They  visited  the 
prisoners,  and  some  poor  families  in  the  town  when  they  were  sick ; 
and  that  they  might  have  wherewith  to  relieve  their  distress,  they 
abridged  themselves  of  all  the  superfluities  and  of  many  of  the  con- 
veniences of  life.  They  took  every  opportunity  of  conversing  with 
their  acquaintance  in  the  most  useful  manner,  to  awaken  in  them  a 
sense  of  religion.  But  the  outcry  daily  increasing,  they  thought  it 
proper,  by  way  of  self-defence,  to  propose  to  their  friends  or  opponents 
as  opportunity  offered,  these  or  the  like  questions : 

'4.  Whether  it  does  not  concern  all  men  of  all  conditions  to  imitate 
him  as  much  as  they  can,  who  went  about  doing  good  ? 

Whether  all  Christians  are  not  concerned  in  that  command, 
'While  we  have  time  let  us  do  good  to  all  men.' 

Whether  we  shall  not  be  more  happy  hereafter,  the  more  good  we 
do  now  7 

2.  Whether  we  may  not  try  to  do  good  to  our  acquaintance  among 
the  young  gentlemen  of  the  university.    Particularly,  whether  we 


264 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


may  not  endeavor  to  convince  them  of  the  necessity  of  being  Chris- 
tians, and  of  being  scholars  ? 

Whether  we  may  not  try  to  convince  them  of  the  necessity  of 
method  and  industry,  in  order  to  either  learning  or  virtue  ? 

Whether  we  may  not  try  to  persuade  them  to  confirm  and  increase 
their  industry,  by  communicating  as  often  as  they  can  7 

Whether  we  may  not  mention  to  them  the  authors  whom  we  con- 
ceive to  have  written  best  on  those  subjects  ? 

Whether  we  may  not  assist  them  as  we  are  able,  from  time  to  time, 
to  form  resolutions  upon  what  they  read  in  those  authors,  and  to 
execute  them  with  steadiness  and  perseverance  ? 

3.  May  we  not  try  to  do  good  to  those  who  are  hungry,  naked,  or 
sick  ?  If  we  know  any  necessitous  family,  may  we  not  give  them  a 
little  food,  clothes,  or  physic,  as  they  want  7 

If  they  can  read,  may  we  not  give  them  a  Bible,  a  Common  Prayer 
Book,  or  a  Whole  Duty  of  Man  ? 

May  we  not  inquire,  now  and  then,  how  they  have  used  them ; 
explain  what  they  do  not  understand,  and  enforce  what  they  do? 

May  we  not  enforce  upon  them  the  necessity  of  private  prayer, 
and  of  frequenting  the  church  and  sacrament? 

May  we  not  contribute  what  we  are  able,  toward  having  their  chil- 
dren clothed,  and  taught  to  read  ? 

4.  May  we  not  try  to  do  good  to  those  who  are  in  prison  ?  May 
we  not  release  such  well-disposed  persons  as  remain  in  prison  for 
small  debts  ? 

May  we  not  lend  small  sums  to  those  who  are  of  any  trade,  that 
they  may  procure  themselves  tools  and  materials  to  work  with  ? 

May  we  not  give  to  them  who  appear  to  want  it  most,  a  little 
money,  or  clothes,  or  physic?" 

It  was  impossible  for  any  person,  who  had  a  grain  of  either 
humanity  or  religion  left,  to  answer  these  questions  in  the  negative, 
however  averse  he  might  be  to  practise  the  duties  proposed  in  them. 
No  one  attempted  it ;  but  several,  when  they  understood  the  plan  of 
their  designs,  increased  their  little  stock  of  money  for  the  prisoners 
and  the  poor,  by  subscribing  something  quarterly  to  it ;  so  that  the 
more  persons  they  proposed  their  designs  to,  the  more  they  were  con- 
firmed in  the  belief  that  they  were  acting  right,  and  more  determined 
to  pursue  their  plan,  notwithstanding  the  ridicule  which  increased 
fast  upon  them  during  the  winter. 

It  appears  from  the  questions  here  proposed,  which  relate  to  the 
students,  that  Mr.  Wesley  was  not  inattentive  to  their  progress  in 
learning,  though  he  endeavored  to  make  them  religious.  His  regular 
method  of  study,  his  diligence,  and  great  care  to  make  his  pupils 
thoroughly  understand  every  thing  they  read,  were  admirably  adapted 
to  make  them  scholars.    It  is  indeed  universally  allowed,  that  he 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY.  2^ 

was  an  excellent  tutor,  and  his  pupils  have  in  general  acknowledged 
themselves  under  infinite  obligations  to  him  on  this  account. 

This  year,  Mr.  Wesley  and  his  brother  Charles,  began  the  practice 
of  conversing  together  in  Latin,  whenever  they  were  alone ;  chiefly 
with  a  view  of  acquiring  a  facility  in  expressing  themselves  in  this 
language,  on  all  occasions,  with  perspicuity,  energy,  and  elegance. 
This  practice  they  continued  for  near  sixty  years;  and  with  such 
success,  that  if  their  style  did  not  equal,  it  certainly,  on  some  sub- 
jects, approached  nearer  to  the  best  models  of  conversation  in  the 
Augustan  age,  than  many  of  the  learned  have  thought  it  possible  to 
attain. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  year  1731,  a  meeting  was  held  by  several 
of  the  seniors  of  the  college,  to  consult  on  the  speediest  way  to  stop 
the  progress  of  enthusiasm  in  it.  Mr.  Wesley  and  his  friends  did  not 
learn  what  was  the  result  of  this  very  pious  consultation ;  but  it  was 

soon  publicly  reported,  that  Dr.  and  the  Censors  were  going 

to  blow  up  the  Godly  Club.  This  was  now  their  common  title; 
though  they  were  sometimes  dignified  with  that  of  the  Enthusiasts, 
or  the  Reforming  Club. — It  is  curious  to  observe,  the  different  modes 
of  attack  sometimes  made  use  of,  both  against  persons  and  doctrines. 
When  the  opposers  can  derive  no  advantage,  either  from  Scripture  or 
reason,  they  give  bad  names  to  the  best  things ;  in  order  to  prejudice 
the  minds  of  those,  who  never  think  for  themselves. 

As  new  difficulties  arose,  Mr.  Wesley  lost  no  opportunity  of  con- 
sulting his  friends.  He  now  wrote  to  his  brother  Samuel,  at  West- 
minster; whose  answer  is  dated  April — "I  designed,"  says  he,  "to 
have  written  to  Mr.  Bateman,  to  whom  I  read  part  of  your  last  let- 
ter, concerning  the  execrable  consultation  in  order  to  stop  the  progress 
of  religion,  by  giving  it  a  false  name.  He  lifted  up  his  eyes  and 
hands,  and  protested  he  could  not  have  believed  such  a  thing.  He 
gave  Mr.  Morgan  a  very  good  character,  and  said  he  should  always 
think  himself  obliged  to  him,  for  the  pains  he  took  in  reclaiming  a 
young  pupil  of  his,  who  was  just  got  into  ill  company,  and  upon  the 
brink  of  destruction. — I  do  not  like  your  being  called  a  club,  that 
name  is  really  calculated  to  do  mischief.  But  the  other  charge  of 
enthusiasm  can  weigh  with  none,  but  such  as  drink  away  their 
senses,  or  never  had  any:  for  surely  activity  in  social  duties,  and  a 
strict  attendance  on  the  ordained  means  of  grace,  are  the  strongest 
guards  imaginable  against  it.  I  called  on  Dr.  Terry,  to  desire  him 
to  subscribe  to  Job,  but  did  not  meet  with  him  at  home ;  in  two  or 
three  days,  O  rem  ridiculam  et  jocosam  !  he  did  me  the  favor  to  call 
upon  me.  I  said,  I  hope  my  two  brothers  have  still  good  characters 
at  Oxford, — he  answered  he  believed  they  were  studious  and  sober. 
When  he  was  got  down  stairs  he  turned  about,  and  said,  I  think  I 
have  heard  your  brothers  are  exemplary  and  take  great  pains  to  instil 
good  principles  into  young  people.  I  told  him,  and  you  may  guess  I; 
23  34 


266 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


told  him  the  truth,  I  was  very  glad  to  hear  such  a  character  of  them, 
especially  from  himy — From  the  last  words,  it  is  pretty  plain,  that 
Dr.  Terry  was  an  avowed  opposer  of  Mr.  Wesley  and  his  friends, 
though  he  was  constrained  to  bear  testimony  to  the  goodness  of  their 
characters  :  but  whether  he  was  the  grave  gentleman  who  so  piously 
took  his  nephew  by  the  throat  to  convert  him  to  his  own  way  of 
thinking  and  acting;  and  who  consulted  with  the  censors  how  to  stop 
the  progress  of  religion  among  them,  is  not  certain. 

In  the  midst  of  such  opposition,  Mr.  Wesley  thought  it  prudent  to 
take  every  method  in  his  power,  to  prevent  the  good  that  was  in  them 
from  being  evil  spoken  of;  and  with  this  view,  and  to  obtain  further 
advice,  he  wrote  in  May,  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Hoole,*=  an  aged  clergyman 
in  his  father's  neighborhood,  of  known  wisdom  and  integrity.  Part 
of  his  answer  runs  thus:f  ''As  to  my  own  sense  of  the  matter,  1 
confess  I  cannot  but  heartily  approve  of  that  serious  and  religious 
turn  of  mind  that  prompts  you  and  your  associates  to  those  pious  and 
charitable  offices ;  and  can  have  no  notion  of  that  man's  religion,  or 
concern  for  the  honor  of  the  university,  that  opposes  you,  as  far  as 
your  design  respects  the  colleges.  I  should  be  loth  to  send  a  son  of 
mine  to  any  seminary,  where  his  conversation  with  virtuous  young 
men,  whose  professed  design  of  meeting  together  at  proper  times,  was 
to  assist  each  other  in  forming  good  resolutions,  and  encouraging  one 
another  to  execute  them  with  constancy  and  steadiness,  was  incon- 
sistent with  any  received  maxims  or  rules  of  life  among  the 
members." 

On  the  18th  of  April  Mr.  Wesley,  in  company  w4th  his  brother,  set 
out  on  foot  for  Epworth  ;  for  they  now  saved  every  penny  they  could, 
to  give  it  to  the  poor.  They  returned  to  Oxford  on  the  I2th  of  May, 
and  on  the  11th  of  June  he  wrote  to  his  father,  giving  him  a  very 
discouraging  account  of  their  little  society.  With  respect  to  their 
walk  he  observes,  that  it  was  not  so  pleasant  to  Oxford  as  from  it, 
though  in  one  respect  more  useful.  "For  it  let  us  see,"  says  he, 
"  that  four  or  five  and  twenty  miles  is  an  easy  and  safe  day's  journey 
in  hot  weather  as  well  as  cold.  We  have  made  another  discovery 
too,  which  may  be  of  some  service ;  that  it  is  easy  to  read  as  we 
walk  ten  or  twelve  miles,  and  that  it  neither  makes  us  faint  nor  gives 
us  any  other  symptom  of  weariness,  more  than  the  mere  walking 
without  reading  at  all. 

Since  our  return,  our  little  company  that  used  to  meet  us  on  a 
Sunday  evening,  is  shrunk  into  almost  none  at  all.  Mr.  Morgan  is 
sick  at  Holt ;  Mr.  Boyce  is  at  his  father's  house  at  Barton;  Mr.  Kirk- 
ham  must  very  shortly  leave  Oxford,  to  be  his  uncle's  curate,  and  a 
young  gentleman  of  Christ  Church,  who  used  to  make  a  fourth, 
either  afraid  or  ashamed  or  both,  is  returned  to  the  ways  of  the  world, 
and  studiously  shuns  our  company.    However,  the  poor  at  the  castle 


*  Private  Diary. 


t  Wesley's  "Works,  vol.  xivi.  p.  99. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


have  still  the  gospel  preached  to  them,  and  some  of  their  temporal 
wants  supplied,  our  little  fund  rather  increasing  than  diminishing. 
Nor  have  we  yet  been  forced  to  discharge  any  of  the  children  which 
Mr.  Morgan  left  to  our  care :  though  I  wish  they  too,  do  not  find  the 
want  of  him ;  I  am  sure  some  of  their  parents  will. 

''Some  however  give  us  a  better  prospect;  John  Whitelamb  in 
particular.  I  believe  with  this  you  will  receive  some  account  from 
himself,  how  his  time  is  employed.  He  reads  one  English,  one  Latin, 
and  one  Greek  book  alternately ;  and  never  meddles  with  a  new  one 
in  any  of  the  languages,  till  he  has  ended  the  old  one.  If  he  goes  on 
as  he  has  begun,  I  dare  take  upon  me  to  say,  that  by  the  time  he  has 
been  here  four  or  five  years,  there  will  not  be  such  an  one,  of  his 
standing  in  Lincoln-College,  perhaps  not  in  the  university  of  Oxford." 

But  notwithstanding  their  little  company  was  thus  scattered,  and 
they  left  to  stand  alone,  yet  they  still  pursued  their  designs  of  doing 
as  much  good  as  possible,  with  the  same  diligence  and  zeal  as  before. 
How  few  attain  to  this  steadiness  of  mind  in  that  which  is  good ! 
Who  will  support  an  uniform  character  in  an  unfashionable  attach- 
ment to  the  duties  of  religion  in  every  situation,  uninfluenced  by 
friends  or  enemies  7  Surely  none  but  those  who  act  from  principle, 
who  do  not  consider  so  much  what  men  say  or  do,  as  what  judgment 
God  forms  of  them  in  every  action  of  life.  The  present  situation  of 
these  two  young  men  tried  and  proved  them  in  this  respect,  and  they 
stood  firm  as  the  beaten  anvil  to  the  stroke.  Some  of  their  friends 
however  began  to  think  that  they  carried  matters  too  far,  and  laid  un- 
necessary burdens  on  themselves.  This  subject  Mr.  Wesley  mentions 
in  a  letter  to  his  mother  of  the  same  date  with  that  mentioned  above 
to  his  father,  giving  her  at  the  same  time  some  account  of  the  efiects 
of  their  journey. 

"  The  motion  and  sun  together,"  says  he,  "  in  our  last  hundred  and 
fifty  miles'  walk  so  thoroughly  carried  off"  all  our  superfluous  humors, 
that  we  continue  perfectly  in  health,  though  it  is  here  a  very  sickly 
season.  And  Mr.  Kirkham  assures  us,  on  the  word  of  a  priest  and  a 
physician,  that  if  we  will  but  take  the  same  medicine  once  or  twice  a 
year,  we  shall  never  need  any  other  to  keep  us  from  the  gout. — 
When  we  were  with  him,  we  touched  two  or  three  times  upon  a  nice 
subject,  but  did  not  come  to  any  full  conclusion.  The  point  debated 
was,  w^hat  is  the  meaning  of  being  '  righteous  over  much,'  or  by  the 
more  common  phrase  of,  being  too  strict  in  religion  ?  and  what  dan- 
ger there  was  of  any  of  us  falling  into  that  extreme  7 

"All  the  ways  of  being  too  righteous  or  too  strict,  which  we  could 
think  of,  were  these :  either  the  carrying  some  one  particular  virtue 
to  so  great  a  height,  as  to  make  it  clash  with  some  others ;  or,  the 
laying  too  much  stress  on  the  instituted  means  of  grace,  to  the  neg- 
lect of  the  weightier  matters  of  the  law ;  or,  the  multiplying  pruden- 
tial means  upon  ourselves  so  far,  and  binding  ourselves  to  the  obser- 


268 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


vance  of  them  so  strictly,  as  to  obstruct  the  end  we  aimed  at  by  them, 
either  by  hindering  our  advance  in  heavenly  affections  in  general,  or 
by  retarding  our  progress  in  some  particular  virtue.  Our  opponents 
seemed  to  think  my  brother  and  I  in  some  danger  of  being  too  strict  in 
this  last  sense;  of  laying  burdens  on  ourselves  too  heavy  to  be  borne, 
and  consequently  too  heavy  to  be  of  any  use  to  us. 

"  It  is  easy  to  observe,  that  almost  every  one  thinks  that  rule  to- 
tally needless,  which  he  does  not  need  himself  ;  and  as  to  the  chris- 
tian spirit  itself,  almost  every  one  calls  that  degree  of  it  which  he 
does  not  himself  aim  at,  enthusiasm.  If  therefore  we  plead  for  either 
(not  as  if  we  thought  the  former  absolutely  needful,  neither  as  if  we 
had  attained  the  latter)  it  is  no  great  wonder  that  they  who  are  not 
for  us  in  practice  should  be  against  us.  If  you  who  are  a  less  preju- 
diced judge,  have  perceived  us  faulty  in  this  matter,  too  superstitious 
or  enthusiastic,  or  whatever  it  is  to  be  called ;  we  earnestly  desire  to 
be  speedily  informed  of  our  error,  that  we  may  no  longer  spend  our 
strength  on  that  which  profiteth  not.  Or  whatever  there  may  be  on 
the  other  hand,  in  which  you  have  observed  us  to  be  too  remiss,  that 
likewise  we  desire  to  know  as  soon  as  possible.  This  is  a  subject 
which  we  would  understand  with  as  much  accuracy  as  possible,  it 
being  hard  to  say  which  is  of  the  worse  consequence :  the  being  too 
strict,  the  really  carrying  things  too  far,  the  wearying  ourselves  and 
spending  our  strength  in  burdens  that  are  unnecessary ;  or  the  being 
frightened  by  those  terrible  words,  from  what,  if  not  directly  neces- 
sary, would  at  least  be  useful." 

The  reader  will  easily  observe  that  this  letter,  written  to  a  parent, 
to  whom  he  often  laid  open  all  his  heart  without  the  least  restraint  or 
disguise,  speaks  a  mind  ardently  bent  on  a  total  devotion  to  God,  and 
anxious  to  discover  the  most  excellent  way  of  attaining  it.  The  fol- 
lowing letter  written  in  November  to  his  brother  Samuel,  treats  on 
the  same  subject  he  had  mentioned  to  his  mother,  and  discovers  his 
sentiments  more  at  large.  It  seems  Mr.  Samuel  Wesley  had  suggest- 
ed to  him,  that  in  his  general  seriousness,  and  in  one  or  two  other 
points  of  behavior,  he  carried  matters  too  far :  that  these  little  things 
might  give  a  prejudice  against  other  parts  of  his  conduct  that  were 
excellent,  and  of  the  utmost  importance ;  and  that  he  might  relax  a 
Uttle  in  these  smaller  matters  without  injuring  his  general  design.  In 
answer  to  these  remarks  of  his  brother,  he  says;  "  Considering  the 
other  changes  that  I  remember  in  myself,  I  shall  not  at  all  wonder  if 
the  time  comes,  when  we  differ  as  little  in  our  conclusions  as  we  do 
now  in  our  premises.  In  most  we  seem  to  agree  already;  especially 
as  to  rising,  not  keeping  much  company,  and  sitting  by  a  fire,  which 
I  always  do,  if  any  one  in  the  room  does,  whether  at  home  or  abroad. 
But  these  are  the  very  things  about  which  others  will  never  agree 
with  me.  Had  I  given  up  these,  or  but  one  of  them,  rising  early, 
which  implies  going  to  bed  early  (though  I  never  am  sleepy  now)  and 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


269 


keeping  so  little  company,  not  one  man  in  ten  of  those  who  are  offend- 
ed at  me,  as  it  is,  would  ever  open  their  mouth  against  any  of  the 
other  particulars.  For  the  sake  of  these,  those  are  mentioned ;  the 
root  of  the  matter  lies  here.  Would  I  but  employ  a  third  of  my 
money,  and  about  half  my  time  as  other  folks  do,  smaller  matters 
would  be  easily  overlooked.  But  1  think,  ^  Nil  tanli  est.''  As  to  my 
hair,  I  am  much  more  sure,  that  what  this  enables  me  to  do,  is  accor- 
ding to  the  Scripture,  than  1  am  that  the  length  of  it  is  contrary  to  it.=^ 

"  1  have  often  thought  of  a  saying  of  Dr.  Hayward's  when  he  ex- 
amined me  for  priest's  orders ;  '  Do  you  know  what  you  are  about  ? 
You  are  bidding  defiance  to  all  mankind.  He  that  would  live  a 
christian  priest,  ought  to  know,  that  whether  his  hand  be  against 
every  man  or  no,  he  must  expect  every  man's  hand  should  be  against 
him.'  It  is  not  strange  that  every  man's  hand,  who  is  not  a  Christian, 
should  be  against  him  that  endeavors  to  be  so.  But  is  it  not  hard 
that  even  those  who  are  with  us  should  be  against  us ;  that  a  man's 
enemies,  in  some  degree,  should  be  those  of  the  same  household  of 
faith  ?  Yet  so  it  is.  From  the  time  that  a  man  sets  himself  to  this 
business,  very  many,  even  of  those  who  travel  the  same  road,  many 
of  those  who  are  before  as  well  as  behind  him,  will  lay  stumbling- 
blocks  in  his  way.  One  blames  him  for  not  going  fast  enough,  an- 
other for  having  made  no  greater  progress;  another  for  going  too  far, 
which  perhaps,  strange  as  it  is,  is  the  more  common  charge  of  the 
two.  For  this  comes  from  all  people  of  all  sorts;  not  only  infidels, 
not  only  half  christians,  but  some  of  the  best  of  men  are  very  apt  to 
make  this  reflection,  '  he  lays  unnecessary  burdens  upon  himself;  he 
is  too  precise ;  he  does  what  God  has  no  where  required  to  be  done.' 
True,  he  has  not  required  it  of  those  who  are  perfect;  and  even  as  to 
those  who  are  not,  all  men  are  not  required  to  use  all  means ;  but 
every  man  is  required  to  use  those  which  he  finds  most  useful  to 
himself  And  who  can  tell  better  than  himself,  whether  he  finds 
them  so  or  no?  Who  knoweth  the  things  of  a  man  better  than  the 
spirit  of  a  man  that  is  in  him? 

"This  being  a  point  of  no  common  concern,  I  desire  to  explain 
myself  upon  it  once  for  all,  and  to  tell  you  freely  and  clearly,  those 
general  positions  on  which  I  ground  all  those  practices,  for  which,  as 
you  would  have  seen  had  you  read  that  paper  through,  I  am  gener- 
ally accused  of  singularity.  1st.  As  to  the  end  of  my  being;  I  lay 
it  down  for  a  rule,  that  I  cannot  be  too  happy,  or  therefore  too  holy ; 
and  thence  infer  that  the  more  steadily  I  keep  my  eye  upon  the  prize 

*  Mr.  Wesley  wore  his  hair  remarkably  long  and  flowing  on  his  shoulders.  As  he  was 
often  indisposed,  his  mother  thought  it  injured  his  health,  and  was  very  desirous  that  he 
should  have  it  taken  off;  "I  verily  believe,"  says  she  in  a  letter,  "you  will  never  have 
any  good  state  of  health,  while  you  keep  your  hair."  He  objected  against  parting  with 
his  hair,  because  it  would  occasion  some  increase  of  his  expenses,  which  he  could  not 
afford,  without  giving  less  to  the  poor.  His  brother  Samuel  took  a  middle  way,  and  advised 
him  to  have  his  hair  cut  shorter  j  and  this  advice  he  followed. 


270 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


of  our  high  calUng,  and  the  more  of  my  thoughts  and  words  and  ac- 
tions are  directly  pointed  at  the  attainment  of  it,  the  better.  2.  As 
to  the  instituted  means  of  attaining  it,  I  Ukewise  lay  it  down  for  a 
rule,  that  I  am  to  use  them  every  time  I  may.  3.  As  to  prudential 
means,  I  believe  this  rule  holds  of  things  indifferent  in  themselves: 
whatever  I  know  to  do  me  hurt,  that  to  me  is  not  indifferent,  but 
resolutely  to  be  abstained  from :  whatever  I  know  to  do  me  good, 
that  to  me  is  not  indifferent,  but  resolutely  to  be  embraced. 

"  But  it  will  be  said,  I  am  whimsical.  True,  and  what  then?  If 
by  whiinsical  be  meant  simply  singular^  I  own  it ;  if  singular  without 
any  reason,  I  deny  it  with  both  my  hands,  and  am  ready  to  give  a 
reason  to  any  that  asks  me,  of  every  custom  wherein  I  differ  from  the 
world.  I  grant  in  many  single  actions  I  differ  unreasonably  from 
others,  but  not  wilfully ;  no,  I  shall  extremely  thank  any  one  who 
will  teach  me  how  to  help  it. 

"As  to  my  being  formal;  if  by  that  be  meant  that  I  am  not  easy 
and  unaffected  enough  in  my  carriage,  it  is  very  true ;  but  how  shall 
I  help  it? — If  by  formal  be  meant  that  I  am  serious,  this  too  is  very 
true;  but  why  should  I  help  it?  Mirth  I  grant  is  very  fit  for  you; 
but  does  it  follow  that  it  is  fit  for  me  ?  Are  the  same  tempers,  any 
more  than  the  same  words  and  -actions  fit  for  all  circumstances  ?  If 
you  are  to  rejoice  evermore,  because  you  have  put  your  enemies  to 
flight,  am  I  to  do  the  same  while  they  continually  assault  me?  You 
are  very  glad,  because  you  are  passed  from  death  to  life ;  well,  but 
let  him  be  afraid  who  knows  not  whether  he  is  to  live  or  die. — 
"Whether  this  be  my  condition  or  no,  who  can  tell  better  than  myself? 
Him  who  can,  whoever  he  be,  I  allow  to  be  a  proper  judge,  whether 
I  do  well  to  be  generally  as  serious  as  I  can." 

December  11.  Mr.  Samuel  Wesley  answered  this  letter,  and  felt 
himself  a  little  hurt  at  some  expressions  in  it ;  the  force  of  which  he 
endeavored  to  ward  off.  Some  time  afterwards  the  subject  of  serious- 
ness was  again  renewed,  and  several  letters  passed  between  them. 
At  first  they  seemed  to  differ  in  opinion ;  but  when  each  had  explained 
himself,  they  were  more  agreed.  Mr.  Samuel  Wesley  closes  the  debate 
in  the  following  words :  "To  the  best  of  my  memory  your  character 
was  but  little  in  my  thoughts,  and  my  own  not  at  all,  in  my  late 
letters.  I  never  designed  to  justify  myself :  perhaps  my  laughter  is 
particularly  blameable,  as  my  temper  is  serious,  severe,  and  melan- 
choly.— Thus  ends  our  notable  dispute,  or  rather  we  have  had  none 
at  all.  For  you  are  only  against  excessive  laughter,  which  I  was 
never  for ;  and  only  for  seriousness,  which  1  was  never  against.  There 
is  a  time  to  weep,  and  a  time  to  laugh.  And  now  me  thinks  each  of 
us  may  say  to  the  other,  as  Dick  does  to  Matt — 


"  That  people  lived  and  died  I  knew, 
An  hoar  ago,  as  well  as  you," 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


271 


About  this  time  his  father  came  up  to  London  and  from  thence  took 
an  excursion  to  Oxford,  to  see  what  his  sons  were  doing,  and  in  what 
spirit  and  temper  of  mind  they  did  it.  On  his  return  to  London  he 
wrote  to  Mrs.  Wesley,  January  the  5th,  in  which  he  says ;  "  I  had 
yours  on  new-year's  day,  on  which  I  returned  in  one  day  from 
Oxford  not  very  well;  but  well  paid  both  for  my  expense  and  labor, 
by  the  shining  piety  of  our  two  sons,  of  whom  I  shall  write  soon  more 
at  large."  Tliis,  the  reader  will  observe,  gives  the  fullest  evidence 
that  the  father  did  not  think  his  sons  were  carrying  matters  too  far. 

Though  Mr.  Wesley  continued  with  such  persevering  industry  in 
every  means  of  grace,  in  acts  of  self-denial,  and  in  doing  good  to 
others  to  the  utmost  of  his  power ;  yet  it  was  a  bare  conviction  of  his 
duty,  and  not  a  gale  of  passion,  that  supported  him  in  these  laborious 
exercises  ;  which  makes  his  resolution  appear  the  more  extraordinary. 
When  he  first  set  out  in  this  religious  course  of  life,  he  was  fully  con- 
vinced that  he  did  not  possess  that  state  of  mind  which  the  gospel 
speaks  of  as  the  privilege  of  true  believers  in  Christ ;  he  expected  that 
the  practice  of  every  duty  to  the  utmost  of  his  power  would  lead  him 
into  this  state  of  mind,  and  give  him  peace  and  joy  in  God ;  but  he 
did  not  find  that  this  effect  followed;  he  was  often  dull,  flat,  and 
unaflfected  in  the  use  of  the  most  solemn  ordinances.  This  both 
distressed  and  perplexed  him,  so  that  he  seemed  at  a  loss  which  way 
to  proceed,  to  obtain  the  happiness  and  security  he  Avanted.  In  this 
state  of  perplexity  he  wrote  to  his  mother  on  the  28th  of  February, 
and  after  mentioning  Mr.  Morgan's  situation,  he  observes;  "One 
consideration  is  enough  to  make  me  assent  to  his  and  your  judgment 
concerning  the  holy  sacrament;  which  is,  that  we  cannot  allow 
Christ's  human  nature  to  be  present  in  it,  without  allowing  either 
con — or  transubstantiation.  But  that  his  Divinity  is  so  united  to  us 
then,  as  he  never  is  but  to  worthy  receivers,  I  firmly  believe,  though 
the  manner  of  that  union  is  utterly  a  mystery  to  me. 

"  That  none  but  worthy  receivers  should  find  this  effect  is  not 
strange  to  me,  when  I  observe,  how  small  effect  many  means  of  im- 
provement have  upon  an  unprepared  mind.  Mr.  Morgan  and  my 
brother  were  aflected  as  they  ought,  by  the  observations  you  made  on 
that  glorious  subject :  but  though  my  understanding  approved  what 
was  excellent,  yet  my  heart  did  not  feel  it.  Why  was  this,  but  be- 
cause it  was  pre-engaged  by  those  affections  with  which  wisdom  will 
not  dwell?  Because  the  animal  mind  cannot  relish  those  truths  which 
are  spiritually  discerned.  Yet  I  have  those  writings  which  the  good 
spirit  gave  to  that  end  !  I  have  many  of  those  which  he  hath  since 
assisted  his  servants  to  give  us :  I  have  retirement  to  apply  these  to 
my  own  soul  daily ;  I  have  means  both  of  public  and  private  prayer ; 
and  above  all,  of  partaking  in  that  sacrament  once  a  week.  What 
shall  I  do  to  make  all  these  blessings  effectual  ?  To  gain  from  them 
that  mind  which  was  also  in  Christ  Jesus  ? 


27%  THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 

^'  To  all  who  give  signs  of  their  not  being  strangers  to  it,  I  propose 
this  question — and  why  not  to  you  rather  than  any  7 — Shall  I  quite 
break  off  my  pursuit  of  all  learning,  but  what  immediately  tends  to 
practice  1  I  once  desired  to  make  a  fair  show  in  languages  and  phi- 
losophy :  but  it  is  past ;  there  is  a  more  excellent  way,  and  if  I  can- 
not attain  to  any  progress  in  the  one,  without  throwing  up  all  thoughts 
of  the  other,  why  fare  it  well !  yet  a  little  while  and  we  shall  all  be 
equal  in  knowledge,  if  we  are  in  virtue. 

"You  say,  'you  have  renounced  the  world.'  And  what  have  I 
been  doing  all  this  time  ?  What  have  I  done  ever  since  1  was  born  ? 
Why,  I  have  been  plunging  myself  into  it  more  and  more.  It  is 
enough  :  Awake  thou  that  sleepest.  Is  there  not  one  Lord,  one  Spirit, 
one  hope  of  our  calling?  One  way  of  attaining  that  hope]  Then  I 
am  to  renounce  the  world  as  well  as  you.  That  is  the  very  thing  1 
want  to  do  :  to  draw  off  my  affections  from  this  world  and  fix  them 
on  a  better.  But  how  7  What  is  the  surest  and  the  shortest  way  7  Is 
it  not  to  be  humble 7  Surely  this  is  a  large  step  in  the  way.  But  the 
question  recurs,  how  am  I  to  do  this  7  To  own  the  necessity  of  it,  is 
not  to  be  humble.  In  many  things  you  have  interceded  for  me  and 
prevailed.  Who  knows  but  in  this  too  you  may  be  successful  7  If 
you  can  spare  me  only  that  little  part  of  Thursday  evening,  which 
you  formerly  bestowed  upon  me  in  another  manner,  I  doubt  not  but 
it  would  be  as  useful  now  for  correcting  my  heart,  as  it  was  then  for 
forming  my  judgment. 

"When  I  observe  how  fast  life  flies  away,  and  how  slow  improve- 
ment comes,  I  think  one  can  never  be  too  much  afraid  of  dying  before 
one  has  learned  to  live.  I  mean  even  in  the  course  of  nature.  For 
were  I  sure  that  'the  silver  cord  should  not  be  violently  loosed;' 
that  '  the  wheel  should  not  be  broken  at  the  cistern,'  till  it  was  quite 
worn  away  by  its  own  motion  ;  yet  what  a  time  would  this  give  me 
for  such  a  work  !  a  moment  to  transact  the  business  of  eternity  ! 
What  are  forty  years  in  comparison  of  this  7  So  that  were  I  sure  of 
what  never  man  yet  was  sure  of,  how  little  would  it  alter  the  case  ! 
How  justly  still  might  I  cry  out, 

"  '  Downward  I  hasten  to  my  destin'd  place  ; 

There  none  obtain  thy  aid,  none  sing  thy  praise ! 
Soon  shall  I  lie  in  death's  deep  ocean  drown'd  j 
Is  mercy  there,  is  sweet  forgiveness  found? 
O  save  me  yet,  while  on  the  brink  I  stand ; 
Rebuke  these  storms,  and  set  me  safe  on  land. 
O  make  my  longings  and  thy  mercy  sure ! 
Thou  art  the  God  of  power.'  " 

This  letter  needs  no  comment ;  it  shows  an  ardent  mind,  wholly 
occupied  in  pursuit  of  a  saving  knowledge  of  God  ;  but  embarrassed 
and  perplexed,  not  knowing  which  way  to  turn,  and  yet  willing  to 
sacrifice  the  dearest  object  in  life  to  obtain  the  end  in  view. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


273 


Mr.  Morgan  had  now  been  ill  more  than  twelve  months ;  and  was 
so  greatly  reduced,  that  he  became  a  burden  to  himself,  and  totally 
useless  to  others.  In  this  stage  of  his  disease,  his  understanding 
sometimes  appeared  deranged ;  he  became  more  changeable  in  his 
temper  than  usual,  and  inconsistent  in  his  conversation.  But  this 
was  purely  the  effect  of  his  disease,  not  the  least  symptom  of  the 
kind  having  ever  appeared,  till  long  after  his  health  had  declined. 

His  father  being  fully  informed  of  the  state  of  his  health,  wrote  to 
him  in  March,  and  told  him  that  he  should  no  longer  be  limited  in  his 
expenses  to  any  fixed  allowance  ;  that  such  sums  as  were  necessary 
for  his  health  should  be  immediately  remitted  to  him ;  but  strongly 
insisted  that  no  part  of  it  should  be  given  away ;  that  he  should  lay 
it  out  in  recreation,  medicine,  and  such  other  matters  as  might  be  ne- 
cessary for  the  recovery  and  support  of  his  health.  He  then  says, 
"  You  cannot  conceive  what  a  noise  that  ridiculous  society  which  you 
are  engaged  in,  has  made  here.  Besides  the  particulars  of  the  great 
follies  of  it  at  Oxford,  which  to  my  great  concern  I  have  often  heard 
repeated ;  it  gave  me  sensible  trouble  to  hear,  that  you  were  noted  for 
going  into  the  villages  about  Holt;  calling  their  children  together,  and 
teaching  them  their  prayers  and  catechism,  and  giving  them  a  shilling 
at  your  departure.  I  could  not  but  advise  with  a  wise,  pious,  and 
learned  clergyman  :  he  told  me  that  he  has  known  the  worst  of  con- 
sequences follow  from  such  blind  zeal ;  and  plainly  satisfied  me  that 
it  was  a  thorough  mistake  of  true  piety  and  religion.  I  proposed 
writing  to  some  prudent  and  good  man  at  Oxford  to  reason  with  you 
on  these  points,  and  to  convince  you  that  you  were  in  a  wrong  way. 
He  said,  in  a  generous  mind,  as  he  took  yours  to  be,  the  admonition 
and  advice  of  a  father  would  make  a  deeper  impression  than  all  the 
exhortations  of  others.  He  concluded,  that  you  was  young  as  yet, 
and  that  your  judgment  was  not  come  to  its  maturity ;  but  as  soon 
as  your  judgment  improved,  and  on  the  advice  of  a  true  friend,  you 
would  see  the  error  of  your  way ;  and  think,  as  he  does,  that  you 
may  walk  uprightly  and  safely,  without  endeavoring  to  out-do  all  the 
good  bishops,  clergy,  and  other  pious  and  good  men  of  the  present  and 
past  ages :  which  God  Almighty  give  you  grace  and  sense  to  under- 
stand aright." 

In  the  month  of  April  Mr.  Samuel  Wesley  visited  Oxford,  and  spent 
a  few  days  there ;  no  doubt  with  a  view  chiefly  to  satisfy  himself  on 
the  spot,  of  the  truth  or  falsehood  of  the  various  accounts  that  were 
given  him  of  his  two  brothers.  When  he  returned  to  London  he 
wrote  a  hasty  poetical  epistle  to  his  brother  Charles,  in  which  he  has 
clearly  expressed  his  opinion  of  their  conduct,  and  the  views  he  had 
formed  of  their  opponents.  The  latter  part  of  it  refers  to  the  unhappy 
situation  of  Mr.  Morgan. 

35 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


April  20,  1732. 

"  Though  neither  are  o'erstock'd  with  precious  time, 
If  I  can  write  it,  you  may  read  ray  rhyme  ; 
And  find  an  hour  to  answer  I  suppose 
In  verse  harmonious  or  in  humble  prose ; 
"What  I  when  late  at  Oxford  could  not  say, 
My  friends  so  numerous,  and  so  short  my  stay. 

"  Let  useless  questions  first  aside  be  thrown, 
Which  all  men  may  reply  to,  or  that  none  . 
As  whether  Doctors  doubt  the  D —  will  die : 

Or  F  still  retains  his  courtesy  ? 

Or  J  n  dies  daily  in  conceit. 

Dies  without  death,  and  walks  without  his  feet? 
"What  time  the  library  completes  its  shell  ? 
"What  hand  revives  the  discipline  of  Fell? 
What  house  for  learning  shall  rewards  prepare, 
Which  orators  and  poets  justly  share, 
And  see  a  second  Atterbury  there 

"  Say,  does  your  christian  purpose  still  proceed, 
T'  assist  in  every  shape  the  wretches'  need  ? 
To  free  the  prisoner  from  his  anxious  gaol, 
When  friends  forsake  him,  and  relations  fail  ? 
Or  yet  with  nobler  charity  conspire 
To  snatch  the  guilty  from  eternal  fire? 
Has  your  small  squadron  firm  in  trial  stood, 
Without  preciseness,  singularly  good  ? 
Safe  march  they  on  'twixt  dangerous  extremes 
Of  mad  profaneness  and  enthusiasts'  dreams  ? 
Constant  in  prayer,  while  God  approves  their  pains, 
His  spirit  cheers  them  and  his  blood  sustains  ? 
Unm.ov'd  by  pride  or  anger,  can  they  hear 
The  foolish  laughter,  or  the  envious  fleer? 
No  wonder  wicked  men  blaspheme  their  care, 
The  devil  always  dreads  offensive  war  ; 
Where  heavenly  zeal  the  sons  of  night  pursues, 
Likely  to  gain,  and  certain  not  to  lose  ; 
The  sleeping  conscience  wakes  by  dangers  near. 
And  pours  the  light  in,  they  so  greatly  fear. 

"  But  hold,  perhaps  this  dry  religipus  toil. 
May  damp  the  genius,  and  the  scholar  spoil. 
Perhaps  facetious  foes,  to  meddling  fools 
Shine  in  the  class,  and  sparkle  in  the  schools ; 
Your  arts  excel,  your  eloquence  outgo. 
And  soar  like  Virgil  or  like  Tully  flow  ; 
Have  brightest  turns  and  deepest  learning  shown, 
And  prov'd  your  wit  mistaken  by  their  own. 
If  not — the  wights  should  moderately  rail, 
Whose  total  merit  summ'd  from  far  detail 
Is,  saunt'ring,  sleep,  and  smoke,  and  wine,  and  ale. 

"  How  contraries  may  meet  without  design  ! 
And  pretty  gentlemen  and  bigots  join ! 
A  pert  young  rake  observes  with  saucy  airs. 
That  none  can  know  the  world,  who  say  their  pray'rs 
And  Rome  in  middle  ages  us'd  to  grant, 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  llEV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


275 


The  most  devout  were  slill  most  ignorant. 
So  when  old  bloody  Noll  our  ruin  wrought 
Was  ignorance  the  best  devotion  thought ; 
His  crop-hair'd  saints  all  marks  of  sense  deface, 
And  preach  that  learning  is  a  foe  to  grace : 
English  was  spoke  in  schools,  and  Latin  ceas'd, 
They  quite  reform'd  the  language  of  the  beast. 

"  One  or  two  questions  more  before  I  end, 
That  much  concern  a  brother  and  a  friend. 
Does  John  seem  bent  beyond  his  strength  to  go, 
To  his  frail  carcase  literally  foe  ? 
Lavish  of  health,  as  if  in  haste  to  die, 
And  shorten  time,  t'  ensure  eternity  ? 

Does  M  weakly  think  his  time  misspent? 

Of  his  best  actions  can  he  now  repent  ? 

Others,  their  sins  with  reason  just  deplore. 

The  guilt  remaining  when  the  pleasure 's  o'er ; 

Since  the  foundations  of  the  world  were  laid. 

Shall  he  for  virtue  first  himself  upbraid? 

Shall  he,  what  most  men  to  their  sins  deny, 

Show  pain  for  alms,  remorse  for  piety  ? 

Can  he  the  sacred  Eucharist  decline? 

What  Clement  poisons  here  the  bread  and  wine? 

Or  does  his  sad  disease  possess  him  whole. 

And  taint  alike  his  body  and  his  soul  ? 

If  to  renounce  his  graces  he  decree, 

0 !  that  he  could  transfer  the  stock  to  me? 

Alas !  enough  what  mortal  e'er  can  do. 

For  him  who  made  him  and  redeem'd  him  too  ? 

Zeal  may  to  man  beyond  desert  be  show'd, 

No  supererogation  stands  to  God."  

In  April,  this  year,  Mr.  Clayton  joined  their  little  society,  and 
about  the  same  time  Mr.  Ingham,  Mr.  Broughton,  Mr.  Harvey,  and 
one  or  two  of  Mr.  John  and  Charles  Wesley's  pupils.  They  were 
all  zealous  members  of  the  Church  of  England ;  not  only  tenacious 
of  all  her  doctrines,  as  far  as  they  yet  understood  them,  but  of  all 
her  discipline,  to  the  minutest  circumstance.  By  the  advice  of  Mr. 
Clayton,  they  now  added  to  their  former  practices,  a  regular  observ- 
ance of  the  fasts  of  the  church ;  the  general  neglect  of  which,  they 
thought,  was  by  no  means  a  sufficient  excuse  for  neglecting  them. 

For  some  years  before  this,  Mr.  Wesley  had  frequently  read  over, 
with  great  attention,  Mr.  Law's  Christian  Perfection,  and  his  Serious 
(vail  to  a  Holy  Life ;  and,  as  his  practice  was,  had  made  extracts 
from  them.  He  had  conceived  a  high  opinion  of  the  author  from  his 
writings,  having  often  been  instructed  by  them.  Being  in  London, 
in  the  month  of  July,  he  went  down  to  Putney,  to  pay  Mr.  Law  a 
visit,  which  was  the  introduction  to  a  personal  acquaintance  with 
each  other.  Mr.  Wesley  occasionally  repeated  his  visits,  and  a 
friendly  correspondence  followed,  which  lasted  several  years.  From 
this  time,  he  began  to  read  the  Theologia  Germanica,  and  other  mys- 


276 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


tic  writers,  of  which,  we  shall  afterwards  have  occasion  to  take  some 
notice. 

But,  though  he  was  pleased,  and  perhaps  too  much  captivated 
with  the  views  which  some  of  the  mystic  writers  gave  him  of  reli- 
gion, as  consisting  chiefly  in  contemplation,  and  inward  attention  to 
our  own  mind ;  it  does  not  appear,  that  he  was  less  diligent  in  the 
instituted  means  of  grace,  nor  less  active  in  doing  good  to  others  than 
before. — He  was  now  known  to  many  pious  and  respectable  persons 
in  London,  who  began  to  take  notice  of  him.  He  heartily  approved 
of  the  conduct  of  those  well  disposed  persons,  who  associated  together, 
to  carry  on  a  plan  of  suppressing  vice,  and  spreading  religion  and 
virtue  among  the  people ;  and  on  the  3d  of  August,  was  admitted 
into  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  Christian  Knowledge.=^ 

Mr.  Wesley,  and  those  associated  with  him,  now  suffered  the  entire 
loss  of  Mr.  Morgan,  who  had  been  the  foremost  in  promoting  their 
pious  endeavors  to  do  good.  He  left  Oxford  on  the  5th  of  June,  and 
died  in  Dublin  on  the  26th  of  August.  That  this  is  the  true  time  of 
his  death,  is  evident  from  a  letter  of  Mr.  Morgan  the  father,  to  Mr. 
Charles  Wesley,  dated  September  the  5th.  He  says,  "  From  the 
intimacy  which  I  understood  to  have  been  contracted  between  you 
and  my  dear  son,  I  make  no  doubt  but  you  must  have  some  concern 
upon  you  at  the  reading  the  account  of  his  death,  as  I  have  the  great- 
est in  writing  it.    His  distemper  threw  him  into  a  fever,  of  which  he 

*  In  the  reign  of  James  II.  the  fear  of  Popery  was  so  strong,  as  well  as  just,  that  many, 
in  and  about  London,  began  to  meet  often  together,  both  for  devotion,  and  their  further 
instruction.  Things  of  that  kind,  had  been  formally  practised  only  among  the  Puritans, 
and  the  Dissenters ;  but  these  were  of  the  church,  and  came  to  their  ministers  to  be  as- 
sisted ;  and  were  chiefly  directed  by  Dr.  Beveridge  and  Dr.  Horneck.  After  the  revolu- 
tion, in  1688,  these  societies  became  more  numerous,  and  for  the  greater  encouragement 
of  devotion,  they  got  such  collections  to  be  made,  as  maintained  many  clergymen,  to  read 
prayers  in  such  a  number  of  places,  and  at  such  different  hours,  that  devout  persons  might 
have  that  comfort  at  every  hour  of  the  day.  There  were  constant  sacraments  every 
Lord's  day  in  many  churches  ;  and  there  were  greater  numbers,  and  greater  appearances 
of  devotion,  at  prayers  and  sacrament,  than  had  ever  been  observed  in  the  memory  of 
man.  These  societies  resolved  to  inform  the  magistrates  of  swearers,  drunkards,  pro- 
faners  of  the  Lord's  day,  and  of  lewd  houses ;  and  they  threw  in  that  part  of  the  fine, 
given  by  the  law  to  informers,  into  a  stock  of  charity.  From  this  they  were  called  Socie- 
ties of  Reformation.  Some  good  magistrates  encouraged  them ;  others  treated  them 
roughly.  As  soon  as  Queen  Mary  heard  of  this,  she  encouraged  these  good  designs  by 
her  letters  and  proclamations  ;  and  King  William  afterwards  did  the  same.  Other  socie- 
ties set  themselves  to  raise  charity-schools  for  teaching  poor  children,  for  clothing  them, 
and  binding  them  out  to  trades  ;  and  many  books  were  printed,  and  sent  over  the  nation, 
to  be  freely  distributed.  These  were  called  Societies  for  Propagating  Christian  Knowledge. 
At  last,  a  corporation  was  created  by  King  William,  for  propagating  the  gospel  among  m- 
fidels,  for  setting  schools  in  our  plantations,  for  furnishing  the  clergy  that  were  sent  thither, 
and  for  sending  missionaries  among  such  of  our  plantations,  as  were  not  able  to  provide 
pastors  for  themselves.  It  was  a  glorious  conclusion  of  a  reign,  that  began  with  preserv- 
ing our  religion,  and  ended  with  creating  a  corporation  for  promoting  it,  among  infidels, 
to  the  remoter  parts  of  the  earth.  The  bishops,  and  clergy,  contributed  liberally  to  it. 
Upon  Queen  Anne's  accession  to  the  crown,  she  continued  to  them  the  same  favor  and 
protection.    See  Burnet's  History  of  his  own  Time,  vol.  v.  p.  90,  flee. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


277 


died  the  26th  past,  about  four  in  the  morning.  This  is  the  soon- 
est that  I  could  attempt  writing  any  thing  about  him,  since  my  afflic- 
tion was  consummated. — You  see  I  make  very  free  with  you,  but  the 
candor  and  generosity  which  I  have  heard  you  commended  for,  em- 
bolden me  to  it ;  and  I  shall,  I  hope,  find  some  opportunities  to  make 
amends,  and  beg  you  will,  upon  all  occasions,  let  me  know,  when  I 
can  be  serviceable  to  you  in  this  kingdom." 

During  the  course  of  this  summer,  Mr.  Wesley  made  two  journies 
to  Epworth.  In  these  excursions  he  often  went  considerably  out  of 
his  way,  to  spend  a  night,  and  sometimes  two  or  three,  with  a  friend; 
most  frequently  with  the  parents  or  relations  of  some  of  his  pupils. 
In  the  first  journey,  while  he  was  standing  on  the  garden  wall  at  a 
friend's  house,  it  fell  flat  under  him :  but  he  escaped  unhurt.  His 
second  journey  was  in  order  to  meet  his  brother  Samuel,  <fcc.,  at  Ep- 
worth, and  that  the  whole  family  might  once  more  assemble  together, 
before  their  final  separation  by  death.  This  meeting  must  have  been 
very  afl^ecting :  as  their  father  was  growing  infirm,  and  his  son  Sam- 
uel was  now  going  to  reside  wholly  at  Tiverton,  in  Devon,  it  was 
not  probable  they  Avould  ever  see  each  other  again. — Mr.  Wesley 
returned  to  Oxford  on  the  23d  of  September ;  and  as  soon  as  it  was 
known  there  that  Mr.  Morgan  was  dead,  a  report  was  propagated, 
that  the  rigorous  fasting  he  had  imposed  on  himself,  by  the  advice  of 
Mr.  John  and  Charles  Wesley,  had  hastened  his  death.  As  this 
report  was  highly  prejudicial  to  their  character,  and  might  hinder 
their  usefulness ;  and  as  it  was  probable  it  would  reach  the  father, 
and  might  afflict  him,  and  prejudice  him  more  deeply  against  his 
son's  conduct,  and  the  persons  with  whom  he  had  been  connected, 
Mr.  Wesley  thought  it  best  to  write  to  him,  and  state  the  matter  as 
it  really  was.  His  letter  is  dated  the  18th  of  October,  this  year.* 
"The  occasion,"  says  he,  ''of  giving  you  this  trouble,  is  of  a  very 
extraordinary  nature.  On  Sunday  last  I  was  informed,  as  no  doubt 
you  will  be  ere  long,  that  my  brother  and  I  had  killed  your  son :  that  the 
rigorous  fasting  which  he  had  imposed  upon  himself  by  our  advice, 
had  increased  his  illness,  and  hastened  his  death.  Now,  though  con- 
sidering it  in  itself,  it  is  a  vertj  small  thing  with  me  to  be  judged  of 
man^ s  judgment ;  yet  as  the  being  thought  guilty  of  so  mischievous 
an  imprudence,  might  make  me  less  able  to  do  the  work  I  came  into 
the  world  for,  I  am  obliged  to  clear  myself  of  it,  by  observing  to  you, 
as  I  have  done  to  others,  that  your  son  left  ofi*  fasting  about  a  year 
and  an  half  since,  and  that  it  is  not  yet  half  a  year  since  I  began  to^ 
practise  it. 

*  In  all  the  printed  copies  of  this  letter  which  I  have  seen,  the  date  is  1730.  But  in  a 
manuscript,  in  Mr.  Charles  Wesley's  hand-writing,  the  date  is  1732  j  which  is  the  true 
date  of  it,  as  appears  from  Mr.  Morgan's  account  of  his  son's  death.  The  true  date  may 
be  collected  from  the  letter  itself,  compared  with  Mr.  John  Wesley's  short  history  of 
Methodism,  which  fixes  the  time  when  they  became  acquainted  with  Mr.  Clayton. 

24 


278 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


"  I  must  not  let  this  opportunity  slip  of  doing  my  part  towards 
giving  you  a  juster  notion  of  some  other  particulars,  relating  both  to 
him  and  myself,  which  have  been  industriously  misrepresented  to 
you. 

"  In  March  last  he  received  a  letter  from  you,  which  not  being  able 
to  read,  he  desired  me  to  read  to  him  ;  several  of  the  expressions  I 
perfectly  remember,  and  shall  do,  till  I  too  am  called  hence. — In  one 
practice  for  which  you  blamed  your  son,  I  am  only  concerned  as  a 
friend,  not  as  a  partner.  Your  own  account  of  it  was  in  effect  this : 
'  He  frequently  went  into  poor  people's  houses  about  Holt,  called  their 
children  together  and  instructed  them  in  their  duty  to  God,  their 
neighbor  and  themselves.  He  likewise  explained  to  them  the  neces- 
sity of  private  as  well  as  public  prayer,  and  provided  them  with  such 
forms  as  were  best  suited  to  their  several  capacities;  and  being  well 
apprized  how  the  success  of  his  endeavors  depended  on  their  good 
will  towards  him,  he  sometimes  distributed  among  them  a  little  of 
tliat  money  which  he  had  saved  from  gaming  and  other  fashionable 

expenses  of  the  place.'  This  is  the  first  charge  against  him,  and  I 

will  refer  it  to  your  own  judgment,  whether  it  be  fitter  to  have  a  place 
iu  the  catalogue  of  his  faults  or  of  those  virtues  for  which  he  is  nov/ 
numbered  among  the  sons  of  God. 

If  all  the  persons  concerned  in  that  ridiculous  society,  whose 
follies  you  have  so  often  heard  repeated,  could  but  give  such  a  proof 
of  their  deserving  the  glorious  title  which  was  once  bestowed  upon 
them,  they  would  be  contented  that  their  lives  too  should  be  counted 
madness,  and  their  end  thought  to  be  without  honor.  But  the  truth 
is,  their  title  to  holiness  stands  upon  much  less  stable  foundations ;  as 
you  will  easily  perceive  when  you  know  the  ground  of  this  wonder- 
ful outcry,  which  it  seems  England  itself  is  not  wide  enough  to  con- 
tain." 

He  then  gives  Mr.  Morgan  a  short  history  of  their  little  society,  in- 
forming him  what  their  practices  were,  and  of  their  care  to  consult 
wise,  learned,  and  pious  clergymen,  in  every  step  they  had  taken,  in 
the  manner  described  above.  He  subjoins,  "  As  for  the  names  of 
Methodists,  Supererogation  men,  and  so  on,  with  which  some  of  our 
neighbors  are  pleased  to  compliment  us,  we  do  not  conceive  ourselves 
to  be  under  any  obligation  to  regard  them,  much  less  to  take  them  for 
arguments.  To  the  law  and  to  the  testimony  we  appeal,  whereby 
we  ought  to  be  judged.  If  by  these  it  can  be  proved  we  are  in  an 
error,  we  will  immediately  and  gladly  retract  it :  if  not,  we  have  not 
so  learned  Christ,  as  to  renounce  any  part  of  his  service,  though  men 
should  say  all  manner  of  evil  against  us,  with  more  judgment,  and 
as  little  truth  as  hitherto.  Your  son  already  stands  before  the  judg- 
ment seat  of  him  who  judges  righteous  judgment;  at  the  brightness 
of  whose  presence  the  clouds  remove  ;  his  eyes  are  open  and  he  sees 
clearly  whether  it  was  '  blind  zeal  and  a  thorough  mistake  of  true 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  BEV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


279 


religion  that  hurried  him  on  in  the  error  of  his  way,'  or  whether  he 
acted  like  a  faithful  and  wise  servant,  who  from  a  just  sense  that  his 
time  was  short,  made  haste  to  finish  his  work  before  his  Lord's 
coming,  that  when  *  laid  in  the  balance  he  might  not  be  found  want- 
ing.' " 

This  well  timed  letter,  containing  a  simple  narrative  of  facts,  fully 
satisfied  Mr.  Morgan,  and  gave  him  a  better  opinion  of  the  society 
with  which  his  son  had  been  connected.  His  answer,  which  is  dated 
November  25,  shows  him  to  have  been  a  man  of  moderation  and  a 
friend  to  piety.  It  is  as  follows.  "  Your  favor  of  the  20th  past  was 
delayed  in  its  passage,  I  believe  by  contrary  winds,  or  it  had  not  been 
so  long  unanswered.  I  give  entire  credit  to  every  thing  and  every 
fact  you  relate.  It  was  ill-judged  of  my  poor  son  to  take  to  fast- 
ing with  regard  to  his  health,  which  I  knew  nothing  of,  or  I  should 
have  advised  him  against  it.  He  was  inclined  to  piety  and  virtue 
from  his  infancy.  I  must  own  I  was  much  concerned  at  the 
strange  accounts  which  were  spread  here,  of  some  extraordinary 
practices  of  a  religious  society  which  he  had  engaged  in  at  Oxford, 
which  you  may  be  sure  lost  nothing  in  the  carriage,  lest  through  his 
youth  and  immaturity  of  judgment,  he  might  be  hurried  into  zeal  and 
enthusiastic  notions  that  would  prove  pernicious.  But  now  indeed, 
that  piety  and  holiness  of  life  which  he  practised,  affords  me  some 
comfort  in  the  midst  of  my  affliction  for  the  loss  of  him ;  having  full 
assurance  of  his  being  for  ever  happy.  The  good  account  you  are 
pleased  to  give  of  your  own  and  your  friend's  conduct  in  point  of 
duty  and  religious  offices,  and  the  zealous  approbation  of  them  by  the 
good  old  gentleman  your  father,  signified  in  a  manner  and  style  be- 
coming the  best  of  men,  reconciles  and  recommends  that  method  of 
life  to  me,  and  makes  me  almost  wish  that  I  were  one  amongst  you. 
I  am  very  much  obliged  to  you,  for  the  great  pains  you  have  been  at 
in  transcribing  so  long  and  so  particular  an  account  for  my  perusal, 
and  shall  be  always  ready  to  vindicate  you  from  any  calumny  or  as- 
persion that  I  shall  hear  cast  upon  you.  I  am  much  obliged  for  your 
and  your  brother's  great  civilities  and  assistances  to  my  dearest  son: 
I  thank  —  the  author  of  those  lines  you  sent  me,  for  the  regard  he 
has  shown  to  his  memory.  If  ever  I  can  be  serviceable  to  any  of  you 
in  this  kingdom,  I  beg  you  will  let  me  know." 

A  correspondence  took  place  between  Mr.  Wesley  and  Mr.  Morgan, 
and  the  year  following  Mr.  Morgan  sent  the  only  son  he  now  had,  to 
Oxford,  and  placed  him  under  Mr.  Wesley's  care;  which  was  the 
strongest  proof  he  could  possibly  give,  that  he  approved  of  his  con- 
duct. 

During  the  two  last  years,  Mr.  Wesley  made  frequent  excursions 
to  London,  and  different  parts  of  the  country,  besides  his  journies  to 
Epworth,  and  the  places  he  visited  in  his  way  thither  and  back,  all  of 
which  he  performed  on  foot.    He  observes  in  his  Diary,  that  he  had 


280 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


walked  about  1050  miles ;  1  suppose  he  means  within  the  year  he  is 
speaking  of.  In  these  excursions  he  constantly  preached  on  the 
Lord's-day,  if  he  had  an  opportunity ;  so  that  he  might  now  be  called, 
in  some  sort,  an  itinerant  preacher,  though  on  a  plan  very  different  from 
that  which  he  afterwards  adopted,  and  of  which  he  could  not  at  this 
time  have  the  most  distant  conception. 

By  reading  Mr.  Law's  Christian  Perfection,  and  his  Serious  Call  to 
a  Holy  Life,  he  was  confirmed  in  the  views  he  before  had  of  the  effects 
the  gospel  is  intended  to  produce  on  the  minds  of  those  who  sincerely 
embrace  it ;  and  was  fully  convinced  of  the  absurdity  and  danger  of 
being  an  half  christian.  On  the  1  st  of  January,  1733,  he  preached 
at  St.  Mary's,  Oxford,  before  the  university,  on  the  circumcision  of 
the  heart.  In  this  discourse,  which  is  printed  in  the  second  volume 
of  his  sermons,  he  has  explained  with  great  clearness,  and  energy 
of  language,  his  views  of  the  christian  salvation  to  be  attained  in  this 
life ;  in  which  he  never  varied,  in  any  material  point,  to  the  day  of 
his  death.  He  was  indeed,  at  this  time,  almost  wholly  ignorant  of 
the  gospel  method  of  attaining  this  salvation,  but  he  sought  it  with 
his  whole  heart,  according  to  the  knowledge  he  then  had,  and  was 
willing  to  sacrifice  the  dearest  thing  he  had  in  the  world,  for  the 
attainment  of  it. 

His  father  was  now  in  a  bad  state  of  health,  and  seemed  declining 
apace.  On  this  account  he  set  out  on  horseback  for  Epworth,  in  the 
beginning  of  January.  As  he  was  passing  over  the  bridge  beyond 
Daintry,  his  horse  fell  over  it  with  him  ;  but  he  again  escaped  unhurt. 
When  the  events  of  life  glide  smoothly  on,  and  follow  certain  previ- 
ous circumstances  in  regular  succession,  we  see  nothing  wonderful  in 
them,  because  there  seems  to  be  some  common  principle  on  which  the 
succession  depends.  But  in  extraordinary  deliverances  from  danger, 
and  in  many  other  instances  of  human  affairs,  we  plainly  perceive, 
there  is  no  such  principle,  which  connects  the  previous  circumstances 
with  the  following  event:  the  interposition  of  Providence,  almost 
stands  visible  before  our  eyes,  and  a  strong  conviction  of  it  takes 
place  in  the  mind,  which  nothing  but  inattention  or  false  reasoning 
can  obliterate.  On  these  occasions  Mr.  Wesley  did  not  fail  to  return 
God  the  tribute  of  praise  and  thanksgiving,  and  renewed  his  diligence 
in  serving  him. 

The  state  of  his  father's  health  occasioned  his  parents  to  turn  their 
thoughts  to  the  means  of  obtaining  the  living  of  Epworth  for  him, 
in  case  of  his  father's  demise.  The  thing  was  mentioned  to  him 
when  he  was  now  with  them,  but  he  seems  to  have  given  them  little 
answer.  After  his  return  to  Oxford,  in  February,  he  wrote  to  his 
mother  on  the  subject.  "You  observe,"  says  he,  "when  I  was  with 
you,  that  I  was  very  indifferent  as  to  the  having  or  not  having  the 
living  of  Epworth.  I  was  indeed  utterly  unable  to  determine  either 
way ;  and  that  for  this  reason :  I  know,  if  I  could  stand  my  ground 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


here,  and  approve  myself  a  faithful  minister  of  our  blessed  Jesus,  by 
honor  and  dishonor,  through  evil  report  and  good  report ;  theri  there 
would  not  be  a  place  under  the  heaven  like  this,  for  improvement  in 
every  good  work.  But  whether  1  can  stem  the  torrent  which  I  saw 
then,  but  see  now  much  more,  rolling  down  from  all  sides  upon  me, 
that  I  know  not.  It  is  true,  there  is  one  who  can  yet,  either  com- 
mand the  great  water-flood  that  it  shall  not  come  nigh  me,  or  make  a 
way  for  his  redeemed  to  pass  through.  But  then  something  must  be 
done  on  my  part :  and  should  he  give  me,  even  that  most  equitable 
condition,  '  according  to  thy  faith  be  it  unto  thee,^  yet  how  shall  I  fulfil 
it  ?  Why  he  will  look  to  that  too.  My  father  and  you  helping 
together  with  your  prayers,  that  our  faith  fail  us  not." 

The  difficulties  which  Mr.  Wesley  foresaw,  did  not  arise  from  any 
new  persecution  which  threatened  him,  but  from  the  danger  of  un- 
steadiness in  the  young  gentlemen,  who  had  for  some  time  met  with 
him.  He  easily  perceived,  that  unless  he  could  overcome  this  diffi- 
culty, there  was  but  little  prospect  of  doing  any  lasting  good  in  his 
pi'esent  situation.  And  it  must  be  confessed,  that,  though  his  prac- 
tice gives  the  most  convincing  evidence  of  his  integrity,  disinterested- 
ness, and  sincere  desire  to  serve  God,  yet,  there  were  few  young  men 
who  had  sufficient  resolution  to  persevere  therein.  His  frequent  ab- 
sence too,  could  have  no  good  influence  upon  them,  as  his  own  exam- 
ple, regularity,  steadiness,  and  advice,  were  the  principal  means  of 
preserving  them  in  the  same  disposition  with  himself.  But  it  seems 
that  he  did  not  attend  to  this  circumstance  at  present;  for  in  May,  he 
set  out  again  for  Epworth,  and  took  Manchester  in  his  way  to  see 
his  friend  Mr.  Clayton,  who  had  now  left  Oxford.  From  thence  he 
proceeded  to  Epworth,  and  returned  to  Manchester  on  Saturday  the 
2d  of  June.  The  next  day  he  preached  three  times,  once  at  the  Old 
Church,  again  in  Salford,  and  at  St.  Anne's.  When  he  reached  Ox- 
ford, he  perceived  the  bad  effects  of  his  absence  upon  his  pupils,  and 
the  members  of  their  little  society.  He  now  found  himself  sur- 
rounded with  enemies  triumphing  over  him,  and  friends  deserting 
him  ;  he  saw  the  fruits  of  his  labors  in  danger  of  being  blasted  before 
they  had  attained  maturity.  But  he  stood  firm  as  a  rock,  and  being 
conscious  of  his  own  integrity,  that  he  had  nothing  in  view  but  to  serve 
God  in  righteousness  and  true  holiness,  and  to  benefit  his  neighbor, 
he  viewed  his  situation  without  any  great  emotion  :  no  gusts  of  pas- 
sion rose  to  cloud  his  understanding,  no  fear  to  damp  his  zeal ;  he 
was  enabled  to  say,  the  Eternal  God  is  my  refuge,  I  will  not  fear. 
He  wrote  to  his  father  in  the  simplicity  and  fulness  of  his  heart; 
and  this  letter  shows  the  man,  and  his  manner  of  viewing  difficulties, 
infinitely  better  than  any  description  which  another  can  give  of  him. 

This  letter  is  dated  the  13th  of  June,  and  runs  thus :  "  The  effects 
of  my  last  journey  I  believe  will  make  me  more  cautious  of  staying 
any  time  from  Oxford  for  the  future ;  at  least  till  I  have  no  pupils  to 
24*  36 


282 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


take  care  of,  which  probably  will  be  within  a  year  or  two.  One  of 
my  young  gentlemen  told  me  at  my  return,  that  he  was  more  and 
more  afraid  of  singularity :  another,  that  he  had  read  an  excellent 
piece  of  Mr.  Locke's,  which  had  convinced  him  of  the  mischief  of 
regarding  authority.  Both  of  them  agreed,  that  the  observing  of 
Wednesday  as  a  fast,  was  an  unnecessary  singularity :  the  Catholic 
church  (that  is,  the  majority  of  it)  having  long  since  repealed  by  con- 
trary custom,  the  injunction  she  formerly  gave  concerning  it.  A 
third  who  could  not  yield  to  this  argument,  has  been  convinced  by  a 
fever,  and  Dr.  Frewin.  Our  seven  and  twenty  communicants  at  St. 
Mary's,  were  on  Monday  shrunk  to  five  :  and  the  day  before,  the  last 
of  Mr.  Clayton's  pupils,  who  continued  with  us,  informed  me,  that  he 
did  not  design  to  meet  us  any  more. 

"My  ill  success,  as  they  call  it,  seems  to  be  what  has  frightened 
every  one  away  from  a  falling  house.  On  Sunday  I  was  considering 
the  matter  a  little  more  nearly ;  and  imagined  that  all  the  ill  conse- 
quences of  my  singularity,  were  reduceable  to  three;  diminution  of 
fortune,  loss  of  friends,  and  of  reputation.  As  to  my  fortune,  I  well 
know,  though  perhaps  others  do  not,  that  I  could  not  have  borne  a 
larger  than  I  have  :  and  as  for  that  most  plausible  excuse  for  desiring 
it,  '  While  I  have  so  little  I  cannot  do  the  good  I  would ;'  I  ask,  can 
you  do  the  good  God  would  have  you  do  7  It  is  enough.  Look  no 
further. — For  friends,  they  were  either  trifling  or  serious  :  if  triflers, 
fare  them  well ;  a  noble  escape  :  if  serious,  those  Avho  are  more  serious 
are  left,  whom  the  others  would  rather  have  opposed  than  forwarded 
in  the  service  they  have  done,  and  still  do  us.  If  it  be  said,  but  these 
may  leave  you  too;  for  they  are  no  firmer  than  the  others  were. 
First,  I  doulDt  that  fact ;  but  next,  suppose  they  should,  we  hope  then 
they  would  only  teach  us  a  nobler  and  harder  lesson,  than  any  they 
have  done  hitherto  :  It  is  better  to  trust  in  the  Lord,  than  to  put  any 
confidence  in  man.  And  as  for  reputation,  though  it  be  a  glorious 
instrument  of  advancing  our  Master's  service,  yet  there  is  a  better 
than  that,  a  clean  hearty  a  single  eye,  a  soul  full  of  God !  A  fair 
exchange,  if  by  the  loss  of  reputation  we  can  purchase  the  lowest 
degree  of  purity  of  heart !  We  beg  my  mother  and  you  would  not 
cease  to  work  together  with  us,  that  whatever  we  lose,  we  may  gain 
this  :  and  that  having  tasted  of  this  good  gift,  we  may  count  all  things 
else  but  dung  and  dross  in  comparison  of  it." 

Mr.  Wesley  now  redoubled  his  diligence  with  his  pupils,  that  he 
might  recover  the  ground  he  had  lost.  His  pupils  indeed  continued 
with  him  whether  they  adopted  his  religious  practices  or  no.  But  as 
he  had  been  blamed  for  singularity,  both  by  friends  and  enemies,  and 
many  had  thought  that  he  too  rigorously  imposed  some  particular 
practices  upon  others ;  he  informs  his  mother  what  the  singularity 
was,  which  chiefly  gave  oflfence  at  Oxford,  and  explains  the  methods 
he  made  use  of  with  his  pupils,  to  instruct  them  in  the  things  of  God. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


283 


This  letter  is  dated  August  the  17th  ;  "  The  thing,"  says  he,  "that 
gives  offence  here  is,  the  being  singular  with  regard  to  time,  expense, 
and  company.  This  is  evident  beyond  exception  from  the  case  of 
Mr.  Smith,  one  of  our  Fellows ;  who  no  sooner  began  to  husband  his 
time,  to  retrench  unnecessary  expenses,  and  to  avoid  his  irreligious 
acquaintance,  but  he  was  set  upon,  by,  not  only  all  these  acquaint- 
ance, but  many  others  too,  as  if  he  had  entered  into  a  conspiracy  to 
cut  all  their  throats :  though  to  this  day  he  has  not  advised  any 
single  person,  unless  in  a  word  or  two  and  by  accident,  to  act  as  he 
did  in  any  of  those  instances. 

"It  is  true  indeed,  that  'the  devil  hates  offensive  war  most,  and 
that  whoever  tries  to  rescue  more  than  his  own  soul  from  his  hands, 
will  have  more  enemies,  and  meet  with  greater  opposition,  than  if  he 
was  content  with,  having  his  own  life  for  a  prey.'  That  I  try  to  do 
this,  is  likewise  certain  :  but  I  cannot  say  whether  1  '  rigorously 
impose  any  observances  on  others,'  till  I  know  what  that  phrase 
means.  What  I  do  is  this.  When  T  am  intrusted  with  a  person  who 
is  first  to  understand  and  practise,  and  then  to  teach  the  law  of  Christ, 
I  endeavor  by  an  intermixture  of  reading  and  conversation,  to  show 
him  what  that  law  is ;  that  is,  to  renounce  all  imsubordinate  love  of 
the  world,  and  to  love  and  obey  God  with  all  his  strength.  When 
he  appears  seriously  sensible  of  this,  I  propose  to  him  the  means  God 
hath  commanded  him  to  use,  in  order  to  that  end;  and  a  week  or  a 
month  or  a  year  after,  as  the  state  of  his  soul  seems  to  require  it,  the 
several  prudential  means  recommended  by  wise  and  good  men.  As  to 
the  times,  order,  measure,  and  manner,  wherein  these  are  to  be  pro- 
posed, I  depend  upon  the  Holy  Spirit  to  direct  me,  in  and  by  my  own 
experience  and  reflection,  joined  to  the  advices  of  my  religious  friends 
here  and  elsewhere.  Only  two  rules  it  is  my  principle  to  observe  in 
all  cases;  first,  to  begin,  continue,  and  end  all  my  advices  in  the 
spirit  of  meekness :  as  knowing  that  the  wrath  or  severity  of  man 
worketh  not  the  righteousness  of  God  ;  and  secondly,  to  add  to  meek- 
ness long-suffering :  in  pursuance  of  a  rule  which  I  fixt  long  since, 
*  never  to  give  up  any  one  till  I  have  tried  him,  at  least  ten  years; 
how  long  hath  God  had  pity  on  thee  ?' 

"If  the  wise  and  good  will  believe  those  falsehoods  which  the  bad 
invent,  because  I  endeavor  to  save  myself  and  my  friends  from  them, 
then  I  shall  lose  my  reputation,  even  among  them,  for  (though  not 
perhaps  good,  yet)  the  best  actions  lever  did  in  my  life.  This  is  the 
very  case.  I  try  to  act  as  my  Lord  commands:  ill  men  say  all 
manner  of  evil  of  me,  and  good  men  believe  them.  There  is  a  way, 
and  there  is  but  one,  of  making  my  peace ;  God  forbid  I  should  ever 
take  it.  I  have  as  many  pupils  as  I  need,  and  as  many  friends : 
when  more  are  better  for  me,  I  shall  have  more.  If  I  have  no  more 
pupils  after  these  are  gone  from  me,  I  shall  then  be  glad  of  a  curacy 
near  you ;  if  I  have,  I  shall  take  it  as  a  signal  that  I  am  to  remain 


284 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  FvEV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


here.  Whether  here  or  there,  my  desire  is  to  know  and  feel  that  I 
am  nothing,  that  I  have  nothing,  and  that  I  can  do  nothing.  For 
whenever  I  am  empty  of  myself,  then  know  I  of  a  surety,  that  neither 
friends  nor  foes,  nor  any  creature,  can  hinder  me  from  being  filled 
with  all  the  fulness  of  God.  Let  not  my  father's,  or  your  prayers  be 
ever  slack  in  behalf  of  your  affectionate  son." 

On  the  21st  of  September  this  year,  Mr.  Wesley  began  the  practice 
of  reading  as  he  travelled  on  horseback;  and  this  practice  he  con- 
tinued near  forty  years,  till  his  infirmities  obliged  him  to  travel  in  a 
carriage.  His  frequent  journies,  often  on  foot  as  well  as  on  horse- 
back, and  the  great  and  constant  labor  of  preaching,  reading,  visiting, 
&c.  wherever  he  was,  with  hard  study  and  a  very  abstemious  diet, 
had  now  very  much  affected  his  health.  His  strength  was  greatly 
reduced,  and  he  had  frequent  returns  of  spitting  of  blood.  In  the 
night  of  the  16th  of  July,  he  had  a  return  of  it  in  such  quantity  as 
waked  him  out  of  sleep.  The  sudden  and  unexpected  manner  of  its 
coming  on,  with  the  solemnity  of  the  night  season,  made  eternity 
seem  near.  He  cried  to  God  ;  "  O  !  prepare  me  for  thy  coming,  and 
come  when  thou  wilt."^  His  friends  began  to  be  alarmed  for  his 
safety,  and  his  mother  wrote  two  or  three  letters  blaming  him  for  the 
general  neglect  of  his  health.  He  now  took  the  advice  of  a  physician 
or  two,  and  by  proper  care  and  a  prudent  management  of  his  daily 
exercise,  he  gradually  lost  his  complaints,  and  recovered  his  strength. 

Towards  the  end  of  this  year,  he  turned  his  thoughts  to  a  subject 
of  vast  importance  in  Christian  experience  ;  the  presence  of  God  with 
his  people.  But  he  found  it  too  great  for  him  to  comprehend.  He 
talked  with  Mr.  Law,  and  wrote  to  his  mother  upon  it;  but  he 
received  little  or  no  information  from  either  of  them.  They  all  seem 
to  have  inquired  into  the  nature  and  manner  of  the  Divine  Presence, 
rather  than  into  the  evidences  of  it.  His  mother's  answer  is  dated 
January  1,  1734 :  she  confesses  that  she  did  not  understand  the  sub- 
ject, and  that,  in  this  respect,  she  still  worshipped  an  unknown  God. 
Nothing  indeed  is  more  certain  than  this,  that  the  wanner  of  the 
Divine  Presence  and  operations,  both  in  the  works  of  nature  and 
grace  is  incomprehensible  to  us,  at  the  same  time  that  the  effects  pro- 
duced, demonstrate  his  presence  and  power.  Through  the  want  of 
this  distinction,  many  have  run  into  great  errors  in  explaining  the 
influence  of  Divine  grace  on  the  human  mind,  and  some  have  even 
denied  it :  though  to  him  who  rightly  understands  the  Scriptures,  and 
has  any  degree  of  christian  experience,  the  effects  of  it  as  ciearly 
demonstrate  a  Divine  influence,  as  the  works  of  nature  show  the 
existence  of  God,  though  the  manner  of  his  presence  and  operation 
in  both  is  inexplicable. 

The  whole  force  of  Mr.  Wesley's  mind  was  now  bent  on  religious 
subjects.    In  reflecting  on  the  progress  of  the  soul  to  an  entire  con- 

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285 


formily  to  the  will  of  God  and  a  fitness  for  heaven,  he  thought  that 
different  degrees  of  virtue  are  different  states  of  mind  ;  that  is,  of  the 
understanding,  will,  and  affections ;  and  that  we  must  pass  through 
the  lower  states  before  we  can  arrive  at  the  higher ;  so  that  christian 
experience  is  a  progressive  work ;  in  which  the  first  step  prepares  the 
mind  for  the  second,  and  so  on  through  the  whole  of  our  progress. 
He  observed,  however,  that  there  are  certain  states  of  mind  which  are 
more  strongly  marked  than  others;  and  that  these  states  ascertain 
our  progress  with  some  degree  of  certainty.  He  wrote  to  his  mother 
on  this  subject.  She  answered  him  in  a  letter  of  January,  "  You  are 
entirely  in  the  right  in  what  you  say  in  the  second  paragraph  of  your 
letter.  The  different  degrees  of  virtue  and  piety  are  different  states 
of  soul,  which  must  be  passed  through  gradually — for,  in  all  matters 
of  religion,  if  there  be  not  an  internal  sense  in  the  hearer  correspond- 
ing to  the  sense  in  the  mind  of  the  speaker,  what  is  said  will  have  no 
effect :  this  I  have  often  experienced  :  yet  sometimes  it  falls  out,  that 
while  a  zealous  Christian  is  discoursing  on  spiritual  subjects,  the 
blessed  Spirit  of  God  will  give  such  light  to  the  minds  of  those  who 
hear  him,  as  dispels  their  native  darkness,  and  enables  them  to  appre- 
hend those  spiritual  things  of  which  before  they  had  no  discernment." 
In  this  letter  she  addresses  a  pupil  of  Mr.  Wesley's,  who  appears  to 
have  despised  religion.  "  Tell  him  from  me,"  says  she,  "  I  am  as 
good  as  my  word,  1  daily  pray  for  him,  and  beg  of  him  if  he  have  the 
least  regard  for  his  soul,  or  have  yet  any  remaining  sense  of  religion 
in  his  mind,  to  shake  off  all  acquaintance  with  the  profane  and 
irregular ;  for  it  is  the  freethinker  and  sensualist,  not  the  despised 
Methodist,  who  will  be  ashamed  and  confounded  when  summoned  to 
appear  before  the  face  of  that  Almighty  Judge,  whose  godhead  they 
have  blasphemed,  and  whose  offered  mercy  they  despised  and 
ludicrously  rejected.  The  pleasures  of  sin  are  but  for  a  short  uncer- 
tain time,  but  eternity  hath  no  end.  Therefore  one  would  think  that 
few  arguments  might  serve  to  convince  a  man  who  has  not  lost  his 
senses,  that  it  is  of  the  last  importance  for  us  to  be  very  serious  in 
improving  the  present  time,  and  acquainting  ourselves  with  God  while 
it  is  called  to-day  ;  lest  being  disqualified  for  his  blissful  presence,  our 
future  existence  be  inexpressibly  miserable." 

Mr.  Wesley,  and  those  associated  with  him,  were  not  only  zealous 
of  good  works  before  men,  but  they  were  severe  and  strict  in  examin- 
ing themselves  in  the  closet.  Each  had  a  string  of  questions,  by 
which  he  examined  both  his  actions  and  his  motives  in  performing 
them,  and  also  the  temper  of  his  mind  on  every  occasion  that  occurred. 
It  would  be  too  long  to  insert  their  whole  scheme  of  self-examination, 
as  is  related  to  every  part  of  duty :  *I  shall  therefore  only  give  a 
specimen  of  it,  in  the  love  of  man. 

1.  Have  I  embraced  every  probable  opportunity  of  doing  good,  and 
of  preventing,  removing,  or  lessening  evil  7  2.  Have  I  thought  any 


286 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


thing  too  dear  to  part  with,  to  serve  my  neighbor?  3.  Have  I  spent 
an  hour  at  least,  every  day,  in  speaking  to  some  one  or  other?  4. 
Have  I,  in  speaking  to  a  stranger,  explained  what  religion  is  not 
(not  negative,  not  external)  and  what  it  is,  the  recovery  of  the  image 
of  God ;  searched  at  what  step  in  it  he  stops,  and  what  makes  him 
stop  ?  5.  Have  I  persuaded  all  I  could  to  attend  public  prayers,  ser- 
mons, and  sacraments?  and  in  general,  to  obey  the  laws  of  the  Church 
universal,  the  Church  of  England,  the  state,  the  university,  and  their 
respective  colleges  ?  6.  Have  I,  after  every  visit,  asked  him  who  went 
with  me,  did  I  say  any  thing  wrong?  7.  Have  I,  when  any  one  asked 
advice,  directed  and  exhorted  him,  with  all  my  power?  8.  Have  I 
rejoiced  with  and  for  my  neighbor,  in  virtue,  or  pleasure  ?  Grieved 
with  him  in  pain,  and  for  him  in  sin?  9.  Has  good  will  been,  and 
appeared  to  be,  the  spring  of  all  my  actions  towards  others?  &c.  (fcc. 
for  their  scheme  of  self-examination  extended  to  a  very  considerable 
length. 

His  father's  health  had  been  on  the  decline  for  several  years,  and 
he  now  seemed  approaching  towards  the  close  of  life.  The  old  gen- 
tleman, conscious  of  his  situation,  and  desirous  that  the  living  of 
Epworth  should  remain  in  the  family,  wrote  to  his  son  John,  request- 
ing him  to  apply  for  the  next  presentation.  We  have  already  seen, 
that^  when  the  subject  was  mentioned  to  him  last  year,  he  hesitated, 
and  could  not  determine  one  way  or  the  other.  But  now  he  was 
determined  not  to  accept  of  the  living,  if  he  could  obtain  it,  and  stated 
to  his  father,  some  reasons  for  refusing  to  comply  with  his  request. 
His  father  and  brother  Samuel  were  disappointed,  and  both  attacked 
him,  with  every  argument  they  could  possibly  bring  to  bear  upon  him. 
He  acted  on  the  defensive  only,  and  maintained  his  ground.  But  the 
mode  of  attack,  and  of  his  defence,  will  give  us  the  best  view  of  his 
principles  and  disposition  of  mind  at  this  time. 

His  fathers  letter  is  dated  Nov.  20th,  and  runs  as  follows  :  "Your 
state  of  the  question,  and  only  argument  is  :  '  The  question  is  not 
whether  I  could  do  more  good  to  others,  there  or  here;  but  whether  I 
could  do  more  good  to  myself;  seeing  wherever  I  can  be  most  holy  to 
myself,  there  I  can  most  promote  holiness  in  others.  But  I  can  im- 
prove myself  more  at  Oxford,  than  at  any  other  place.' 

"  To  this  I  answer,  1.  It  is  not  dear  self,  but  the  glory  of  God, 
and  the  different  degrees  of  promoting  it,  whicli  should  be  our  main 
consideration,  and  direction  in  any  course  of  life.  Witness  St.  Paul 
and  Moses.  2.  Supposing  you  could  be  more  holy  yourself  at  Oxford, 
how  does  it  follow  that  you  could  more  promote  holiness  in  others, 
there  than  elsewhere^  Have  you  found  many  instances  of  it,  after  so 
many  years'  hard  pains  and  labor  ?  Further,  I  dare  say,  you  are  more 
modest  and  just  than  to  say,  there  are  no  holier  men  than  you  at 
Oxford ;  and  yet  it  is  possible  they  may  not  have  promoted  holiness 
more  than  you  have  done :  as  I  doubt  not  but  you  might  have  done 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


287 


it  much  more,  had  you  have  taken  the  right  method.  For  there  is  a 
particular  turn  of  mind  for  these  matters :  great  prudence  as  well  as 
great  fervor. 

"3.  I  cannot  allow  austerity,  or  fasting,  considered  by  themselves, 
to  be  proper  acts  of  holiness,  nor  am  I  for  a  solitary  life.  God  made 
us  for  a  social  life  ;  we  are  not  to  bury  our  talents ;  we  are  to  let  our 
light  shine  before  men,  and  that  not  barely  through  the  chinks  of  a 
bushel,  for  fear  the  wind  should  blow  it  out.  The  design  of  lighting 
it  was,  that  it  might  give  light  to  all  that  went  into  the  house  of  God. 
And  to  this,  academical  studies  are  only  preparatory. 

"  4.  You  are  sensible  what  figures  those  make,  who  stay  in  the 
university  till  they  are  superannuated.  I  cannot  think  drowsiness 
promotes  holiness.  How  commonly  do  they  drone  away  their  life, 
either  in  a  college,  or  in  a  country  parsonage,  where  they  can  only 
give  God  the  snuffs  of  them,  having  nothing  of  life  or  vigor  left  to 
make  them  useful  in  the  world. 

5.  We  are  not  to  fix  our  eye  on  one  single  point  of  duty,  but  to 
take  in  the  complicated  view  of  all  the  circumstances  in  every  state 
of  life  that  offers.  Thus  in  the  case  before  us,  put  all  the  circumstan- 
ces together :  if  you  are  not  indifferent  whether  the  labors  of  an 
aged  father  for  above  forty  years  in  God's  vineyard  be  lost,  and  the 
fences  of  it  trodden  down  and  destroyed ;  if  you  consider  that  Mr.  M. 
must,  in  all  probability,  succeed  me,  if  you  do  not,  and  that  the  pros- 
pect of  that  mighty  Nimrod's  coming  hither  shocks  my  soul,  and  is 
in  a  fair  way  of  bringing  down  my  grey  hairs  with  sorrow  to  the 
grave :  if  you  have  any  care  for  our  family,  which  must  be  dismally 
shattered  as  soon  as  I  am  dropt ;  if  you  reflect  on  the  dear  love  and 
longing  which  this  poor  people  has  for  you,  whereby  you  will  be  enabled 
to  do  God  the  more  service,  and  the  plenteousness  of  the  harvest,  con- 
sisting of  near  two  thousand  souls,  whereas  you  have  not  many  more 
scholars  in  the  university ;  you  may  perhaps  alter  your  mind,  and 
bend  your  will  to  his,  who  has  promised,  if  in  all  our  ways  we 
acknowledge  him,  he  will  direct  our  paths." 

The  old  gentleman  wrote  to  his  son  Samuel  on  the  subject,  who 
■  warmly  took  part  with  his  father,  and  wrote  to  his  brother  at  Oxford 
in  December,  1734.  "Yesterday,"  says  he,  "I  received  a  letter  from 
my  father,  wherein  he  tells  me,  you  are  unalterably  resolved  not  to 
accept  of  a  certain  living  if  you  could  get  it.  After  this  declaration, 
I  belive  no  one  can  move  your  mind  but  him  who  made  it.  I  shall 
not  draw  the  saw  of  controversy,  and,  therefore,  though  I  judge  every 
proposition  flatly  false,  except  that  of  your  being  assured,  yet  I  shall 
allow  every  word,  and  have  nevertheless  this  to  say  against  your 
conclusions,  1.  I  see  your  love  to  yourself,  but  your  love  to  your 
neighbor  I  do  not  see.  2.  You  are  not  at  liberty  to  resolve  against 
undertaking  a  cure  of  souls.  You  are  solemnly  engaged  to  do  it, 
before  God,  and  his  high  priest  and  his  church.  Are  you  not  ordained? 


288 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


Did  you  not  deliberately  and  openly  promise  to  instruct,  to  teach, 
to  admonish,  to  exhort  those  committed  to  your  charge?  Did  you 
equivocate  then  with  so  vile  a  reservation,  as  to  purpose  in  your 
heart  that  you  never  would  have  any  so  committed  ?  It  is  not  a 
college,  it  is  not  an  university,  it  is  the  order  of  the  Churchy  accord- 
ing to  which  you  were  called.  Let  Charles,  if  he  is  silly  enough,  vow 
never  to  leave  Oxford,  and  therefore  avoid  orders.  Your  faith  is 
already  plighted  to  the  contrary ;  you  have  put  your  hand  to  the 
plough,  to  that  plough." — This  is  strong  language,  and  the  argument, 
if  good,  was  like  playing  heavy  cannon  upon  his  brother.  Mr.  John 
Wesley,  however,  kept  himself  within  his  fortress,  and  answered  his 
brother  Samuel  with  caution.  His  letter  is  dated  January  15th,  1735, 
and  having  explained  himself  at  some  length  to  his  father,  he  sent  a 
copy  of  that  letter  to  his  brother.  He  observes,  "  Had  not  my  brother 
Charles  desired  it  might  be  otherwise,  I  should  have  sent  you  only  an 
extract  of  the  following  letter.  But  if  you  will  be  at  the  pains,  you 
will  soon  reduce  the  argument  of  it,  to  two  or  three  points,  which,  if 
to  be  answered  at  all,  will  be  easily  answered.  By  it  you  may  observe, 
my  present  purpose  is  founded  on  my  present  weakness.  But  it  is 
not  indeed  probable,  that  my  father  should  live  till  that  weakness  is 
removed. 

"  Your  second  argument  I  had  no  occasion  to  mention  before.  To 
it  I  answer,  that  I  do  not,  nor  ever  did,  resolve  against  undertaking  a 
cure  of  souls.  There  are  four  cures  belonging  to  our  college,  and 
consistent  with  a  fellowship  :  I  do  not  know  but  I  may  take  one  of 
them  at  Michaelmas.  Not  that  I  am  clearly  assured,  that  I  should  be 
false  to  my  engagement  were  I  only  to  instruct  and  exhort  the  pupils 
committed  to  my  charge.    But  of  that  I  should  think  more." 

Though  the  letter  to  his  father  is  long,  yet  it  contains  such  a  distinct 
view  of  his  manner  of  thinking  and  reasoning,  and  of  the  energy  of 
his  language,  at  this  period,  that  it  cannot  with  propriety  be  omitted, 
"Dear  Sir, 

"  1st,  The  authority  of  a  parent,  and  the  call  of  Providence,  are 
things  of  so  sacred  a  nature,  that  a  question  in  which  these  are  any 
ways  concerned,  deserves  the  most  serious  consideration.  I  am  there- 
fore greatly  obliged  to  you  for  the  pains  you  have  taken  to  set  ours  in 
a  clear  light ;  which  I  now  intend  to  consider  more  at  large,  with 
the  utmost  attention  of  which  I  am  capable.  And  I  shall  the  more 
cheerfully  do  it,  as  being  assured  of  your  joining  with  me  in  earnestly 
imploring  his  guidance,  who  will  not  suffer  those  that  bend  their  wills 
to  his,  to  seek  death  in  the  error  of  their  life. 

"2d.  I  entirely  agree,  that  '  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  different 
degrees  of  promoting  it,  are  to  be  our  sole  consideration  and 
direction  in  the  choice  of  any  course  of  life  ;'  and,  consequently,  that 
it  must  wholly  turn  upon  this  single  point,  whether  I  am  to  prefer  a 
college  life,  or  that  of  a  rector  of  a  parish.    I  do  not  say  the  glory  of 


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289 


God  is  to  be  my  first,  or  my  principal  consideration,  but  my  only  one  : 
since  all  that  are  not  implied  in  this,  are  absolutely  of  no  weight;  in 
presence  of  this,  they  all  vanish  away,  they  are  less  than  the  small 
dust  of  the  balance. 

"3d.  And,  indeed,  till  all  other  considerations  were  set  aside,  I 
could  never  come  to  any  clear  determination ;  till  my  eye  was  single, 
my  whole  mind  was  full  of  darkness.  Every  consideration  distinct 
from  this,  threw  a  shadow  over  all  the  objects  I  had  in  view,  and  was 
such  a  cloud  as  no  light  could  penetrate.  Whereas,  so  long  as  I  can 
keep  my  eye  single,  and  steadily  fixed  on  the  glory  of  God,  I  have  no 
more  doubt  of  the  way  wherein  I  should  go,  than  of  the  shining  of 
the  sun  at  noon-day. 

"  4th.  That  course  of  life  tends  most  to  the  glory  of  God,  wherein 
we  can  most  promote  holiness  in  ourselves  and  others.  I  say  in  our- 
selves and  others,  as  being  fully  persuaded  that  these  can  never  be 
put  asunder.  For  how  is  it  possible  that  the  good  God  should  make 
our  interest  inconsistent  with  our  neighbor's  7  That  he  should  make 
our  being  in  one  state  best  for  ourselves,  and  our  being  in  another 
best  for  the  church  ?  This  would  be  making  a  strange  schism  in  his 
body;  such  as  surely  never  was  from  the  beginning  of  the  world. 
And  if  not,  then  whatever  state  is  best  on  either  of  these  accounts,  is 
so  on  the  other  likewise.  If  it  be  best  for  others,  then  it  is  so  for  us; 
if  for  us,  then  for  them. 

"  5th.  However,  when  two  ways  of  life  are  proposed,  I  should 
choose  to  begin  with  that  part  of  the  question,  which  of  these  have  I 
rational  ground  to  believe  will  conduce  most  to  my  own  improvement. 
And  that  not  only  because  it  is  every  physician's  concern  to  heal 
himself  first,  but  because  it  seems  we  may  judge  with  more  ease,  and 
perhaps  certainty  too,  in  which  state  we  can  most  promote  holiness 
in  ourselves,  than  in  which  we  can  in  others. 

"  6th.  By  holiness,  I  mean  not  fasting,  or  bodily  austerity,  or  any 
other  external  means  of  improvement,  but  the  inward  temper,  to 
which  all  these  are  subservient,  a  renewal  of  the  soul  in  the  image 
of  God.  I  mean  a  complex  habit  of  lowliness,  meekness,  purity, 
faith,  hope,  and  the  love  of  God  and  man.  And  I  therefore  believe 
that,  in  the  state  wherein  I  am,  I  can  most  promote  this  holiness  in 
myself,  because  I  now  enjoy  several  advantages,  which  are  almost 
peculiar  to  it. 

"7th.  The  first  of  these,  is  daily  converse  with  my  friends.  I 
know  no  other  place  under  heaven  v/here  I  can  have  always  at  hand 
half  a  dozen  persons  nearly  of  my  own  judgment,  and  engaged  in  the 
same  studies.  Persons  who  are  awakened  into  a  full  and  lively  con- 
viction, that  they  have  only  one  work  to  do  upon  earth ;  who  are  in 
some  measure  enlightened  so  as  to  see,  though  at  a  distance,  what 
that  one  work  is,  viz.  the  recovery  of  that  single  intention  and  pure 
affection  which  were  in  Christ  Jesus :  who,  in  order  to  this,  have, 
25  37 


290 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


according  to  their  power,  renounced  themselves,  and  wholly  and 
absolutely  devoted  themselves  to  God  :  and  who  suitably  thereto  deny 
themselves,  and  take  up  their  cross  claily.  To  have  such  a  number 
of  such  friends  constantly  watching  over  my  soul,  and  according  to 
the  variety  of  occasions,  administering  reproof,  advice,  or  exhorta- 
tion, with  all  plainness  and  all  gentleness,  is  a  blessing  I  have  not 
yet  found  any  Christians  to  enjoy  in  any  other  part  of  the  king- 
dom. And  such  a  blessing  it  is,  so  conducive,  if  faithfully  used,  to 
the  increase  of  all  holiness,  as  I  defy  any  one  to  know  the  full  value 
of,  till  he  receives  his  full  measure  of  glory. 

"8th.  Another  invaluable  blessing  which  I  enjoy  here  in  a  greater 
degree  than  I  could  anywhere  else,  is  retirement.  I  have  not  only  as 
much,  but  as  little  company  as  I  please.  I  have  no  such  thing  as  a 
trifling  visitant,  except  about  an  hour  in  a  month,  when  I  invite  some 
of  the  fellows  to  breakfast.  Unless  at  that  one  time,  no  one  ever 
takes  it  into  his  head  to  set  foot  within  my  door,  except  he  has  some 
business  of  importance  to  communicate  to  me,  or  I  to  him.  And  even 
then,  as  soon  as  he  has  dispatched  his  business,  he  immediately  takes 
his  leave. 

'•9th.  Both  these  blessings,  the  continual  presence  of  useful,  and 
uninterrupted  freedom  from  trifling  acquaintance,  are  exceedingly 
endeared  to  me,  whenever  I  have  spent  but  one  week  out  of  this  place. 
The  far  greatest  part  of  the  conversation  I  meet  with  abroad,  even 
among  those  whom  I  believe  to  be  real  Christians,  turns  on  points  that 
are  absolutely  wide  of  my  purpose,  that  no  way  forward  me  in  the 
busuiess  of  life.  Now,  though  they  may  have  time  to  spare,  I  have 
none ;  it  is  absolutely  necessary  for  such  a  one  as  me  to  follow  with 
all  possible  care  and  vigilance,  that  excellent  advice  of  Mr.  Herbert, 

'  Still  let  thy  mind  be  bent,  still  plotting  where, 
And  when,  and  how,  the  business  may  be  done.' 

And  this,  I  bless  God,  I  can  in  some  measure  do,  so  long  as  I  avoid 
that  bane  of  piety,  the  company  of  good  sort  of  men,  lukewarm  Chris- 
tians (as  they  are  called,)  persons  that  have  a  great  concern  for,  but 
no  sense  of  religion.  But  these  undermine  insensibly  all  my  reso- 
lutions, and  quite  steal  from  me  the  little  fervor  I  have ;  and  I  never 
come  from  among  these  saints  of  the  world  (as  J.  Valdesso  calls 
them,)  faint,  dissipated  and  shorn  of  all  my  strength,  but  I  say,  'God 
deliver  me  from  a  half  Christian.' 

"  10th.  Freedom  from  care  I  take  to  be  the  next  greatest  advantage 
to  freedom  from  useless,  and  therefore  hurtful  company.  And  this 
too  I  enjoy  in  greater  perfection  here  than  I  can  ever  expect  to  do  any 
where  else.  I  hear  of  such  a  thing  as  the  cares  of  this  world,  and  I 
read  of  them,  but  I  know  them  not.  My  income  is  ready  for  me  on 
so  many  stated  days,  and  all  I  have  to  do  is  to  count  and  carry  it 
home.  The  grand  article  of  my  expense  is  food,  and  this  too  is  pro- 
vided without  any  care  of  mine.    I  have  nothing  to  do,  but  at  such 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


291 


an  hour  to  take  and  eat  what  is  prepared  for  me.  My  laundress, 
barber,  &c.  are  always  ready  at  quarter-day,  so  I  have  no  trouble 
on  account  of  those  expenses.  And  for  what  I  occasionally  need,  I 
can  be  supplied  from  time  to  time  without  any  expense  of  thought. 
Now  to  convince  me  what  a  help  to  holiness  this  is  (were  not  my 
experience  abundantly  sufficient)  I  should  need  no  better  authority 
than  St.  Paul's,  '  I  would  have  you  be  without  carefulness.'  This  I 
speak  for  your  own  profit,  that  ye  may  attend  upon  the  Lord  without 
distraction.  Happy  is  he  that  careth  only  for  the  things  of  the  Lord, 
how  he  may  please  the  Lord.  He  may  be  holy  both  in  body  and 
spirit,  after  the  Apostle's  judgment,  and  I  think  that  he  had  the  spirit 
of  God. 

"  11th.  To  quicken  me  in  making  a  thankful  and  diligent  use  of 
all  the  other  advantages  of  this  place,  I  have  the  opportunity  of  public 
prayer  twice  a  day  and  of  weekly  communicating.  It  would  be  easy 
to  mention  many  more,  and  likewise  to  show  many  disadvantages, 
which  a  person  of  greater  courage  and  skill  than  me,  could  scarce 
separate  from  a  country  life.  But  whatever  one  of  experience  and 
resolution  might  do,  I  am  very  sensible  I  should  not  be  able  to  turn 
aside  one  of  the  thousand  temptations  that  would  immediately  rush 
upon  me.  I  could  not  stand  my  ground,  no  not  for  one  month, 
against  intemperance  in  sleeping,  eating,  and  drinking;  against 
irregularity  in  study,  against  a  general  lukewarmness  in  my  affections, 
and  remissness  in  my  actions ;  against  softness  and  self-indulgence, 
directly  opposite  to  that  discipline  and  hardship  which  become  a  sol- 
dier of  Jesus  Christ.  And  then,  when  my  spirit  was  thus  dissolved, 
I  should  be  an  easy  prey  to  whatever  impertinent  company  came  in 
my  way.  Then  would  the  cares  of  the  world,  and  the  desire  of  other 
things  roll  back  with  a  full  tide  upon  me.  It  would  be  no  wonder, 
if,  while  I  preached  to  others,  I  myself  should  be  a  cast-away.  I  can- 
not therefore  but  observe,  that  the  question  does  not  relate  barely  to 
degrees  of  perfection,  but  to  the  very  essence  and  being  of  it.  Agitur 
de  vita  et  sanguine  Tiirni.  The  point  is,  whether  I  shall,  or  shall 
not,  work  out  my  salvation,  whether  I  shall  serve  Christ,  or  Belial. 

"  12th.  What  still  heightens  my  fear  of  this  untried  state  is,  that 
when  I  am  once  entered  into  it,  be  the  inconveniences  of  it  found 
more  or  less — vestigia  nulla  retrorsum — when  I  am  there,  there  I 
must  stay.  If  this  way  of  life  should  ever  prove  less  advantageous,  I 
have  almost  continual  opportunities  of  quitting  it ;  but  whatever 
difficulties  occur  in  that,  whether  foreseen  or  unforeseen,  there  is  no 
returning,  any  more  than  from  the  grave.  When  I  have  once  launched 
out  into  that  unknown  sea,  there  is  no  recovering  my  harbor  ;  I  must 
on  among  whatever  whirlpools,  or  rocks,  or  sands,  though  all  the 
waves  and  storms  go  over  me. 

13th.  Thus  much  as  to  myself  But  you  justly  observe,  that 
we  are  not  to  consider  ourselves  alone ;  since  God  made  us  all  for  a 


292 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


social  life,  to  which  academical  studies  are  only  preparatory.  I 
allow  too  that  he  will  take  an  exact  account  of  every  talent  which 
he  has  lent  us,  not  to  bury  them,  but  to  employ  every  mite  we  have 
received,  in  diffusing  holiness  all  around  us.  I  cannot  deny  that 
every  follower  of  Christ  is,  in  his  proportion,  the  light  of  the  world, 
but  whoever  is  such  can  no  more  be  concealed  than  the  sun  in  the 
midst  of  heaven;  that  being  set  as  a  light  in  a  dark  place,  his  shining 
out  must  be  the  more  conspicuous ;  that  to  this  very  end  was  his 
light  given,  that  it  might  shine  at  least  to  all  that  look  towards  him ; 
and  indeed  that  there  is  one  only  way  of  hiding  it,  which  is,  to  put 
it  out.  Neither  can  I  deny,  that  it  is  the  indispensable  duty  of  every 
Christian  to  impart  both  light  and  heat  to  all  who  are  willing  to 
receive  it.  I  am  obliged  likewise,  unless  I  lie  against  the  truth,  to 
grant  that  there  is  not  so  contemptible  an  animal  upon  earth,  as  one 
that  drones  away  life,  without  ever  laboring  to  promote  the  glory  of 
God,  and  the  good  of  men ;  and  that  whether  he  be  young  or  old, 
learned  or  unlearned,  in  a  college,  or  out  of  it.  Yet  granting  the 
superlative  degree  of  contempt  to  be  on  all  accounts  due  to  a  college 
drone;  a  wretch  that  hath  received  ten  talents,  and  yet  employs 
none ;  that  is  not  only  promised  a  reward  by  his  gracious  master,  but 
is  paid  beforehand  for  his  work  by  his  generous  founder,  and  yet 
works  not  at  all ;  allowing  all  this,  and  whatever  else  can  be  said 
(for  I  own  it  is  impossible  to  say  enough)  against  the  drowsy  ingrat- 
itude, the  lazy  perjury  of  those  who  are  commonly  called  harmless 
or  good  sort  of  men  (a  fair  proportion  of  whom  I  must  to  our  shame 
confess  are  to  be  found  in  colleges,)  allowing  this,  I  say,  I  do  not 
apprehend  it  will  conclude  against  a  college  life  in  general.  For  the 
abuse  of  it  does  not  destroy  the  use  ;  though  there  are  some  here  who 
are  the  lumber  of  the  creation,  it  does  not  follow  that  others  may  not 
be  of  more  service  to  the  world  in  this  station,  than  they  could  in 
any  other. 

"  14th.  That  I  in  particular  conld,  might,  it  seems,  be  inferred  from 
what  has  been  proved  already,  viz..  That  I  could  be  holier  here 
myself  than  anywhere  else,  if  I  faithfully  used  the  blessings  I  enjoy ; 
for  to  prove,  that  the  holier  any  man  is  himself,  the  more  shall  he 
promote  holiness  in  others,  there  needs  no  more  than  this  one  postu- 
latum^  the  help  which  is  done  on  earth,  God  does  it  himself  If  so, 
if  God  be  the  sole  agent  in  healing  souls,  and  man  only  the  instru- 
ment in  his  hand,  there  can  no  doubt  be  made,  but  that  the  more  holy 
a  man  is,  he  will  make  use  of  him  the  more.  Because  he  is  more 
willing  to  be  so  used ;  because  the  more  pure  he  is,  he  is  the  fitter  in- 
strument for  the  God  of  purity ;  because  he  will  pray  more,  and  more 
earnestly  that  he  may  be  employed,  and  that  his  service  may  tend  to 
his  Master's  glory;  because  all  his  prayers  both  for  employment  and 
success  therein  will  the  more  surely  pierce  the  clouds ;  because  the 
more  his  heart  is  enlarged,  the  wider  sphere  he  may  act  in  without 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


carefulness  or  distraction.  And  lastly,  because  the  more  his  heart  is 
renewed  in  the  image  of  God,  the  more  God  can  renew  it  in  others 
by  him,  without  destroying  him  by  pride  or  vanity. 

15th.  But  for  the  proof  of  every  one  of  these  weighty  truths, 
experience  is  worth  a  thousand  reasons.  I  see,  I  feel  them  every 
day.  Sometimes  I  cannot  do  good  to  others,  because  I  am  unwilling 
to  do  it ;  shame  or  pain  is  in  the  way ;  and  I  do  not  desire  to  serve 
God  at  so  dear  a  rate.  Sometimes  I  cannot  do  the  good  I  desire  to 
do,  because  I  am  in  other  respects  too  unholy.  I  know  within 
myself,  were  1  fit  to  be  so  employed,  God  would  employ  me  in  this 
work.  But  my  heart  is  too  unclean  for  such  mighty  works  to  be 
wrought  by  my  hands.  Sometimes  I  cannot  accomplish  the  good  I  am 
employed  in,  because  I  do  not  pray  more  and  more  fervently ;  and  some- 
times even  when  I  do  pray,  and  that  instantly,  because  I  am  not  wor- 
thy that  my  prayer  should  be  heard.  Sometimes  I  dare  not  attempt 
to  assist  my  neighbor,  because  I  know  the  narrowness  of  my  heart, 
that  it  cannot  attend  to  many  things,  without  utter  confusion,  and 
dissipation  of  thought.  And  a  thousand  times  have  I  been  mercifully 
withheld  from  success  in  the  thmgs  I  have  attempted;  because  were 
one  so  proud  and  vain  enabled  to  gain  others,  he  would  lose  his  own 
soul. 

"  16th.  From  all  this  I  conclude,  that  where  I  am  most  holy  myself, 
there  I  could  most  promote  holiness  in  others;  and,  consequently, 
that  I  could  more  promote  it  here,  than  in  any  place  under  heaven. 
But  1  have  likewise  other  reasons  beside  this  to  think  so;  and  the 
first  is,  the  plenteousness  of  the  harvest.  Here  is  indeed  a  large 
scene  of  various  action.  Here  is  room  for  charity  in  all  its  forms. 
There  is  scarce  any  way  of  doing  good  to  our  fellow-creatures,  for 
which  here  is  not  daily  occasion.  I  can  now  only  touch  upon  the 
several  heads  Here  are  poor  families  to  be  relieved;  here  are  chil- 
dren to  be  educated ;  here  are  work-houses  wherein  both  young  and 
old  want,  and  gladly  receive  the  word  of  exhortation;  here  are  pris- 
ons to  be  visited,  wherein  alone  is  a  complication  of  all  human 
wants;  and,  lastly,  here  are  the  schools  of  the  prophets;  here  are 
tender  minds  to  be  formed  and  strengthened,  and  babes  in  Christ  to 
be  instructed,  and  perfected  in  all  useful  learning.  Of  these  in  par- 
ticular we  must  observe,  that  he  who  gains  only  one,  does  thereby  as 
much  service  to  the  world  as  he  could  do  in  a  parish  in  his  whole 
life,  for  his  name  is  legion  ;  in  him  are  contained  all  those  who  shall 
be  converted  by  him.  He  is  not  a  single  drop  of  the  dew  of  heaven ; 
but  '  a  river  to  make  glad  the  city  of  God.' 

"  17th.  But  Epworth  is  yet  a  larger  sphere  of  action  than  this ;  there 
I  should  have  the  care  of  two  thousand  souls.  Two  thousand  souls, 
1  see  not  how  any  man  living  can  take  care  of  an  hundred.  At  least 
1  could  not;  I  know  too  well  Qtiid  valeant  humeri.  Because  the 
26^^ 


294 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  KEV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


weight  I  have  already  upon  me,  is  almost  more  than  I  am  able  to 
bear,  ought  I  to  increase  it  ten-fold? 

 imponere  Pelio  Ossam 

Scilicet,  atque  Osse  frondosum  involvere  Olympim. 

Would  this  be  the  way  to  help  either  myself  or  my  brethren  up  to 
heaven?  Nay,  but  the  mountains  I  reared  would  only  crush  my  own 
soul,  and  so  make  me  utterly  useless  to  others. 

"  18th.  I  need  not  but  just  glance  upon  several  other  reasons,  why 
I  am  more  likely  to  be  useful  here  than  any  where  else.  As,  because 
I  have  the  joint  advice  of  many  friends  in  any  difficulty,  and  their 
joint  encouragement  in  any  dangers.  Because  the  good  bishop  and 
vice-chancellor,  are  at  hand  to  supply  (as  need  is)  their  want  of 
experience ;  because  we  have  the  eyes  of  multitudes  upon  us,  who, 
even  without  designing  it,  perform  the  most  substantial  office  of 
friendship,  apprizing  us  where  we  have  already  fallen,  and  guarding 
us  from  falling  again ;  lastly,  because  we  have  here  a  constant  fund 
(which  I  believe  this  year  will  amount  to  near  eighty  pounds)  to  sup- 
ply the  bodily  wants  of  the  poor,  and  thereby  prepare  their  souls  to 
receive  instruction. 

19th.  If  it  be  said  that  the  love  of  the  people  at  Epworth  balan- 
ces all  these  advantages  here ;  I  ask  how  long  it  will  last  ?  Only  till 
I  come  to  tell  them  plainly  that  their  deeds  are  evil,  and  to  make  a 
particular  application  of  that  general  sentence  to  say  to  each,  '  Thou 
art  the  man  ! '  Alas,  sir,  do  I  not  know,  what  love  they  had  for  you 
at  first  ?  and  how  have  they  used  you  since  ?  Why,  just  as  every 
one  will  be  used,  whose  business  it  is  to  bring  light  to  them  that  love 
to  sit  in  darkness. 

''20th.  Notwithstanding,  therefore,  their  present  prejudice  in  my 
favor,  I  cannot  quit  my  first  conclusion,  that  I  am  not  likely  to  do 
that  good  any  where,  not  even  at  Epworth,  which  I  may  do  at  Ox- 
ford; and  yet  one  terrible  objection  lies  in  the  way;  Have  you  found 
it  so  in  fact?  What  have  you  done  there  in  so  many  years?  Nay, 
have  not  the  very  attempts  to  do  good,  for  want  either  of  a  particular 
turn  of  mind  for  the  business  you  engaged  in,  or  of  prudence  to  direct 
you  in  the  right  method  of  doing  it,  not  only  been  unsuccessful,  but 
brought  such  contempt  upon  you,  as  has  in  great  measure  disqualified 
you  for  any  future  success?  And  are  there  not  men  in  Oxford  who 
are  not  only  better  and  holier  than  you,  but  who  have  preserved  their 
reputation,  who  being  universally  esteemed,  are  every  way  fitter  to 
promote  the  glory  of  God  in  that  place? 

"21st.  I  am  not  careful  to  answer  in  this  matter.  It  is  not  my 
part  to  say  whether  God  has  done  any  good  by  my  hands ;  whether 
I  have  a  particular  turn  of  mind  for  this  or  not ;  or  whether  the  want 
of  success  in  my  past  attempts,  was  owing  to  want  of  prudence,  to 
ignorance  of  the  right  method  of  acting,  or  to  some  other  cause.  But 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


295 


the  latter  part  of  the  objection,  that  he  who  is  despised  can  do  no 
good,  that  without  reputation  a  man  cannot  be  useful  in  the  world, 
being  the  strong-hold  of  all  the  unbelieving,  the  vain-glorious,  and 
the  cowardly  Christians,  (so  called,)  I  will,  by  the  grace  of  God,  see 
what  reason  that  has,  thus  continually  to  exalt  itself  against  the 
knowledge  of  Christ. 

"  22d.  With  regard  to  contempt  then  (under  which  term  I  include 
all  the  passions  that  border  upon  it,  as  hatred,  envy,  &c.,  and  all  the 
fruits  that  flow  from  them,  such  as  calumny,  reproach,  and  persecu- 
tion in  any  of  its  forms)  my  first  position,  in  defiance  of  worldly 
wisdom,  is  this,  '  Every  true  Christian  is  contemned  wherever  he 
lives,  by  all  who  are  not  so,  and  who  know  him  to  be  such,  i.  e.,  in 
effect,  by  all  with  whom  he  converses ;  since  it  is  impossible  for  light 
not  to  shine.'  This  position  I  prove  both  from  the  example  of  our 
Lord,  and  from  his  express  assertions.  First  from  his  example,  if  the 
disciple  is  not  above  his  master,  nor  the  servant  above  his  lord,  then, 
as  our  Master  was  despised  and  rejected  of  men,  so  will  every 
one  of  his  true  disciples.  But  the  disciple  is  not  above  his  master, 
and  therefore  the  consequence  will  not  fail  him  a  hair's-breadth. 
Secondly,  from  his  own  express  assertions  of  this  consequence.  '  If 
they  have  called  the  master  of  the  house  Beelzebub,  how  much  more 
them  of  his  household.'  Matthew  x.  25.  '  Remember  (ye  that 
would  fain  forget,  or  evade  it)  the  word  that  I  said  unto  you,  the 
servant  is  not  greater  than  his  lord.  If  they  have  persecuted  me, 
they  will  also  persecute  you.'  And  as  for  that  vain  hope,  that  this 
belongs  only  to  the  first  followers  of  Christ,  hear  ye  him.  '  All  these 
things  will  they  do  to  you,  because  they  know  not  him  that  sent 
me.'  And  again,  '  because  ye  are  not  of  the  world,  therefore  the 
world  hateth  you.'  John  xvi.  20.  Both  the  persons  who  are  hated, 
and  the  persons  who  hate  them,  and  the  cause  of  their  hating  them, 
are  here  clearly  determined.  The  hated  are  all  that  are  not  of  this 
world,  that  are  born  again  in  the  knowledge  and  love  of  God ;  the 
haters  are  all  that  are  of  this  world,  that  know  not  God,  so  as  to  love 
him  with  all  their  strength ;  the  cause  of  their  hatred  is,  the  entire 
irreconcilable  diflJerences  between  their  desires,  judgments,  and  affec- 
tions; because  these  know  not  God,  and  those  are  determined  to 
know  and  pursue  nothing  besides  him;  because  these  esteem  and 
love  the  world,  and  those  count  it  dung  and  dross,  and  singly  desire 
that  love  of  Christ. 

"23d.  My  next  position  is  this,  'Until  he  be  thus  contemned,  no 
man  is  in  a  state  of  salvation.'  And  this  is  no  more  than  a  plain 
inference  from  the  former ;  for  if  all  that  are  not  of  the  world  are 
therefore  contemned  by  those  that  are,  then  till  a  man  is  so  contemned, 
he  is  of  the  world,  i.  e.,  out  of  a  state  of  salvation.  Nor  is  it  possi- 
ble for  all  the  trimmers  between  God  and  the  world,  for  all  the 
dodgers  in  religion,  to  elude  this  consequence,  which  God  has  estab- 


296 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


lished,  and  not  man,  unless  they  could  prove  that  a  man  may  be  of 
the  world,  i.  e.,  void  both  of  the  knowledge  and  love  of  God,  and  yet 
be  in  a  state  of  salvation.  I  must  therefore,  with  or  without  leave  of 
these,  keep  close  to  my  Saviour's  judgment,  and  maintain  that  con- 
tempt is  a  part  of  that  cross  which  every  man  must  bear  if  he  will 
follow  him;  that  it  is  the  badge  of  his  discipleship,  the  stamp  of  his 
profession,  the  constant  seal  of  his  calHng;  insomuch  that,  though 
a  man  may  be  despised  without  being  saved,  yet  he  cannot  be  saved 
without  being  despised. 

"24th.  I  should  not  spend  any  more  words  about  this  great  truth, 
but  that  it  seems  at  present  quite  voted  out  of  the  world;  the  masters 
in  Israel,  learned  men,  men  of  renown,  seem  absolutely  to  have  for- 
gotten it ;  nay,  censure  those  who  have  not  forgotten  the  words  of 
their  Lord,  as  setters  forth  of  strange  doctrines.  And  hence  it  is  com- 
monly asked,  'How  can  these  things  be?'  How  can  contempt  be 
necessary  to  salvation  ?  I  answer,  as  it  is  a  necessary  means  of  puri- 
fying souls  for  heaven,  as  it  is  a  blessed  instrument  of  cleansing  them 
from  pride,  which  else  would  turn  their  very  graces  into  poison ;  as 
it  is  a  glorious  antidote  against  vanity,  which  would  otherwise  pol- 
lute and  destroy  all  their  labors ;  as  it  is  an  excellent  medicine  to  heal 
the  anger  and  impatience  of  spirit,  apt  to  insinuate  into  their  best 
employments ;  and,  in  a  word,  as  it  is  one  of  the  choicest  remedies 
in  the  whole  magazine  of  God  against  love  of  the  world,  in  which 
whosoever  liveth  is  counted  dead  before  him. 

"25th.  And  hence  (as  a  full  answer  to  the  preceding  objection) 
I  infer  one  position  more.  That  our  being  contemned  is  absolutely 
necessary  to  our  doing  good  in  the  world.  If  not  to  our  doing  some 
good  (for  God  may  work  by  Judas)  yet  to  our  doing  so  much  as  we 
otherwise  should.  For  since  God  will  employ  those  instruments 
most,  who  are  fittest  to  be  employed ;  since  the  holier  a  man  is,  the 
fitter  instrument  he  is  for  the  God  of  holiness;  and  since  contempt  is 
so  glorious  a  means  of  advancing  holiness  in  him  that  is  exercised 
thereby.  Nay,  since  no  man  can  be  holy  at  all  without  it,  who  can 
keep  off*  the  consequence?  The  being  contemned  is  absolutely  neces- 
sary to  a  Christian's  doing  his  full  measure  of  good  in  the  world. — 
Where  then  is  the  scribe  ?  Where  is  the  wise?  Where  is  the  disput- 
er  of  this  world  ?  Where  is  the  replier  against  God,  with  his  sage 
maxims  ?  '  He  that  is  despised  can  do  no  good  in  the  world ;  to  be 
useful,  a  man  must  be  esteemed ;  to  advance  the  glory  of  God,  you 
must  have  a  fair  reputation.'  Saith  the  world  so?  But  what  saith 
the  Scripture?  Why,  that  God  hath  laughed  all  the  heathen  wisdom 
to  scorn  ?  It  saith,  that  twelve  despised  followers  of  a  despised  Mas- 
ter, all  of  whom  were  of  no  reputation,  who  were  esteemed  as  the 
filth  and  off-scouring  of  the  world,  did  more  good  in  it  than  all  the 
tribes  of  Israel.  It  saith,  that  the  despised  Master  of  these  despised 
followers  left  a  standing  direction  to  us,  and  to  our  children,  '  Blessed 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  KEV.  JOHN  WESLEY.  SWT 

are  ye '  (not  accursed  with  the  heavy  curse  of  doing  no  good,  of  being 
useless  in  the  world)  '  when  men  shall  revile  you  and  persecute  you, 
and  say  all  manner  of  evil  of  you  falsely  for  my  name's  sake.  Re- 
joice and  be  exceedingly  glad,  for  great  is  your  reward  in  heaven.' 

''26th.  These  are  part  of  my  reasons  for  choosing  to  abide  (till  I 
am  better  informed)  in  the  station  wherein  God  has  placed  me.  As 
for  the  flock  committed  to  your  care,  whom  for  many  years  you  have 
diligently  fed  with  the  sincere  milk  of  the  word,  I  trust  in  God  your 
labor  shall  not  be  in  vain,  either  to  yourself  or  them;  many  of  them 
the  Great  Shepherd  has  by  your  hand  delivered  from  the  hand  of  the 
destroyer,  some  of  whom  are  already  entered  into  peace,  and  some 
remain  unto  this  day.  For  yourself,  I  doubt  not,  but  when  your  war- 
fare is  accomplished,  when  you  are  made  perfect  through  suflferings, 
you  shall  come  to  your  grave,  not  with  sorrow,  but  as  a  ripe  shock  of 
corn,  full  of  years  and  victories.  And  he  that  took  care  of  the  poor 
sheep  before  you  was  bom,  will  not  forget  them  when  you  are  dead." 

Mr.  Samuel  Wesley  wrote  to  his  brother  John  at  Oxford,  February 
8,  1735,  and  made  some  observations  on  the  letter  he  had  written  to 
his  father.  He  tells  him,  "Charles  was  in  the  right,  to  desire  I 
might  have  your  whole  letter.  Though  you  have  stated  the  point,  so 
as  to  take  away  the  question,  at  least  all  possibility  of  differing  about 
it,  if  it  be  only  this,  whether  you  are  to  serve  Christ,  or  Belial?  I  see 
no  end  of  writing  now,  but  merely  complying  with  your  desire  of 
having  my  thoughts  upon  it ;  which  I  here  give  in  short,  and  I  think 
almost  in  full,  though  I  pass  over  strictures  on  less  matters. 

"1.  Your  friends,  retirement,  frequent  ordinances,  and  freedom 
from  care,  are  great  blessings ;  all,  except  the  last,  you  may  expect, 
in  a  lower  degree^  elsewhere.  Sure  all  your  labors  are  not  come  to 
this,  that  more  is  absolutely  necessary  for  you,  for  the  very  being  of 
your  christian  life,  than  for  the  salvation  of  all  the  parish  priests  in 
England.    It  is  very  strange  ! 

"2.  To  the  question,  '  What  good  have  you  done  at  Oxford  ? '  You 
are  not  careful  to  answer :  how  comes  it  then  you  are  so  very  careful 
about  the  good  you  might  do  at  Epworth?  The  help  that  is  done  on 
earth,  he  doeth  it  himself,  is  a  full  solution  of  that  terrible  difficulty. 

"  3.  The  impossibility  of  retuni,  the  certainty  of  being  disliked  by 
them  that  now  cry  you  up,  and  the  small  comparative  good  my  father 
has  done,  are  good  prudential  reasons ;  but  I  think  can  hardly  extend 
to  conscience.  '  You  can  leave  Oxford  when  you  will.'  Not  surely 
to  such  advantage.  '  You  have  a  probability  of  doing  good  there.' 
Will  that  good  be  wholly  undone  if  you  leave  it?  Why  should  you 
not  leaven  another  lump  ? 

"  4.  What  you  say  of  contempt  is  nothing  to  the  purpose ;  for  if 
you  will  go  to  Ep worth,  I  will  answer  for  it,  you  shall,  in  a  compe- 
tent time,  be  despised  as  much  as  your  heart  can  wish.  In  your  doc- 
trine, you  argue  from  a  particular  to  a  general.    '  To  be  useful,  a  man 

38 


m 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


must  be  esteemed,'  is  ascertain  as  any  proposition  in  Euclid^  and  I  defy 
all  mankind  to  produce  one  instance,  of  directly  doing  spiritual  good 
without  it,  in  the  whole  book  of  God. — 5.  ^  God,  who  provided  for 
the  flock  before,  will  do  it  after  my  father.'  May  he  not  suffer  them 
to  be,  what  they  once  were,  almost  heathens?  And  may  not  that  be 
prevented  by  your  ministry  1  It  could  never  enter  into  my  head  that 
you  could  refuse  on  any  other  ground,  than  a  general  resolution 
against  the  cure  of  souls.  I  shall  give  no  positive  reason  for  it,  till 
my  first  is  answered.  The  order  of  the  Church  stakes  you  down,  and 
the  more  you  struggle  will  hold  the  faster.  If  there  be  such  a  thing 
as  truth,  I  insist  upon  it  you  must,  when  opportunity  oflfers,  either 
perform  that  promise,  or  repent  of  it:  Utrum  mavis Which  do 
you  prefer  ? 

To  this  letter  Mr.  John  Wesley  replied  on  the  13th  of  the  same 
month. — ''Neither  you  nor  I,"  says  he,  "have  any  time  to  spare;  so 
I  must  be  as  short  as  I  can. 

"  There  are  two  questions  between  us,  one  relating  to  being  good, 
the  other  to  doing  good.  With  regard  to  the  former:  1.  You  allow 
I  enjoy  more  of  friends,  retirement,  freedom  from  care,  and  divine 
ordinances,  than  I  could  do  elsewhere ;  and  I  add,  1.  I  feel  all  this 
to  be  but  just  enough.  2.  I  have  always  found  less  than  this  to  be 
too  little  for  me ;  and  therefore,  3.  Whatever  others  do,  I  could  not 
throw  up  any  part  of  it,  without  manifest  hazard  to  my  salvation. 

"2.  As  to  the  latter,  I  am  not  careful  to  answer,  'what good  I  have 
done  at  Oxford' ;  because  I  cannot  think  of  it  without  the  utmost  dan- 
ger. I  am  careful  what  good  I  may  do  at  Ep worth,  1.  Because  I 
can  think  of  it  without  any  danger  at  all ;  2.  Because  as  I  cannot, 
as  matters  now  stand,  avoid  thinking  of  it  without  sin. 

"3.  Another  can  supply  my  place  at  Epworth,  better  than  at  Oxford; 
and  the  good  done  here,  is  of  a  far  more  diffusive  nature.  It  is  a  more 
extensiA^e  benefit  to  sweeten  the  fountain,  than  to  do  the  same  to 
particular  streams. 

"4.  To  the  objection.  You  are  despised  at  Oxford  therefore  you  can 
do  no  good  there;  I  answer,  1.  A  Christian  will  be  despised  any 
where.  2.  No  one  is  a  Christian  till  he  is  despised.  3.  His  being 
despised  will  not  hinder  his  doing  good,  but  much  further  it,  by  mak- 
ing him  a  better  Christian.  Without  contradicting  any  of  these 
propositions,  I  allow,  that  every  one  to  whom  you  do  good  directly, 
must  esteem  you,  first  or  last. — N.  B.  A  man  may  despise  you  for  one 
thing,  hate  you  for  another,  and  envy  you  for  a  third. 

"  5.  God  may  suffer  Epworth  to  be  worse  than  before.  But  I  may 
not  attempt  to  prevent  it,  with  so  great  a  hazard  to  my  own  soul. — 
Your  last  argument  is  either  ignoratio  elenchi,  or  implies  these  two 
propositions  :  '1.  You  resolve  against  any  parochial  cure  of  souls. 
2.  The  priest  who  does  not  undertake  the  first  parochial  cure  that 
ofiers,  is  perjured.'    Let  us  add  a  third  :    '  The  tutor  who  being  in 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  EEV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


299 


orders  never  accepts  of  a  parish,  is  perjured ' ;  and  then  I  deny  all 
three." 

This  letter  Mr.  Samuel  Wesley  answered,  paragraph  by  paragraph. 
"1.  You  say  you  have  but  just  enough.  Had  ever  any  man  on  earth 
more  7  '  You  have  experienced  less  to  be  insufficient.'  Not  in  the 
course  of  the  priesthood  to  which  you  are  called.  In  that  way,  I  am 
persuaded,  though  he  that  gathereth  much  can  have  nothing  over, 
yet  he  that  gathereth  little  can  have  no  lack.  2.  '  There  is  danger 
in  thinking  of  the  good  you  have  done,  but  not  of  what  you  may  do.' 
Vain  glory  lies  both  ways ;  '  But  the  latter  was  your  duty.'  So  was 
the  former;  without  you  can  compare  two  things  without  thinking  of 
one  of  them.  3.  'The  good  done  at  Oxford  is  more  diffusive.'  It  is 
not  that  good  you  have  promised.  You  deceive  yourself,  if  you 
imagine  you  do  not  here  think  of  what  you  have  done.  '  Your  want 
may  be  better  supplied  at  Epworth ' ;  not  if  my  father  is  right  in  his 
successions.  4.  'A  Christian  will  be  despised  every  where;  no  one  is 
a  Christian  till  he  is  so ;  it  will  further  his  doing  good.'  If  universal 
propositions,  I  deny  them  all.  Esteem  goes  before  the  good  done, 
as  well  as  follows  it.  '  A  man  may  both  despise  and  envy.'  True ; 
he  may  have  a  hot  and  a  cold  fit  of  an  ague.  Contempt  in  general, 
is  no  more  incompatible  with,  than  necessary  to,  benefiting  others. — 
5.  See  the  first  and  third.  6.  I  said  plainly,  I  thought  you  had  made 
a  general  resolution;  as  to  taking  the  first  offer,  I  supposed  an  oppor- 
tunity a  proper  one ;  and  declare  now  my  judgment,  should  you  live 
never  so  long,  in  the  ordinary  course  of  providence,  you  can  never 
meet  another  so  proper.  '  An  ordained  tutor,  who  accepts  not  a  cure, 
is  perjured ;'  alter  the  term  into,  '  Who  resolves  not  to  accept ;'  and  I 
will  maintain  it,  unless  you  prove  either  of  these  two :  '1.  There  is 
no  such  obligation  at  taking  orders.  2.  This  obligation  is  dispensed 
with.'    Both  which,  I  utterly  deny." 

Mr.  John  Wesley  now  closed  the  debate,  in  a  manner  that  does 
credit  both  to  his  head  and  heart.  His  letter  is  dated  the  4th  of  March. 
.  He  observes  to  his  brother,  "1  had  rather  dispute  with  you,  if  I  must 
dispute,  than  with  any  man  living ;  because  it  may  be  done  with  so 
little  expense  of  time  and  words.  The  question  is  now  brought  to 
one  point,  and  the  whole  of  the  argument  will  lie  in  one  single 
syllogism. 

"  Neither  hope  of  doing  greater  good,  nor  fear  of  any  evil,  ought  to 
deter  you  from  what  you  have  engaged  yourself  to  do  ;  but  you  have 
engaged  yourself  to  undertake  the  cure  of  a  parish :  therefore,  neither 
that  hope  nor  that  fear  ought  to  deter  you  from  it.  The  only  doubt 
which  remains  is,  whether  I  have  engaged  myself  or  not  ?  You  think 
I  did  at  my  ordination,  '  Before  God  and  his  high  priest.'  I  think  I 
did  not.  However,  I  own  I  am  not  the  proper  judge  of  the  oath  I 
then  took  :  it  being  certain,  and  allowed  by  all.  '  Verbis,  in  quce  quis 
jurejurando  adigitur,  sensum  genuinum,  ut  et  ohligationi  Sacramenti 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


modum  ac  mensuram,  prcBstitui  a  mente^  non  prcesianiis  sed  exigentis 
juramentum.^ — '  That  the  true  sense  of  the  words  of  an  oath,  and  the 
mode  and  extent  of  its  obhgation,  are  not  to  be  determined  by  him 
who  takes  it,  but  by  him  who  requires  it.'  Therefore  it  is  not  I, 
but  the  high  priest  of  God,  before  whom  I  contracted  that  engage- 
ment, who  is  to  judge  of  the  nature  and  extent  of  it. 

"  Accordingly,  the  post  after  I  received  yours,  I  referred  it  entirely 
to  him;  proposing  this  single  question  to  him,  Whether  I  had,  at  my 
ordination,  engaged  myself  to  undertake  the  cure  of  a  parish  or  no  7 
His  answer  runs  in  these  words.^  '  It  doth  not  seem  to  me,  that  at 
your  ordination  you  engaged  yourself  to  undertake  the  cure  of  any 
parish,  provided  you  can,  as  a  clergyman,  better  serve  God  and  his 
church  in  your  present  or  some  other  station.' — Now  that  I  can,  as  a 
clergyman,  better  serve  God  and  his  church,  in  my  present  station,  I 
have  all  reasonable  evidence." 

The  assertions,  that  "every  true  Christian  is  contemned  wherever 
he  lives,  by  all  who  are  not  so," — that,  "  until  he  be  thus  contemned, 
no  man  is  in  a  state  of  salvation,"  &c.  will  appear,  no  doubt,  the  most 
singular  of  any  in  these  letters.  The  expressions  certainly  are  too 
strong,  and  the  language  on  the  whole  too  abrupt,  to  convey  his  full 
meaning.  Perhaps  Mr.  Wesley's  opinion  on  this  subject,  a  little  more 
unfolded,  may  be  reduced  to  the  following  propositions. 

1.  That  a  true  Christian,  in  the  temper  of  his  mind,  the  motives  of 
his  actions,  and  the  whole  tenor  of  his  behavior,  is  not  conformed 
to  worldly-minded  men,  and  will  therefore  be  despised,  and  sometimes 
persecuted  by  them. 

2.  Until  a  man  be  thus  transformed  by  the  renewing  of  his  mind, 
and  stand  opposed  to  the  principles  and  practices  of  those  who  are  of 
the  world,  and  not  of  God,  he  is  not  a  Christian. 

3.  That  a  Christian  being  contemned  and  persecuted  by  those  who 
are  not  Christians,  will  tend  to  make  him  more  careful  and  diligent 
in  all  the  means  of  improvement  in  the  Christian  life,  and  further  his 
progress  to  a  true  conformity  to  Christ. 

4.  That  a  Christian's  being  contemned,  will  not  hinder,  but  greatly 
increase  his  usefulness,  particularly  in  times  of  persecution,  when 
patience,  humility,  love,  and  the  other  virtues  of  his  mind,  will  be  in 
the  highest  degree  of  exercise,  and  appear  to  the  greatest  advantage, 
in  contrast  with  the  opposite  dispositions  of  the  persecutors.  By 
these  means,  Christians,  in  all  ages  of  the  church,  have  conquered 
those  who  hated  them  most,  and  been  the  instruments  of  their  con- 
version. 

I  will  not  assert  that  Mr.  Wesley  would  have  signed  these  proposi- 
tions, as  containing  the  whole  of  his  opinion  on  this  subject  in  1735, 
though  I  believe  they  vary  but  little  from  it ;  and  I  am  persuaded, 

*  The  bishop's  letter  lies  before  me,  and  runs  in  the  words  mentioned. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


301 


that  he  would  afterwards  have  subscribed  them  with  the  greatest 
readiness. 

In  the  midst  of  this  debate  he  wrote  to  his  mother,  without  taking 
the  least  notice  of  it :  nor  do  I  find  that  she  wrote  to  him  on  that 
subject ;  which  appears  extraordinary,  if  she  was  of  the  same  opinion 
with  her  husband  and  her  son  Samuel.  Mr.  Wesley's  letter  is  on  the 
subject  of  christian  liberty,  concerning  which,  he  wished  to  have 
his  mother's  opinion.  He  says,  "  I  have  had  a  great  deal  of  conver- 
sation lately  on  the  subject  of  christian  liberty,  and  should  be  glad  of 
your  thoughts,  as  to  the  several  notions  of  it  which  good  men  enter- 
tain. I  perceive  different  persons  take  it,  in  at  least  six  different 
senses.  1.  For  liberty  from  wilful  sin,  in  opposition  to  the  bondage 
of  natural  corruption.  2.  For  hberty  as  to  rites  and  points  of  disci- 
pline. So  Mr.  Whiston  says,  '  Though  the  stations  were  instituted 
by  the  Apostles,  yet  the  liberty  of  the  christian  law  dispenses  with 
them  on  extraordinary  occasions.'  3.  For  liberty  from  denying  our- 
selves in  little  things :  for  trifles,  it  is  commonly  thought,  we  may 
indulge  in  safely,  because  Christ  has  made  us  free.  This  notion,  I  a 
little  doubt,  is  not  sound.  4.  For  liberty  from  fear,  or  a  filial  freedom 
from  fear  on  account  of  his  past  sins ;  for  he,  believes  in  Christ,  and 
hope  frees  him  from  fear  of  losing  his  present  labor,  or  of  being  a 
cast-away  hereafter.  5.  Christian  liberty  is  taken  by  some,  for  a 
freedom  from  restraint,  as  to  sleep  or  food.  So  they  would  say,  your 
drinking  but  one  glass  of  wine,  or  my  rising  at  a  fixed  hour,  was  con- 
trary to  christian  liberty.  Lastly,  it  is  taken  for  freedom  from  rules : 
if  by  this  be  meant,  making  our  rules  yield  to  extraordinary  occa- 
sions, well ;  if  the  having  no  rules  at  all,  this  liberty,  is  as  yet  too 
high  for  me;  I  cannot  attain  unto  it." 

Mr.  Wesley's  father  died  in  April,  and  the  living  of  Ep worth  was 
given  away  in  May  ;  so  that  he  now  considered  himself  as  settled  at 
Oxford,  without  any  risk  of  being  further  molested  in  his  quiet  retreat. 
But  a  new  scene  of  action  was  soon  proposed  to  him,  of  which  he  had 
♦not  before,  the  least  conception.  The  trustees  of  the  new  Colony  of 
Georgia  were  greatly  in  want  of  proper  persons  to  send  thither,  to 
preach  the  gospel,  not  only  to  the  Colony,  but  to  the  Indians.  They 
fixed  their  eyes  on  Mr.  John  Wesley,  and  some  of  his  friends,  as  the 
most  proper  persons,  on  account  of  the  regularity  of  their  behavior, 
their  abstemious  way  of  living,  and  their  readiness  to  endure  hard- 
ships. On  the  28th  of  August,  being  in  London,  he  met  with  his 
friend  Dr.  Burton,  =^  for  whom  he  had  a  great  esteem  ;  and  the  next 
day  was  introduced  to  Mr.  Oglethorpe,  where  the  matter  was  pro- 

*  John  Burton,  D.  D.  was  born  in  1696,  at  Wembworth  in  Devonshire,  his  father  being 
Eector  of  that  parish ;  and  was  educated  at  Corpus-Christi-College,  Oxford.  In  1725, 
being  then  Pro-proctor  and  Master  of  the  Schools,  he  spoke  a  Latin  oration  before  the  de- 
tennining  Bachelor,  which  is  entitled,  "  Heli ;  or  an  instance  of  a  Magistrate's  erring 
through  unseasonable  lenity."   It  was  written  and  published  with  a  view  to  encourage 

26 


302 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


posed  to  him  J  and  strongly  urged  upon  him  by  such  arguments  as 
they  thought  most  Ukely  to  dispose  his  mind  to  accept  of  the  propo- 
sal. It  does  not  appear  that  Mr.  Wesley  gave  them  any  positive 
answer.  He  thought  it  best  to  take  the  opinion  of  his  friends.  Ac- 
cordingly, he  wrote  to  his  brother  Samuel,  visited  Mr.  Law,  and  in 
three  or  four  days,  set  out  for  Manchester,  to  consult  Mr.  Clayton, 
Mr.  Byrom,  and  several  others  whose  judgment  he  respected.  From 
thence  he  went  to  Epworth,  and  laid  the  matter  before  his  mother, 
and  eldest  sister,  who  consented  to  his  acceptance  of  the  proposal. 
His  brother  Samuel  did  the  same.  Mr.  Wesley  still  hesitated,  and  on 
the  8th  of  September,  Dr.  Burton  wrote  to  him,  pressing  him  to  a 
compliance.  His  letter  is  directed  to  Manchester,  and  franked  by  Mr. 
Oglethorpe. 

"76er  8,  1735. 

"Dear  Sir,  C.  C.  C.  Oxon. 

"  I  had  it  in  commission  to  wait  upon  you  at  Oxford,  whether  by 
this  time  I  imagined  you  might  be  arrived.  Your  short  conference 
with  Mr.  Oglethorpe,  has  raised  the  hopes  of  many  good  persons,  that 
you  and  yours  would  join  in  an  undertaking,  which  cannot  be  better 
executed  than  by  such  instruments.  I  have  thought  again  of  the 
matter,  and  upon  the  result  of  the  whole,  cannot  help  again  recom- 
mending the  undertaking  to  your  choice :  and  the  more  so,  since  in  our 
inquiries,  there  appears  such  an  unfitness  in  the  generality  of  people. 
That  state  of  ease,  luxury,  levity,  and  inadvertancy,  observable  in 
most  of  the  plausible  and  popular  Doctors,  are  disqualifications  in  a 
christian  teacher,  and  would  lead  us  to  look  for  a  dififerent  set  of 
people.  The  more  men  are  inured  to  contempt  of  ornaments  and 
conveniences  of  life,  to  serious  thoughts  and  bodily  austerities,  the 
fitter  they  are  for  a  state  which  more  properly  represents  our  christian 
pilgrimage.  And  if  upon  consideration  of  the  matter,  you  think 
yourselves  (as  you  must  do,  at  least  amidst  such  a  scarcity  of  proper 

the  salutary  exercise  of  academical  discipline.    He  also  introduced  into  the  schools,  Locke, 
and  other  eminent  modern  philosophers,  as  suitable  companions  to  Aristotle.    He  printed^ 
a  double  series  of  philosophical  questions,  for  the  use  of  the  younger  students ;  from 
which  Mr.  Johnson  of  Magdalene-College,  Cambridge,  took  the  hint  of  his  larger  work  of 
the  same  kind. 

When  the  settling  of  Georgia  was  in  agitation.  Dr.  Bray,  justly  revered  for  his  institu- 
tion of  parochial  libraries,  Dr.  Stephen  Hales,  Dr.  Berriman,  and  other  learned  Divines, 
entreated  Dr.  Burton's  pious  assistance  in  that  undertaking.  This  he  readily  gave,  by 
preaching  before  the  society  in  1732,  and  publishing  his  sermon,  with  an  appendix  on  the 
state  of  that  Colony.  On  the  death  of  Dr.  Edward  Littleton,  he  was  presented  by  Eton- 
College  to  the  Vicarage  of  Maple-Derham,  in  Oxfordshire.  When  he  went  to  take  posses- 
sion, a  melancholy  scene  presented  itself  to  his  view  ;  a  widow,  with  three  infant  daugh- 
ters, to  be  turned  out,  without  a  home,  and  without  a  fortune.  From  his  compassion  arose 
love ;  for  Mrs.  Littleton  was  handsome,  elegant,  ingenious,  and  had  great  sweetness  of 
temper.  The  conaequence  was  marriage.  In  1760,  he  exchanged  his  Vicarage  of  Maple- 
Derham,  for  the  Rectory  of  Worplesdon  in  Surry.  In  his  advanced  age,  he  collected  and 
published  in  one  volume,  all  his  scattered  pieces,  under  the  title  of  Opuscula  Miscellanea. 
He  died  in  February,  1771. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


303 


persons)  the  fit  instruments  for  so  good  a  work,  you  will  be  ready  to 
embrace  this  opportunity  of  doing  good  ;  which  is  not  in  vain  offered 
to  you. — Be  pleased  to  write  a  line  signifying  your  thoughts  to  me, 
or  Mr.  Oglethorpe ;  and  if  by  advice  I  can  be  assisting  to  you,  you 
may  command  my  best,  best  services. 

"Yours,  affectionately, 

"  John  Burton. 

"  P.  S.  Mr.  Horn  telling  me,  he  heard  you  were  at  Manchester.  I 
presume  you  are  with  Mr.  Clayton,  deliberating  about  this  affair." 

Mr.  Wesley  now  consented  to  go  to  Georgia.  He  had  said  to  his 
brother  Samuel,  that  his  objections  to  Epworth  were  founded  on  his 
own  weakness.  He  thought  he  should  have  so  many  temptations  to 
what  he  then  deemed  irregularity  in  eating  and  drinking,  at  the  visits 
he  should  be  obliged  to  make,  that  he  could  not  stand  against  them ; 
besides  the  difficulty  he  would  have  of  spending  his  time  to  the  most 
advantage.  But  in  going  to  Georgia,  he  saw  a  prospect  of  great  use- 
fulness, without  any  of  these  dangers  to  himself.  Nay,  I  have  no 
doubt,  but  the  very  difficulty  of  the  undertaking,  and  the  prospect  of 
the  hardships  he  must  undergo,  had  some  influence  in  disposing  him 
to^^ccept  of  it.  Dr.  Burton  wrote  to  him  again  on  the  18th  of  the 
same  month,  as  follows :  "  It  was  with  no  small  pleasure,  that  I 
heard  your  resolution  on  the  point  under  consideration.  I  am  per- 
suaded, that  an  opportunity  is  offered  of  doing  much  good  in  an  affair, 
for  the  conducting  of  which  we  can  find  but  few  prosper  instruments. 
Your  undertaking  adds  greater  credit  to  our  proceedings;  and  the 
propagation  of  religion,  will  be  the  distinguishing  honor  of  our  colony. 
This  has  ever,  in  like  cases,  been  the  desideratum :  a  defect  seemingly 
lamented,  but  scarce  ever  remedied.  With  greater  satisfaction  there- 
fore, we  enjoy  your  readiness  to  undertake  the  work.  When  it  is 
known,  that  good  men  are  thus  employed,  the  pious  and  charitable  will 
be  the  more  encouraged  tq^  promote  the  work.  You  have  too  much 
steadiness  of  mind,  to  be  disturbed  by  the  light  scoffs  of  the  idle  and 
profane.  Let  me  put  a  matter  to  be  considered  by  your  brother 
Charles.    Would  it  not  be  more  adviseable  that  he  were  in  orders?  " 

On  the  28th  of  the  same  month,  a  few  days  before  Mr.  Oglethorpe 
intended  to  sail,  Dr.  Burton  wrote  again  to  Mr.  Wesley,  giving  him 
advice  on  several  points  respecting  his  future  situation.  Amongst 
other  things  he  observes, — "Under  the  influence  of  Mr.  Oglethorpe, 
giving  weight  to  your  endeavors,  much  may  be  effected  under  the 
present  circumstances.  The  apostolical  manner  of  preaching,  from 
house  to  house,  will,  through  God's  grace,  be  effectual  to  turn  many 
to  righteousness.  The  people  are  babes  in  the  progress  of  their 
christian  life,  to  be  fed  with  milk  instead  of  strong  meat ;  and  the 
wise  householder  will  bring  out  of  his  stores,  food  proportioned  to  the 
necessities  of  his  family.  The  circumstances  of  your  present  chris- 
tian pilgrimage  will  furnish  the  most  affecting  subjects  of  discourse ; 


304 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


and  what  arises  pro  re  nata^  will  have  greater  influence  than  a  labored 
discourse  on  a  subject,  in  which  men  think  themselves  not  so  imme- 
diately concerned.  With  regard  to  your  behavior  and  manner  of 
address,  that  must  be  determined  according  to  the  different  circum- 
stances of  persons,  &c.  But  you  will  always,  in  the  use  of  means, 
consider  the  great  end,  and  therefore  your  applications  will  of  course 
vary.  You  will  keep  in  view  the  pattern  of  that  gospel  preacher  St. 
Paul,  who  became  all  things  to  all  men,  that  he  might  gain  some. 
Here  is  a  nice  trial  of  christian  prudence  :  accordingly,  in  every  case 
you  would  distinguish  between  what  is  essential,  and  what  is  merely 
circumstantial  to  Christianity ;  between  what  is  indispensable,  and 
what  is  variable ;  between  what  is  of  divine,  and  what  is  of  human 
authority.  I  mention  this,  because  men  are  apt  to  deceive  themselves 
in  such  cases,  and  we  see  the  traditions  and  ordinances  of  men  fre- 
quently insisted  on,  with  more  rigor  than  the  commandments  of  God, 
to  which  they  are  subordinate.  Singularities  of  less  importance,  are 
often  espoused  with  more  zeal,  than  the  weighty  matters  of  God's 
law.  As  in  all  points  we  love  ourselves,  so  especially  in  our  hypoth- 
eses. Where  a  man  has,  as  it  were,  a  property  in  a  notion,  he  is 
most  industrious  to  improve  it,  and  that  in  proportion  to  the  labor  of 
thought  he  has  bestOAved  upon  it;  and  as  its  value  rises  in  imagina- 
tion, we  are  in  proportion  more  unwilling  to  give  it  up,  and  dwell 
upon  it  more  pertinaciously,  than  upon  considerations  of  general 
necessity  and  use.  This  is  a  flattering  mistake,  agauist  which  we 
should  guard  ourselves.  I  hope  to  see  you  at  Gravesend  if  possible. 
I  write  in  haste  what  occurs  to  my  thoughts — d'lsce  docendus  adhuc^ 
quce  censet  amicuhis.  May  God  prosper  your  endeavors  for  the  prop- 
agation of  his  gospel !  " 

I  shall  now  leave  Mr.  Wesley,  preparing  for  his  voyage  to  America. 
'While  he  was  abroad,  Mr.  Gambold,  who  had  been  intimately 
acquainted  with  him  at  Oxford,  wrote  some  account  of  his  proceed- 
ings there,  and  endeavored  to  delineate  his  character.  He  sent  this 
to  one  of  Mr.  Wesley's  relations;  and  I  shall  close  this  chapter  with 
the  following  short  abstract  from  it: 

"About  the  middle  of  March,  1730,  I  became  acquainted  with  Mr. 
Charles  Wesley,  of  Christ-Church.  I  had  been  for  two  years  before 
in  deep  melancholy ;  so  it  pleased  God  to  disappoint  and  break  a 
proud  spirit,  and  to  embitter  the  world  to  me  as  I  was  inclining  to 
relish  its  vanities.  During  this  time,  I  had  no  friend  to  whom  I  could 
open  my  mind ;  no  man  did  care  for  my  soul,  or  none  at  least  under- 
stood her  paths.  The  learned  endeavored  to  give  me  right  notions, 
and  the  friendly  to  divert  me.  One  day  an  old  acquaintance  enter- 
tained me  with  some  reflections  on  the  whimsical  Mr.  Charles  Wes- 
ley; his  preciseness,  and  pious  extravagancies.  Upon  hearing  this,  I 
suspected  he  might  be  a  good  Christian.  I  therefore  went  to  his 
room,  and  without  ceremony  desired  the  beneflt  of  his  conversation. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


305 


I  had  so  large  a  share  of  it  afterwards,  that  hardly  a  day  passed 
while  I  was  at  college,  but  we  were  together  once,  if  not  oftener. 

"After  some  time,  he  introduced  me  to  his  brother  John,  of  Lin- 
coln College:  'For  he  is  somewhat  older,'  said  he,  'than  I  am,  and 
can  resolve  your  doubts  better.'  I  never  observed  any  person  have  a 
more  real  deference  for  another  than  he  had  for  his  brother ;  which 
is  the  more  remarkable,  because  such  near  relations,  being  equals  by 
birth,  and  conscious  to  each  other  of  all  the  little  familiar  passages  of  their 
lives,  commonly  stand  too  close,  to  see  the  ground  there  may  be  for 
such  submission.  Indeed  he  followed  his  brother  entirely ;  could  I 
describe  one  of  them  I  should  describe  both.  I  shall  therefore  say 
no  more  of  Charles,  but  that  he  was  a  man  formed  for  friendship  ; 
who  by  his  cheerfulness  and  vivacity  would  refresh  his  friend's  heart: 
with  attentive  consideration,  would  enter  into,  and  settle  all  his  con- 
cerns as  far  as  he  was  able  :  he  would  do  any  thing  for  him,  great  or 
small,  and  by  a  habit  of  mutual  openness  and  freedom,  would  leave 
no  room  for  misunderstanding. 

"  The  Wesley s  were  already  talked  of  for  some  religious  practices, 
which  were  first  occasioned  by  Mr.  Morgan,  of  Christ-Church.  He 
was  a  young  man  of  an  excellent  disposition.  He  took  all  opportu- 
nities to  make  his  companions  in  love  with  a  good  life ;  to  create  in 
them  a  reverence  for  the  public  worship ;  to  tell  them  of  their  faults 
with  a  sweetness  and  simplicity  that  disarmed  the  worst  tempers. 
He  delighted  much  in  works  of  charity;  he  kept  several  children  at 
school ;  and,  when  he  found  beggars  in  the  street,  would  bring  them 
into  his  chambers,  and  talk  to  them.  From  these  combined  friends 
began  a  little  society.  Mr.  John  Wesley  was  the  chief  manager,  for 
which  he  was  very  fit:  for  he  had  not  only  more  learning  and  expe- 
rience than  the  rest,  but  he  was  blest  with  such  activity  as  to  be  al- 
ways gaining  ground,  and  such  steadiness  that  he  lost  none.  What 
proposals  he  made  to  any,  were  sure  to  alarm  them ;  because  he  was 
so  much  in  earnest ;  nor  could  they  afterwards  slight  them,  because 
they  saw  him  always  the  same.  What  supported  this  uniform  vigor, 
was,  the  care  he  took  to  consider  well  every  affair  before  he  engaged 
in  it;  making  all  his  decisions  in  the  fear  of  God,  without  passion, 
humor,  or  self-confidence.  For  though  he  had  naturally  a  very  clear 
apprehension,  yet  his  exact  prudence  depended  more  on  his  humility 
and  singleness  of  heart.  He  had,  I  think,  something  of  authority  in 
his  countenance,  yet  he  never  assumed  anything  to  himself  above 
his  companions;  any  of  them  might  speak  their  mind,  and  their 
words  were  as  strictly  regarded  by  him  as  his  words  were  by  them. 

"  Their  undertaking  included  these  several  particulars :  to  converse 
with  young  students ;  to  visit  the  prisons  ;  to  instruct  some  poor  fam- 
ilies ;  to  take  care  of  a  school  and  a  parish  work-house.  They  took 
great  pains  with  the  younger  members  of  the  university,  to  rescue 
them  from  bad  company,  and  encourage  them  in  a  sober  studious 
26*  39 


306 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


life.  They  would  get  them  to  breakfast,  and  over  a  dish  of  tea  en- 
deavor to  fasten  some  good  hint  upon  them.  They  would  bring  them 
acquainted  with  other  well-disposed  young  men,  give  them  assistance 
in  the  difficult  parts  of  their  learning,  and  watch  over  them  with  the 
greatest  tenderness. 

"  Some  or  other  of  them  went  to  the  castle  every  day,  and  another 
most  commonly  to  Bocardo.  Whoever  went  to  the  castle  was  to  read 
in  the  chapel  to  as  many  prisoners  as  would  attend,  and  to  talk  apart 
to  the  man  or  men  whom  he  had  taken  particularly  in  charge.  When 
a  new  prisoner  came,  their  conversation  with  him  for  four  or  five 
times  was  close  and  searching. — If  any  one  was  under  sentence  of 
death,  or  appeared  to  have  some  intentions  of  a  new  life,  they  came 
every  day  to  his  assistance,  and  partook  in  the  conflict  and  suspense 
of  those  who  should  now  be  found  able,  or  not  able  to  lay  hold  on 
salvation.  In  order  to  release  those  who  were  confined  for  small 
debts,  and  to  purchase  books  and  other  necessaries,  they  raised  a  lit- 
tle fund,  to  which  many  of  their  acquaintance  contributed  quarterly. 
They  had  prayers  at  the  castle  most  Wednesdays  and  Fridays,  a 
sermon  on  Sunday,  and  the  sacrament  once  a  month. 

"When  they  undertook  any  poor  family,  they  saw  them  at  least 
once  a  week ;  sometimes  gave  them  money,  admonished  them  of  their 
vices,  read  to  them,  and  examined  their  children.  The  school  was, 
I  think,  of  Mr.  Wesley's  own  setting  up:  however,  he  paid  the  mis- 
tress, and  clothed  some,  if  not  all  the  children.  When  they  went 
thither,  they  inquired  how  each  child  behaved,  saw  their  work,  heard 
them  read  and  say  their  prayers,  or  catechism,  and  explained  part  of 
it.  In  the  same  manner  they  taught  the  children  in  the  work-house, 
and  read  to  the  old  people  as  they  did  to  the  prisoners. 

"They  seldom  took  any  notice  of  the  accusations  brought  against 
them  for  their  charitable  employments;  but  if  they  did  make  any 
reply,  it  was  commonly  such  a  plain  and  simple  one,  as  if  there  was 
nothing  more  in  the  case,  but  that  they  had  just  heard  such  doctrines 
of  their  Saviour,  and  had  b'^lieved  and  done  accordingly.  Sometimes 
they  would  ask  such  questions  as  the  following:  Shall  we  be  more 
happy  in  another  life,  the  more  virtuous  we  are  in  this  7  Are  we  the 
more  virtuous  the  more  intensely  we  love  God  and  man  1  Is  love,  of 
all  habits,  the  more  intense,  the  more  we  exercise  it?  Is  either  help- 
ing or  trying  to  help  man  for  God's  sake,  an  exercise  of  love  to  God 
•or  man  7  particularly,  is  feeding  the  hungry,  clothing  the  naked,  vis- 
iting the  sick,  or  prisoners,  an  exercise  of  love  to  God  or  man?  Is 
endeavoring  to  teach  the  ignorant,  to  admonish  sinners,  to  encourage 
the  good,  to  comfort  the  afflicted,  and  reconcile  enemies,  an  exercise 
of  love  to  God  or  man?-  Shall  we  be  more  happy  in  another  life,  if 
we  do  the  former  of  these  things,  and  try'to  do  the  latter ;  or  if  we 
'  do  not  the  one,  nor  try  to  do  the  other  7 

"I  could  say  a  great  deal  of  his  private  piety;  how  it  was  nour- 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


307 


ished  by  a  continual  recourse  to  God ;  and  preserved  by  a  strict 
watchfulness  in  beating  down  pride,  and  reducing  the  craftiness  and 
impetuosity  of  nature,  to  a  child-Uke  simphcity ;  and  in  a  good  degree 
crowned  with  divine  love,  and  victory  over  the  whole  set  of  earthly 
passions.  He  thought  prayer  to  be  more  his  business  than  anything 
else;  and  I  have  seen  him  come  out  of  his  closet  with  a  serenity  of 
countenance  that  was  next  to  shining;  it  discovered  what  he  had 
been  doing,  and  gave  me  double  hope  of  receiving  wise  directions,  in 
the  matter  about  which  I  came  to  consult  him.  In  all  his  motions 
he  attended  to  the  will  of  God.  He  had  neither  the  presumption, 
nor  the  leisure  to  anticipate  things  whose  season  was  not  now ;  and 
would  show  some  uneasiness  whenever  any  of  us,  by  impertinent 
speculations,  were  shifting  off  the  appointed  improvement  of  the 
present  minute.  By  being  always  cheerful,  but  never  triumphing,  he 
so  husbanded  the  secret  consolations  which  God  gave  him,  that  they 
seldom  left  him,  and  never  but  in  a  state  of  strong  and  long-suffering 
faith.  Thus  the  repose  and  satisfaction  of  the  mind  being  otherwise 
secured,  there  were  in  him  no  idle  cravings,  no  chagrin  or  fickleness 
of  spirit,  nothing  but  the  genuine  wants  of  the  body  to  be  relieved  by 
outward  accommodations  and  refreshments.  When  he  was  just 
come  home  from  a  long  journey,  and  had  been  in  different  companies, 
he  resumed  his  usual  employments,  as  if  he  had  never  left  them;  no 
dissipation  of  thought  appeared,  no  alteration  of  taste  :  much  less  was 
he  discomposed  by  any  slanders  or  affronts ;  he  was  only  afraid  lest 
he  should  grow  proud  of  this  conformity  to  his  Master.  In  short,  he 
used  many  endeavors  to  be  religious,  but  none  to  seem  so ;  with  a 
zeal  always  upon  the  stretch,  and  a  most  transparent  sincerity,  he 
addicted  himself  to  every  good  word  and  work. 

"  Because  he  required  such  a  regulation  of  our  studies,  as  might 
devote  them  all  to  God,  he  has  been  accused  as  one  that  discouraged 
learning.  Far  from  that,  for  the  first  thing  he  struck  at  in  young 
men,  was,  that  indolence  which  will  not  submit  to  close  thinking. 
He  earnestly  recommended  to  them,  a  method  and  order  in  all  their 
actions.  The  morning  hour  of  devotion  was  from  five  to  six,  and 
the  same  in  the  evening.  On  the  point  of  early  rising,  he  told  them, 
the  well  spending  of  the  day  would  depend.  For  some  years  past, 
he  and  his  friends  have  read  the  New  Testament  together  in  the 
evenings ;  and  after  every  portion  of  it,  having  heard  the  conjectures 
the  rest  had  to  offer,  he  made  his  own  observations  on  the  phrase, 
design,  and  difficult  places ;  and  one  or  two  wrote  these  down  from 
his  mouth. 

"If  any  one  could  have  provoked  him,  I  should;  for  I  was  very 
slow  in  coming  into  their  measures,  and  very  remiss  in  doing  my 
part.  I  frequently  contradicted  his  assertions ;  or,  which  is  much  the 
same,  distinguished  upon  them.  I  hardly  ever  submitted  to  his 
advice  at  the  time  he  gave  it,  though  I  relented  afterwards.  One 


308 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


time  he  was  in  fear  I  had  taken  up  notions  that  were  not  safe,  and 
pursued  my  spiritual  improvement  in  an  erroneous,  because  inactive 
way ;  so  he  came  over  and  staid  with  me  near  a  week.  He  condoled 
with  me  the  incumbrances  of  my  constitution,  heard  all  I  had  to  say, 
and  endeavored  to  pick  out  my  meaning,  and  yielded  to  me  as  far  as 
he  could.    I  never  saw  more  humility  in  him  than  at  this  time. 

"  Mr.  Wesley  had  not  only  friends  at  Oxford  to  assist  him,  but  a 
great  many  correspondents.  He  set  apart  one  day  at  least  in  the 
week,  to  write  letters,  and  he  was  no  slow  composer ;  in  which,  with- 
out levity  or  affectation,  but  with  plainness  and  fervor,  he  gave  his 
advice  in  particular  cases,  and  vindicated  the  strict  original  sense  of 
the  gospel  precepts. 

"  He  is  now  gone  to  Georgia  as  a  missionary,  where  there  is  igno- 
rance that  aspires  after  divine  wisdom,  but  no  false  learning  that  is 
got  above  it.  He  is,  I  confess,  still  living;  and  I  know  that  an 
advantageous  character  is  more  decently  bestowed  on  the  deceased. 
But,  besides  that  his  condition  is  very  like  that  of  the  dead, 
being  unconcerned  in  all  we  say,  I  am  not  making  any  attempt  on 
the  opinion  of  the  public,  but  only  studying  a  private  edification.  A 
family  picture  of  him,  his  relations  may  be  allowed  to  keep  by  them. 
And  this  is  the  idea  of  Mr.  Wesley,  which  I  cherish  for  the  service 
of  my  own  soul,  and  which  I  take  the  liberty  likewise  to  deposit 
with  you." 


THE  END  OF  THE  FIRST  VOLUME. 


SOMETIME  STUDENT  OE  CHRIST  CHURCH.  OXFORD . 


rd  -an.ieT  dir^  of  J 


fiorn  ii  rn; 


Rt  r-vTufler  ir  the  London  E  anion  of  Weslers  Works 


THE 


LIFE 


REV.  JOHN  WESLEY,  M.A. 

SOME  TIME  FELLOW  OF  LINCOLN  COLLEGE,  OXFORD. 

COLLECTED  FROM  HIS  PRIVATE  PAPERS  ANJ)  PRINTED  WORKS;  AND  WRITTEN  AT  THE 
REQUEST  OF  HIS  EXECUTORS. 

TO  WHICH  IS  PREFIXED 

SOME  ACCOUNT  OF  HIS  ANCESTORS  AND  RELATIONS; 

WITH 

THE  LIFE  OF  THE 

REY.  CHARLES  WESLEY,  A.M. 

COLLECTED  FROM  HIS  PRIVATE  JOURNAL,  AND  NEVER  BEFORE  PUBLISHED. 

THE  WHOLE  FORMING  A  HISTORY  OF  METHODISM,  IN  WHICH  THE 
PRINCIPLES  AND  ECONOMY  OF  THE  METHODISTS  ARE  UNFOLDED. 

BY 

JOHN  WHITEHEAD,  M.D. 

AUTHOR  OF  THE  DISCOURSE  DELIVERED  AT  MR.  WESLEY's  FUNERAL. 

 In  labors  more  abundant  

A  workman  that  needeth  not  to  be  ashamed,  rightly  dividing  the  word  of  Truth.— Paul. 

VOL.  II. 


LONDON: 

PRINTED  BY  STEPHEN  COUCHMAN. 
MDCCXCVI. 


BOSTON: 
PUBLISHED    BY   J.  MCLEISH. 
1844. 


I  hereby  certify  that  this  edition  of  Whitehead's  Life  of  Wesley 
stereot3'ped  by  me,  is  as  accurate  a  copy  of  the  original,  as  it  was  possibk 
to  execute.  Geo.  A.  Curtis. 

Boston,  June  20,  1844. 


I  Siereoty  ped  by 

GEORGE  A  .  CURTIS, 


CONTENTS. 


BOOK  THE  SECOND. 

CHAPTER  III. 
Of  Mr.  Wesley's  Voyage  to  America,  of  his  Labors  there,  and  Return 

to  England,  in  1738,  ■   5 

CHAPTER  IV. 
Giving  some  Account  of  Mr.  Wesley,  from  February,  1738,  till  April, 

1739,  when  he  became  an  Itinerant  and  Field  Preacher,  ....  39 


BOOK  THE  THIRD. 

CHAPTER  I. 
Containing  a  View  of  Mr.  Wesley's  Labors  as  an  Itinerant  Preacher, 
and  of  the  Formation  of  Societies,  &c.,  till  the  first  Conference 
in  1744,   63 

CHAPTER  II. 
Containing  a  further  Account  of  Mr.  Wesley's  Labors :  a  Summary 
of  the  Minutes  of  Conference  respecting  the  Doctrines  he  taught ; 
and  a  View  of  the  Spread  of  Methodism,  until  the  Conference 
in  1751,  Ill 

CHAPTER  III. 

Of  Mr.  Wesley's  Ministerial  Labors,  and  the  Spread  of  Methodism, 
till  the  Conference  in  1770 :  with  an  Extract  from  the  larger  Min- 
utes ;  giving  a  View  of  various  Regulations  respecting  the  Preach- 
ers, &c.  &c.,  164 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Stating  the  principal  Circumstances  of  Mr.  Wesley's  Life  and  Labors, 
till  after  the  Conference  in  17S4 ;  with  a  Continuation  of  the  His- 
tory of  Methodism  to  that  Period,   212 

CHAPTER  V. 
Opinions  and  Debates,  &c.,  on  the  New  Plan  of  Ordination  :  Several 
Particulars  of  the  last  Years  of  Mr.  Wesley's  Life  ;  with  an  Account 
of  his  Death,  in  March,  1791.    His  last  Will,  &c.,  257 

CHAPTER  VI. 
Sect  I.     A  Review  of  Mr.  Wesley's  Character,   , .  285 

Sect.  II.    A  short  View  of  Mr.  Wesley's  Writings,   299 

Sect.  III.  Stating  the  Opinion  Mr.  Wesley  himself  had,  of  the  rela- 
tive Situation  of  his  Societies  to  other  religious  Bodies 
of  People  in  this  Kingdom  :  and  his  Notion  of  the 
Character  and  Office  of  the  Methodist  Preachers,    .    .  306 

Sect.  IV.  A  View  of  the  Increase  of  the  Methodists  for  the  last 
Thirty  Years  :  with  a  few  Observations  on  the  general 
Tendency  of  Methodism,  311 


THE 


LIFE  or  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


BOOK  SECOND. 


CHAPTER  III. 

OF  MR.  Wesley's  voyage  to  America,  of  his  labors  there,  and  return 

TO  ENGLAND  IN  173S. 

It  has  been  already  observed,  that  Mr.  Wesley,  at  this  tune,  had 
very  imperfect  notions  of  the  method  proposed  in  the  gospel  of  attain- 
ing true  christian  experience.  He  did  indeed  differ,  in  some  things, 
from  the  generality  of  the  clergy  in  the  Church  of  England :  he 
carried  his  notions  of  gospel  holiness  much  further  than  they  thought, 
either  necessary  or  attainable  in  this  life ;  and  believing,  that,  an 
exact  attendance  on  the  instituted  means  of  grace,  with  acts  of  charity, 
self-denial,  and  mortification,  were  the  chief  helps  to  attain  it,  he 
carried  these  particulars  to  an  extent  which  made  him  appear  singu- 
lar. His  ardor  to  attain  the  end  was  exceeded  by  nothing  but  the 
exactness  and  rigor  with  which  he  practised,  what  he  thought  the 
means  of  attaining  it.  His  extreme  attention  to  every  thing  that 
might  be  helpful  in  subduing  the  evil  propensities  of  his  nature,  and 
that  might  further  his  progress  towards  a  conformity  with  Christ,  led 
him  to  consider  and  speak  of  the  observance  of  little  things,  as  of  the 
utmost  importance  to  his  salvation.  Not  that  he  thought  the  things 
of  so  much  importance  in  themselves,  detached  from  others ;  but  as 
filling  up  the  more  minute  parts  of  a  s^^-stem  of  duties,  which  without 
them,  would  be  incomplete  and  less  beneficial  to  him.  Like  as  a  man 
straitened  in  his  circumstances,  and  struggling  to  get  forward  in  the 
world ;  if  he  only  attend  to  the  more  important  branches  of  his  bus- 
iness, and  wholly  neglect  the  numerous  little  expenses  of  his  family, 
will  soon  find  that  they  greatly  retard  his  progress.  Mr.  Wesley 
reasoned  in  the  same  way,  concerning  the  external  helps  and  hinder- 
ances  in  a  religious  course  of  life,  and  therefore  thought  it  his  duty  to 
abstain  from  the  minutest  thing  that  might  be  hurtful,  and  to  prac- 
tise every  thing  that  might  in  any  respect  be  useful  to  him.  And  as 
little  things  are  too  commonly  overlooked,  though  great  ones  are 
1^ 


6 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


made  up  of  them,  he  might  perhaps  on  this  account  speak  more 
strongly  of  them  than  otherwise  he  would  have  done.  However  this 
be,  his  scrupulous  exactness  in  things  which  seemed  to  others  of  little 
importance,  or  wholly  indifferent  in  religion,  chiefly  attracted  notice, 
and  made  him  appear  w^himsical  and  superstitious,  to  persons  who 
did  not  perceive  the  principle  which  governed  his  conduct.  This 
lessened  the  dignity  of  his  character  in  their  opinion,  and  weakened 
his  influence  over  those  under  his  care.  To  this  principle,  therefore, 
which  governed  him  in  the  smallest  matters,  we  must  attribute,  in 
great  measure,  his  want  of  success,  and  most  of  the  inconveniences 
which  he  sufl'ered  in  Georgia.  We  may  blame  his  want  of  prudence, 
because  the  principle  on  which  he  reasoned  was  sometimes  carried 
too  far  ;  but  his  integrity,  and  upright  intention  will  remain  unsullied. 

On  Tuesday,  the  14th  of  October,  he  set  out  for  Gravesend,  in 
order  to  embark  for  Georgia,=^  accompanied  by  his  brother  Mr. 
Charles  Wesley,  Mr.  Ingham  of  Queen's  College,  Oxford,  and  Mr. 

*  Georgia  is  situated  between  Carolina  and  Florida.  It  extends  120  miles  upon  the  sea- 
coastj  and  300  miles  from  thence  to  the  Apalachian  mountains,  and  its  boundaries  to  the 
north  and  south,  are  the  rivers  Savannah  and  Alatamaha. — The  settlement  of  a  colony 
between  the  rivers  Savannah  and  Alatamaha,  was  meditated  in  England  in  1732,  for  the 
accommodation  of  poor  people  in  Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  and  for  the  further  security 
of  Carolina.  Humane  and  opulent  men  suggested  a  plan  of  transporting  a  number  of 
indigent  families  to  this  part  of  America,  free  of  expense.  For  this  purpose  they  applied 
to  the  king,  George  II.  and  obtained  from  him  letters  patent,  bearing  date  June  9,  1732, 
for  legally  carrying  into  execution  what  they  had  generously  projected.  They  called  the 
new  province  Georgia,  in  honor  of  the  king,  who  encouraged  the  plan.  A  corporation, 
consisting  of  21  persons,  was  constituted  by  the  name  of  "  The  Trustees  for  settling  and 
establishing  the  Colony  of  Georgia." 

In  November,  1732,  116  settlers  embarked  for  Georgia,  to  be  conveyed  thither  free  of 
expense,  furnished  with  every  thing  requisite  for  building  and  cultivating  the  soil.  Mr. 
James  Oglethorpe,  one  of  the  trustees,  and  an  active  promoter  of  the  settlement,  embarked 
as  the  head  and  director  of  these  settlers.  They  arrived  at  Charlestown  early  in  the  next 
year.  Mr.  Oglethorpe,  accompanied  by  William  Bull,  shortly  after  his  arrival,  visited 
Georgia;  and  after  surveying  the  country,  n^arked  the  spot  on  which  Savannah  now 
stands,  as  the  fittest  to  begin  their  settlement.  Here  they  accordingly  began  and  built  a 
small  fort ;  a  number  of  small  huts  for  their  defence  and  accommodation.  Such  of  the 
settlers  as  M'ere  able  to  bear  arms  were  embodied,  and  well  appointed  with  officers,  arms, 
and  ammunition.  A  treaty  of  friendship  was  concluded  between  the  settlers  and  their 
neighbors  the  Creek  Indians,  and  every  thing  wore  the  aspect  of  peace  and  future  pros- 
perity. But  the  fundamental  regulations  established  by  the  trustees  of  Georgia,  were  ill 
adapted  to  the  circumstances  and  situation  of  the  poor  settlers,  and  of  pernicious  conse- 
quence to  the  prosperity  of  the  province.  Like  other  distant  legislators,  who  framed  their 
regulations  on  principles  of  speculation,  they  were  liable  to  many  errors  and  mistakes  ; 
and  however  good  their  design,  their  rules  were  found  improper  and  impracticable.  These 
injudicious  regl^lations  and  restrictions,  the  wars  in  which  they  were  involved  with  the 
Spaniards  and  Indians,  and  the  frequent  insurrections  among  themselves,  threw  the  colony 
into  a  state  of  confusion  and  wretchedness  too  great  for  human  nature  long  to  endure. 
Their  oppressed  situation  was  represented  to  the  Trustees  by  repeated  complaints,  till  at 
length  finding  that  the  province  languished  under  their  care,  and  weary  with  the  com- 
plaints of  the  people,  they,  in  the  year  1752,  surrendered  their  charter  to  the  king,  and  it 
was  made  a  royal  government.  Georgia  is  now  a  flourishing  state  :  what  are  called  the 
upper  counties  are  pretty  generally  supplied  with  preachers  of  the  Baptist  and  Methodist 
persuasion  ;  but  .the  greater  part  of  the  state  is  without  ministers  of  any  denomination. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


T 


Delamotte,  the  son  of  a  merchant  in  London.  Our  end,"  says  he, 
"in  leaving  our  native  country,  was  not  to  avoid  want,  God  having 
given  ns  plenty  of  temporal  blessings ;  nor  to  gain  the  dung  or  dross 
of  riches  or  honor ;  but  singly  this,  to  save  our  souls ;  to  live  wholly  to 
the  glory  of  God."  In  the  afternoon  they  found  the  Simmonds  off 
Gravesend,  and  immediately  went  on  board.  The  next  day  he  wrote  to 
his  brother,  Mr.  Samuel  Wesley,  of  Tiverton,  informing  him  thai  he 
had  presented  his  father's  commentary  on  Job,  to  the  dueen,  and  had 
received  many  good  words  and  smiles.  In  this  letter  he  declares  his 
sentiments  to  his  brother,  concerning  the  usual  method  of  teaching 
boys  the  heathen  poets  in  large  schools.  "  The  uncertainty,"  says 
he,  of  having  another  opportunity  to  tell  you  my  thoughts  in  this 
life,  obliges  me  to  tell  you  what  I  have  often  thought  of,  and  that  in 
as  few  and  plain  words  as  I  can.  Elegance  of  style  is  not  to  be 
weighed  against  purity  of  heart;  purity  both  from  the  lusts  of  the 
flesh,  the  lusts  of  the  eye  and  the  pride  of  life.  Therefore,  whatever 
has  any  tendency  to  impair  that  purity,  is  not  to  be  tolerated,  much 
less  recommended  for  the  sake  of  that  elegance.  But  of  this  sort  (I 
speak  not  from  the  reason  of  the  thing  only,  nor  from  single  expe- 
rience) are  most  of  the  classics  usually  read  in  great  schools :  many 
of  them  tending  to  inflame  the  lusts  of  the  flesh  (besides  Ovid,  Virgil's 
iEneid,  and  Terence's  Eunuch)  and  more  to  feed  the  lust  of  the  eye, 
and  the  pride  of  life.  I  beseech  you  therefore  by  the  mercies  of  God, 
who  would  have  us  holy  as  he  is  holy,  that  you  banish  all  such 
poison  from  your  school,  that  you  introduce  in  their  place  such  chris- 
tian authors  as  will  work  together  with  you  in  building  up  your  flock 
in  the  knowledge  and  love  of  God.  For  assure  yourself,  dear  brother, 
you  are  even  now  called  to  the  converting  of  heathens  as  well  as  I. 

"  So  many  souls  are  committed  to  your  charge  by  God,  to  be 
prepared  for  a  happy  eternity.  You  are  to  instruct  them,  not  only  in 
the  beggarly  elements  of  Greek  and  Latin,  but  much  more  in  the 
gospel.  You  are  to  labor  with  all  your  might  to  convince  them,  that 
Christianity  is  not  a  negation,  or  an  external  thing,  but  a  new  heart, 
a  mind  conformed  to  that  of  Christ ;  faith,  working  by  love." 

These  sentiments  have  been  spoken  of  as  singular  ;  and  have  been 
brought  forward  as  an  indirect  evidence  of  Mr.  Wesley's  fondness  for 
singularity.  But  if  we  understand  them  with  a  little  candor,  and  the 
opinions  of  learned  and  pious  men  on  the  same  subject  be  fairly  stated, 
there  will  appear  nothing  singular  in  them.  He  here  condemns  the 
reading  and  explaining  of  the  heathen  poets,  indiscriminately^  to  the 
youth  in  great  schools ;  but  we  must  not  suppose,  that  he  would  have 
condemned  a  judicious  selection  from  them.  Indeed,  after  his  school 
at  Kingswood  Avas  fully  established,  he  made  such  a  selection  for  the 
use  of  it,  so  far  as  he  thought  would  be  necessary  for  the  youth  likely 
to  be  educated  in  it.  His  words  being  understood  with  this  limitation, 
Mr.  Wesley  speaks  nothing  but  what  the  most  learned  and  pious  men 


8 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   JOHN  WESLEY. 


in  the  christian  church,  have,  in  all  ages,  unanimously  spoken  before 
him.  Nay  the  heathen  moralists  themselves,  deliver  the  same  sen- 
timents concerning  their  own  poets.  Plato,  the  wise  and  judicious 
philosopher,  banished  the  poets  from  his  imaginary  commonwealth, 
and  did  not  think  them  proper  to  be  put  into  the  hands  of  youth  with- 
out great  precaution ;  to  prevent  the  dangers  which  might  arise  from 
them.  ^Cicero  plainly  approves  of  his  conduct,  and  supposing  with 
him,  that  poetry  contributes  only  to  the  corruption  of  manners,  to 
enervate  the  mind,  and  strengthen  the  false  prejudices  consequential 
of  a  bad  education,  and  ill  examples,  he  seems  astonished  that  the 
instruction  of  children  should  begin  with  them,  and  the  study  of  them 
be  called  by  the  name  of  learning  and  a  liberal  education."! 

The  two  following  days  after  he  got  on  board,  were  spent  with  his 
friends,  partly  in  the  ship  and  partly  on  shore,  in  exhorting  one 
another  to  shake  off  every  weight,  and  to  run  with  patience  the  race 

*  Videsne  poetse  quid  mali  afferant  ? — Ita  sunt  dulces,  ut  non  legantur  modo,  sed  etiam 
ediscantur.  Sic  ad  malam  domesticam  disciplnam,  vitamque  umbratilem  et  delicatam, 
cum  accesserunt  etiam  poetse,  nervos  virtutis  elidunt.  Recte  igitur  a  Platone  educuntur 
ex  ea  civitate  quam  finxit  ille,  cum  mores  optimos  et  optimum  reip.  Statum  quaereret. 
At  vero  nos,  docti  scilicet  a  Graecia,  haec  el  a  pueritia  legimus  et  didicimus.  Hanc 
eruditionem  liberalem  et  doctrinam  putamus.    Tqsc.  Qugest.  lib.  ii. 

t  The  Jews  prohibited  the  tutors  of  their  children  from  instructing  them  in  Pagan 
literature.  "  Maledictus  esto,"  says  the  Gemara,  "  quisquis  filium  suum  sapientiam 
graecanicam  edocet."  "  Let  him  be  accursed,  whoever  teacheth  his  son  Greek  literature." 
The  primitive  fathers  of  the  church,  were  divided  in  their  opinions  on  this  subject.  Some 
forbade  Christians  to  read  an)'  of  the  heathen  writers,  on  account  of  their  bad  tendency, 
both  as  to  principles  and  morals.  The  Apostolical  constitutions,  as  they  are  called, 
speak  in  this  strain,  "  Ab  omnibus  gentilium  libris  abstine  :"  ''abstain  from  all  books  of  the 
Gentiles."  And  though  these  constitutions  are  not  Apostolical,  yet  it  is  allowed  on 
all  hands,  that  they  are  very  ancient.  Cotelerius  in  a  note  on  this  passage,  has  shown  the 
different  sentiments  of  many  of  the  Fathers :  and  it  is  probable  that  a  majority  of  them 
were  of  opinion,  the  heathen  writers  might  be  read  with  advantage,  under  certain  restric- 
tions and  regulations.  Basil  the  great,  has  an  oration,  showing,  ''quomodo  ex  scriptis  gen- 
tilium utilitatem  capere  debeamus  :  "  how  we  ought  to  reap  advantage  from  the  writings 
of  the  Gentiles."  The  most  learned  and  pious  among  the  moderns,  have  very  universally 
condemned  the  practice  of  indiscriminately  reading  the  writings  of  the  heathens.  On  this 
subject,  Erasmus  complains  in  one  of  his  letters,  "pro  christianis  reddamur  pagani."  "In- 
stead of  Christians  we  are  made  Pagans."  And  again,  "  Animadverto,"  says  he,  "  juvenes 
aliquot,  quos  nobis  remittit  Italia,  prsecipue  Roma,  nonnihil  adflatos  hocveneno."  "I  ob- 
serve some  youths,  returned  from  Italy,  especially  from  Rome,  infected  with  this  poison." 
Buddei  Isagoge,  par.  i.  p.  147.  Buddeus  himself  observes,  after  giving  the  opinions  of 
several  others,  Singulari  utique  hie  opus  esse  circumspectione,  negari  nequit ;  cum  facile 
contingat,  ut  qui  ethnicorum  scriptis  toti  veluti  immerguntur,  ethnicum,  plane,  alienumque 
a  religione  Christiana,  inde  referant  animum."  "  It  cannot  be  denied  that  there  is  here  need 
of  singular  cirumspection,  as  it  easily  happens,  that  they  who  are,  as  it  were,  wholly  im- 
mersed in  the  writings  of  the  heathens,  return  from  them  with  a  heathenish  mind, 
alienated  from  the  christian  religion."  He  then  gives  several  examples  of  the  bad  influence 
of  this  practice  on  the  minds  of  men  of  great  abilities  and  learning  :  to  which  we  might 
add  the  name  of  a  late  celebrated  historian  ;  and  perhaps  many  others  of  our  nation.  The 
danger  arises  from  the  fondness  which  these  persons  contract  for  the  studied  and  regular 
composition  manifest  in  these  writings,  and  for  the  flowers  of  oratory  with  which  they 
dress  out  their  fables  and  false  notions  of  things. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


9 


set  before  them.  There  being  twenty-six  Germans  on  board,  members 
of  the  Moravian  Church,  Mr.  Wesley  immediately  began  to  learn  the 
German  language,  in  order  to  converse  with  them ;  and  David  Nitch- 
man,  the  Moravian  bishop,  and  two  others  began  to  learn  English^  that 
they  might  enjoy  the  benefit  of  mutual  conversation.  He  observes, 
that  he  now  first  preached  extem'pore^  though  I  believe  he  had  done  so 
once  before  in  London.  It  was  here  that  his  acquaintance  commenced 
with  the  Moravian  brethren,  which  he  cultivated  for  several  years, 
with  great  assiduity  and  success ;  and  we  must  allow  that  the  knowl- 
edge he  acquired  by  their  means,  laid  the  foundation  of  the  great 
things  which  followed  in  the  subsequent  part  of  his  life. 

It  was  a  maxim  with  Mr.  Wesley  in  the  conduct  of  life,  that  every 
part  of  the  day  ought  to  be  filled  up  with  some  useful  employment; 
a  man  unemployed,  being  in  constant  danger  of  falling  into  foolish 
temptations  and  hurtful  habits,  the  best  preservative  from  which  is 
industry.  He  therefore  so  arranged  his  business  that  he  had  a  stated 
employment  for  every  part  of  the  day.  This  love  of  regularity  in 
the  improvement  of  his  time,  immediately  showed  itself  in  his  new 
situation.  October  21,  they  sailed  from  Gravesend^  and  got  into  the 
Downs.  "Now,"  says  he,  "  we  began  to  be  a  little  regular.  Our 
common  way  of  living  was  this :  from  four  in  the  morning  till  five, 
each  of  us  used  private  prayer.  From  five  till  seven  we  read  the 
Bible  together,  carefully  comparing  it  (that  we  might  not  lean  to  our 
own  understandings)  with  the  writings  of  the  earliest  ages.  At  seven 
we  breakfasted.  At  eight  were  the  public  prayers.  From  nine  to 
twelve  I  usually  learned  German^  and  Mr.  Delamotte,  Greek.  My 
brother  writ  sermons,  and  Mr.  Ingham  instructed  the  children.  At 
twelve  we  met,  to  give  an  account  to  one  another  what  we  had  done 
since  our  last  meeting,  and  what  we  designed  to  do  before  our  next. 
About  one  we  dined.  The  time  from  dinner  to  four,  we  spent  in  read- 
ing to  those  of  whom  each  of  us  had  taken  charge,  or  in  speaking  to 
them  severally,  as  need  required.  At  four  were  the  evening  prayers ; 
when  either  the  second  lesson  was  explained  (as  it  always  was  in  the 
morning)  or  the  children  catechised,  and  instructed  before  the  congre- 
gation. From  five  to  six  we  again  used  private  prayer.  From  six 
to  seven  I  read  in  our  cabin  to  two  or  three  of  the  passengers  (of  whom 
there  were  about  eighty  English  on  board)  and  each  of  my  brethren 
to  a  few  more  in  theirs.  At  seven  I  joined  with  the  Germans  in  their 
public  service ;  while  Mr.  Ingham  was  reading  between  the  decks,  to 
as  many  as  desired  to  hear.  At  eight  we  met  again,  to  exhort  and; 
instruct  one  another.  Between  nine  and  ten  we  went  to  bed,  where 
neither  the  roaring  of  the  sea,  nor  the  motion  of  the  ship,  could  take 
away  the  refreshing  sleep  which  God  gave  us." 

This,  no  doubt,  was  prodigious  labor ;  and  yet  it  may  be  safely 
affirmed,  that,  during  the  fifty-five  years  and  upwards,  which  followed, 
few  days  passed,  in  which,  by  one  employment  or  other,  the  time  was 

TOL.  IL  2. 


10 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


not  filled  up  with  equal  exactness  and  diligence.  It  has  indeed  been 
doubted  whether  the  human  mind  be  capable  of  such  unremitted 
attention  through  a  multiplicity  of  business,  without  injury.  The 
words  of  Horace,  Neque  semper  arcum  tend'it  Apollo have  been 
quoted  to  show,  that  the  mind  ought  not  always  to  be  on  the  stretch. 
But  these  words  were  not  spoken  with  any  allusion  to  this  subject. 
We  may  observe  also  that  varying  our  employment  gives  a  consider- 
able degree  of  relaxation  to  the  mind.  Every  subject  does  not  require 
the  same  stretch  of  thought ;  nor  every  kind  of  exercise  the  same 
degree  of  exertion. 

The  wind  being  contrary  they  did  not  sail  from  Cowes  till  the  10th 
of  December. — On  Thursday  the  15th  of  January,  1736,  complaint 
being  made  to  Mr.  Oglethorpe  of  the  unequal  distribution  of  water  to 
the  passengers,  new  officers  were  appointed,  and  the  old  ones  were 
highly  exasperated  against  Mr.  Wesley,  who,  as  they  supposed,  had 
made  the  complaint. — From  the  Ivth  to  the  25th,  they  had  violent 
storms,  the  sea  going  frequently  over  the  ship,  and  breaking  the  cabin 
windows.  On  these  occasions  he  found  the  fear  of  death  brought  him 
into  some  degree  of  bondage,  and  being  a  severe  judge  of  himself  he 
concluded,  that  he  was  unfit,  because  he  was  unwilling  to  die :  at  the 
same  time  he  could  not  but  observe  the  lively  victorious  faith  which 
appeared  in  the  Germans^  and  kept  their  minds  in  a  state  of  tran- 
quillity and  ease,  in  the  midst  of  danger,  to  which  he  and  the  English 
on  board  were  strangers  :  speaking  of  these  humble  followers  of  Christ, 
he  says,  '-I  had  long  before  observed  the  great  seriousness  of  their 
behavior.  Of  their  humility  they  had  given  a  continual  proof,  by 
performing  those  servile  offices  for  the  other  passengers  which  none  of 
the  English  would  undertake;  for  which  they  desired,  and  would 
receive  no  pay;  saying,  "It  was  good  for  their  proud  hearts,  and 
their  loving  Saviour  had  done  more  for  them."  And  every  day  had 
given  them  occasion  of  showing  a  meekness,  which  no  injury  could 
move.  If  they  were  pushed,  struck,  or  thrown  down,  they  rose  again 
and  went  away ;  but  no  complaint  was  found  in  their  mouth.  There 
was  now  an  opportunity  of  trying,  whether  they  were  delivered  from 
the  spirit  of  fear,  as  well  as  from  that  of  pride,  anger,  and  revenge. 
In  the  midst  of  the  psalm  wherewith  their  service  began,  the  sea  broke 
over,  split  the  main-sail  in  pieces,  covered  the  ship,  and  poured  in 
between  the  decks,  as  if  the  great  deep  had  already  swallowed  us  up. 
A  terrible  screaming  began  among  the  English.  The  Germans  calmly 
sung  on.  I  asked  one  of  them  afterwards,  "  Was  you  not  afraid?  " 
He  answered,  "I  thank  God,  No."  I  asked,  ''But  were  not  your 
women  and  children  afraid?"  He  replied  mildly,  "No;  our  women 
and  children  are  not  afraid  to  die." 

On  the  29th,  they  fell  in  with  the  skirts  of  a  hurricane,  which 
however  did  no  damage ;  on  the  4th  of  February,  they  saw  land  ;  and 
on  the  6th,  after  a  stormy  passage  first  set  foot  on  American  ground, 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


11 


on  a  small  uninhabited  island  over  against  Tybee,  where  Mr.  Ogle- 
I  thorpe  led  them  to  a  rising  ground  and  they  returned  God  thanks,  and 
then  he  took  boat  for  Savannah. 

During  this  passage  Mr.  Wesley's  leading  principle,  that  self-denial 
and  mortification,  were  to  him  the  chief  means  of  holiness,  showed 
itself  powerfully  in  his  conduct.  Judging,  as  he  observes,  that  it 
might  be  helpful  to  him,  he  discontinued  the  use  of  flesh  and  wine, 
and  confined  himself  to  vegetables,  chiefly  rice  and  biscuit.  He  also 
left  oflf  eating  suppers,  and  his  bed  having  been  wet  by  the  sea,  he  lay 
upon  the  floor,  and  slept  sound  till  morning.  He  speaks  with  an  air 
of  triumph  on  this  unexpected  victory  over  the  common  indulgence 
of  using  a  bed  to  sleep  in ;  and  adds,  "I  believe,  I  shall  not  find  it 
needful  to  go  to  bed,  as  it  is  called,  any  more." 

February  7,  Mr.  Oglethorpe  returned  from  Savannah,  with  Mr. 
Spangenberg,  one  of  the  pastors  of  the  Germans.  "I  soon  found,"  says 
Mr.  Wesley,  "what  spirit  he  was  of;  and  asked  his  advice  with  regard 
to  my  own  conduct.  He  said,  "My  brother,  I  must  first  ask  you  one  or 
two  questions.  Have  you  the  witness  within  yourself  ?  Does  the 
Spirit  of  God  bear  witness  with  your  spirit,  that  you  are  the  child  of 
God?"  I  was  surprised  and  knew  not  wliat  to  answer.  He  observed 
it,  and  asked,  "Do  you  know  Jesus  Christ?"  I  paused  and  said, 
"  I  know  he  is  the  Saviour  of  the  world."  "  True,"  replied  he  ;  "but  do 
you  know  he  has  saved  you  ?"  I  answered,  "I  hope  he  has  died  to 
save  me."  He  only  added,  "  Do  you  know  yourself?  "  I  said  "I  do." 
But  I  fear  they  were  vain  words. — On  the  14th,  some  Indians  came 
to  them,  and  shook  them  by  the  hand,  one  of  them  saying,  "I  am 
glad  you  are  come.  When  I  was  in  England,  I  desired  that  some 
would  speak  the  great  word  to  me  and  my  nation  then  desired  to  hear 
it ;  but  now  we  are  all  in  confusion.  Yet  I  am  glad  you  are  come. 
I  will  go  up  and  speak  to  the  wise  men  of  our  nation  :  and  I  hope  they 
will  hear.  But  we  would  not  be  made  Christians,  as  the  Spaniards 
make  Christians  :  we  would  be  taught,  before  we  are  baptized." 

The  house  at  Savannah,  where  they  were  to  reside,  not  being  ready, 
Mr.  Wesley  with  Mr.  Delamotte,  took  up  their  lodgings  with  the 
Germans.  Here  they  had  an  opportunity  of  being  better  acquainted 
with  them,  and  of  closely  observing  the  whole  of  their  behavior,  from 
morning  till  night.  Mr.  Wesley  gives  them  an  excellent  character. 
He  tells  us,  "They  were  always  employed,  always  cheerful  them- 
selves, and  in  good  humor  with  one  another.  They  had  put  away 
all  anger,  and  strife,  and  wrath,  and  bitterness,  and  clamor,  and  evil- 
speaking.  They  walked  worthy  of  the  vocation  wherewith  they 
were  called,  and  adorned  the  gospel  of  our  Lord  in  all  things."  He 
adds,  "Feb.  28.  They  met  to  consult  concerning  the  afiairs  of  their 
church.  After  several  hours  spent  in  conference  and  prayer,  they 
proceeded  to  the  election  and  ordination  of  a  bishop.  The  great  sim- 
plicity, as  well  as  solemnity  of  the  whole,  almost  made  me  forget  the 


13 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


seventeen  hundred  years  between,  and  imagine  myself  in  one  of  those 

assemblies  where  form  and  state  were  not ;  but  Paul  the  tent-maker, 
or  Peter  the  fisherman  presided ;  yet  with  the  demonstration  of  the 
spirit  and  of  power." 

Sunday,  March  7.  He  entered  on  his  ministry  at  Savannah,  by 
preaching  on  the  epistle  for  the  day,  being  the  I3th  of  the  first  of 
Corinthians.  In  the  second  lesson,  Luke  xviii.  was  our  Lord's  pre- 
diction of  the  treatment  which  he  himself,  and  consequently  his  fol- 
lowers, was  to  meet  with  from  the  world.  He  adds,  ••  Yet  notwith- 
standing these  plain  declarations  of  our  Lord ;  notwithstanding  my 
own  repeated  experience ;  notwithstanding  the  experience  of  all  the 
sincere  followers  of  Christ,  whom  I  have  ever  talked  with,  read,  or 
heard  of:  nay  and  the  reason  of  the  thing,  evincing  to  a  demonstra- 
tion, that  all  who  love  not  the  light  must  hate  him  who  is  continually 
laboring  to  pour  it  in  upon  them:  I  do  here  bear  witness  against  myself, 
that  when  I  saw  the  number  of  people  crowding  into  the  church,  the 
deep  attention  with  which  they  received  the  word,  and  the  serious- 
ness that  afterwards  sat  on  all  their  faces ;  I  could  scarce  refrain  from 
giving  the  lie  to  experience  and  reason  and  Scripture  all  together.  I 
could  hardly  believe  that  the  greater,  the  far  greater  part  of  this 
attentive  serious  people,  would  hereafter  trample  under  foot  that  word, 
.and  say  all  manner  of  evil  falsely  of  him  that  spake  it." 

On  the  18th,  Mr.  Wesley  wrote  to  his  mother  as  follows :  "  I  doubt 
not  but  you  are  already  informed  of  the  many  blessings  which  God 
gave  us  in  our  passage ;  as  my  brother  Wesley  must  before  now,  have 
received  a  particular  account  of  the  circumstances  of  our  voyage ; 
which  he  would  not  fail  to  transmit  to  you  by  the  first  opportunity. 

We  are  likely  to  stay  here  some  months.  The  place  is  pleasant 
beyond  imagination ;  and  by  all  I  can  learn  exceeding  healthful, — 
even  in  summer,  for  those  who  are  not  intemperate.  It  has  pleased 
God,  that  I  have  not  had  a  moment's  illness  of  any  kind  since  I  set 
my  foot  upon  the  continent :  nor  do  I  know  any  more  than  one  of 
my  seven  hundred  parishioners,  who  is  sick  at  this  time.  Many  of 
them  indeed,  are,  I  believe,  very  angry  already:  for  a  gentleman,  no 
longer  ago  than  last  night,  made  a  ball ;  but  the  public  prayers  hap- 
pening to  begin  about  the  same  time,  the  church  was  full,  and  the 
ball-room  so  empty,  that  the  entertainment  could  not  go  forward. 

"  I  should  be  heartily  glad,  if  any  poor  and  religious  men  or  women 
of  Epworth  or  Wroote,  would  come  over  to  me.  And  so  would  Mr. 
Oglethorpe  too :  he  would  give  them  land  enough,  and  provisions 
gratis,  till  they  could  live  on  the  produce  of  it.  I  was  fully  deter- 
mined to  have  wrote  to  my  dear  Emmy"^  to-day ;  but  time  will  not 
permit.  O  hope  ye  still  in  God !  for  ye  shall  yet  give  him  thanks, 
who  is  the  help  of  your  countenance,  and  your  God !    Renounce  the 


*  His  eldest  sister  Emelia. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


13 


world  :  deny  yourselves  :  bear  your  cross  with  Christ,  and  reign  with 
him  !  My  brother  Hooper  too,  has  a  constant  place  in  our  prayers. 
May  the  good  God  give  him  the  same  zeal  for  holiness  which  he  has 
given  to  a  young  gentleman  of  Rotterdam,  who  was  with  me  last 
night.  Pray  for  us,  and  especially  for,  dear  mother,  your  dutiful  and 
affectionate  son,  John  Wesley." 

Mr.  Wesley  being  now  informed  of  the  opposition  which  his  brother 
Charles  met  with  at  Frederica ;  on  the  22d  of  March,  wrote  to  him 
the  following  letter — How  different  are  the  ways  wherein  we  are 
led,  yet  I  hope  toward  the  same  end.  I  have  hitherto  no  opposition 
at  all :  all  is  smooth,  and  fair  and  promising.  Many  seem  to  be 
awakened :  all  are  full  of  respect  and  commendation.  We  cannot 
see  any  cloud  gathering.  But  this  calm  cannot  last;  storms  must 
come  hither  too :  and  let  them  come  when  we  are  ready  to  meet  them. 

'"Tis  strange  so  many  of  our  friends  should  still  trust  in  God !  1 
hope  indeed,  whoever  turns  to  the  world,  Mr.  Tackner  and  Betty,  with 
Mr.  Hird's  family,  and  Mr.  Burk,  will  zealously  aim  at  the  prize  of 
their  high  calling.  These  especially  I  exhort  by  the  mercies  of  God, 
that  they  be  not  weary  of  well-doing,  but  that  they  labor  more  and 
more  to  be  meek  and  lowly,  and  daily  to  advance  in  the  knowledge 
and  love  of  God. — I  hope  too  Mr.  Weston,  Mr.  Moore,  Mr.  Allen,  and 
Mr.  White,  as  well  as  Mr.  Ward  and  his  wife,  continue  in  the  same 
wise  resolutions.  I  must  not  forget  Mr.  Reed,  and  Mr.  Daubry,  both 
of  whom  I  left  fully  determined  to  shake  off  every  weight,  and  with 
all  their  might  pursue  the  one  thing  needful. 

Condones  omnes  meas  jamnunc  habes^  prcBter  istas  quas  misi. 
AliqucB  in  pyxide  svnt  {de  qua.  tie  verbum  scribis)  una  cum  bibliis  in 
quarto.  Liber  de  disciplina  quam  celerrime  potes^  remittendus  est. 
Quanta  est  concordia  fratrum:  Tui  volo  et  fratris  B.?^^  You  have 
now  all  my  sermons,  except  those  which  I  have  sent.  Some  are  in 
the  box  (of  which  you  say  not  a  word)  together  with  the  Bible  in 
quarto.  The  book  of  discipline  must  be  sent  back  as  soon  as  possi- 
ble. How  great  is  the  concord  of  brethren:  I  mean  of  thee  and 
brother  B.  ? 

"  You  are  not,  I  think,  at  liberty  qgi(feaduv  e\g  to  Id^v-q  sag  ol  uvf^cpvUxtti 
uPi,  dTTMd^Sai  ae,"  to  tum  to  the  Gentiles  till  your  own  countrymen  shall 
cast  you  out.  "If  that  period  come  soon,  so  much  the  better  :  only  in 
the  mean  while,  reprove  and  exhort  with  all  authority,  even  though 
all  men  should  despise  thee.  '  jTw^iiaBTai  aoi  e\g  fiaQjvgtov."  It  shall  turn 
to  thee  for  a  testimony.* 

"  I  conjure  you  spare  no  time,  no  address  or  pains  to  learn  the  true 
cause  Ti5?  ndXav  odvvrjg  t^;  cfilrjg         of  the  former  distrcss  of  my  friend. 

"  I  much  doubt  you  are  in  the  right.  Mrj  yhovro  2va  aiw  naXiv  dfiagTuvn. 
rgriyogei,  q)uXdaa8,  a>g  ^aXtqa  dvvr],    Fqcicpe  fioij  nSg  fie  diij  ygugieiv  ngog  avr^v." 

God  forbid,  that  she  should  again  in  like  manner  miss  the  mark. 

♦  See  the  same  phrase,  Luke  xxi.  13.     f  See  a  similar  construction  of  Tt&Xai  2  Pet.  i.  9. 
VOL.  IL  2 


14 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


Watch  over  her ;  keep  her,  as  much  as  possible.  Write  to  me,  how 
I  ought  to  write  to  her. 

If  Mr.  Ingham  were  here,  I  would  try  to  see  you.  But  omit  no 
opportunity  of  writing.  lUvdweiw  naaav  w^av."  I  stand  in  jeopardy 
every  hour. — "Let  us  be  strong  and  very  courageous;  for  the  Lord 
our  God  is  with  us :  and  there  is  no  counsel  or  might  against  him !  " 

Mr.  Charles  took  the  hint  his  brother  gave  him,  and  on  the  28th, 
sent  Mr.  Ingham  to  Savannah.^  April  4th,  Mr.  Wesley  set  out  for 
Frederica,  in  a  Pettiawga,  a  sort  of  flat-bottomed  barge,  and  the  fol- 
lowing evening  they  anchored  near  Skidoway  island,  where  the  water 
at  flood,  was  twelve  or  fourteen  feet  deep.  Mr.  Wesley  wrapt  him- 
self up  in  a  large  cloak,  and  lay  down  on  the  quarter-deck :  but  in 
the  course  of  the  night  he  rolled  out  of  his  cloak,  and  fell  into  the 
sea,  so  fast  asleep  that  he  knew  not  where  he  was,  till  his  mouth 
was  full  of  water.  He  swam  round  to  a  boat,  and  got  out  without 
any  injury,  more  than  wetting  his  clothes.  This  instance  gives  us  a 
lively  view  of  his  fortitude  and  presence  of  mind  in  the  midst  of 
surprise  and  danger. 

Mr.  Wesley  left  Frederica,  and  arrived  at  Savannah  on  the  20th. 
The  next  day  he  wrote  to  his  brother;  and  among  other  things  ob- 
serves, "I  still  extremely  pity  poor  Mrs.  Hawkins:  but  what  can  I 
do  more,  till  God  show  me  who  it  is  that  continually  exasperates  her 
against  me  7  Then  I  may  perhaps  be  of  some  service  to  her.  There 
is  surely  some  one  who  does  not  play  us  fair :  but  I  marvel  not  at  the 
matter.  He  that  is  higher  than  the  highest  regardeth ;  and  there  is 
that  is  mightier  than  they — Yet  a  little  while  and  God  will  declare 
who  is  sincere.  Tarry  thou  the  Lord's  leisure  and  be  strong,  and  he 
shall  comfort  thy  heart." 

On  the  same  day  he  wrote  to  Mr.  Oglethorpe,  and  tells  him,  "  Sa- 
vannah, never  was  so  dear  to  me  as  now.  I  believe,  knowing  by 
whom  I  send,  I  may  write  as  well  as  speak  freely.  I  found  so  little, 
either  of  the  form  or  power  of  religion  at  Frederica,  that  I  am  sin- 
cerely glad  I  am  removed  from  it.  Surely,  never  was  any  place,  no 
not  London  itself,  freer  from  one  vice,  I  mean  hypocrisy, 

'  0  curvcB  in  terris  animcB,  et  coelestium  inanes ' " 
0  grovelling  souls,  bent  to  the  earth,  and  void  of  heavenly  good ! 

"  Jesus  Master  have  mercy  upon  them — There  is  none  of  those 
who  did  run  well,  whom  I  pity  more  than  Mrs.  Hawkins :  her  treat- 
ing me  in  such  a  manner  would  indeed  have  little  affected  me.  had 
my  own  interests  only  been  concerned.  1  have  been  used  to  be 
betrayed,  scorned,  and  insulted  by  those  I  had  most  labored  to  serve. 
But  when  I  reflect  on  her  condition,  my  heart  bleeds  for  her — Yet 
with  Thee  nothing  is  impossible ! 


*  Vol.  I.  page  85. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


"  With  regard  to  one  who  ought  to  be  dearer  to  me  than  her,  I  can- 
not but  say,  that  the  more  I  think  of  it  the  more  convinced  I  am,  that 
no  one,  without  a  virtual  renouncing  of  the  faith,  can  abstain  from 
the  pubhc  as  well  as  the  private  worship  of  God.  All  the  prayers 
usually  read  morning  and  evening  at  Frederica  and  here,  put  togeth- 
er, do  not  last  seven  minutes.  These  cannot  be  termed  long  prayers  : 
no  christian  assembly  ever  used  shorter  :  neither  have  they  any  rep- 
etitions in  them  at  all — If  I  did  not  speak  thus  plainly  to  you  ;  which 
I  fear  no  one  else  in  England  or  America  will  do,  I  should  by  no 
means  be  worthy  to  call  myself.  Sir,  Yours,  &c.  John  Wesley." 

Not  finding  as  yet  any  open  door  for  pursuing  his  main  design  of 
preaching  to  the  Indians,  he  consulted  with  his  companions,  in  what 
manner  they  might  be  most  useful  to  the  little  flock  at  Savannah.  It 
was  agreed,  1.  to  advise  the  more  serious  among  them,  to  form  them- 
selves into  a  little  society,  and  to  meet  once  or  twice  a  week,  in 
order  to  reprove,  instruct,  and  exhort  one  another.  2.  To  select  out 
of  these  a  smaller  number  for  a  more  intimate  union  with  each  other : 
which  might  be  forwarded  partly  by  their  conversing  singly  with 
each,  and  inviting  them  all  together  to  Mr.  Wesley's  house :  and  this 
accordingly  they  determined  to  do  every  Sunday  in  the  afternoon. 
Here  we  see  the  first  rudiments  of  the  future  economy  of  classes  and 
bands,  which  has  had  no  small  influence  in  promoting  the  success  of 
the  Methodists  beyond  any  other  denomination  of  Christians,  not 
immediately  favored  by  the  civil  power. 

There  subsisted  at  this  time,  a  dispute  between  the  gentlemen  of 
Carolina  and  Georgia,  respecting  the  right  of  trading  with  the  Indi- 
ans. The  dispute  was  brought  into  Westminster-Hall,  and  agitated 
on  both  sides  with  great  animosity.  Mr.  Wesley  had  hitherto  thought 
it  his  duty  to  confine  himself  to  those  things  which  immediately 
related  to  his  offi.ce  as  a  minister,  and  not  to  intermeddle  with  any 
thing  that  seemed  foreign  to  it.  But  having  considered  the  matter  in 
debate,  and  the  consequences  of  it  to  the  province,  he  altered  his  sen- 
timents, and  on  the  23d  of  July  delivered  his  opinion  on  the  subject 
in  a  letter  to  Mr.  Hutcheson.  He  observes,  "  By  what  I  have  seen 
during  my  short  stay  here,  I  am  convinced  that  I  have  long  been 
under  a  great  mistake,  in  thinking  no  circumstances  could  make  it 
the  duty  of  a  christian  priest,  to  do  any  thing  else  but  preach  the 
gospel.  On  the  contrary,  I  am  now  satisfied,  that  there  is  a  possible 
case  wherein  a  part  of  his  time  ought  to  be  employed  in  what  less 
directly  conduces  to  the  glory  of  God,  and  peace  and  good  will  among 
men.  And  such  a  case,  I  believe  is  that  which  now  occurs :  there 
being  several  things  which  cannot  so  effectually  be  done  without  me; 
and  which,  though  not  directly  belonging  to  my  ministry,  yet  are  by 
consequence  of  the  highest  concern  to  the  success  of  it.  It  is  from 
this  conviction  that  I  have  taken  some  pains  to  inquire  into  the  great 
controversy  now  subsisting  between  Carolina  and  Georgia :  and  in 


m 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


examining  and  weighing  the  letters  wrote,  and  the  argument  urged, 
on  both  sides  of  the  question.  And  I  cannot  but  think  that  the  whole 
affair  might  be  clearly  stated  in  few  words.  A  charter  was  past 
a  few  years  since,  establishing  the  bounds  of  this  province,  and  empow- 
ering the  trustees  therein  named  to  prepare  laws,  which  when  ratified 
by  the  king  in  council,  should  be  of  force  within  those  bounds. 
Those  Trustees  have  prepared  a  law,  which  has  been  so  ratified,  for 
the  regulation  of  the  Indian  trade,  requiring  that  none  should  trade 
with  the  Indians  who  are  within  this  province,  till  he  is  so  licensed 
as  therein  specified.  Notwithstanding  this  law,  the  governing  part  of 
Carolina,  have  asserted  both  in  conversation,  in  writing,  and  in  the 
public  newspapers,  that  it  is  lawful  for  any  one  not  so  licensed,  to 
trade  with  the  Creek,  Cherokee,  or  Chickasaw  Indians  :  they  have 
past  an  ordinance,  not  only  asserting  the  same,  but  enacting  that 
men  and  money  shall  be  raised  to  support  such  traders  ;  and  in  fact 
they  have  themselves  licensed  and  sent  up  such  traders  both  to  the 
Creek  and  Chicasaw  Indians. 

"  This  is  the  plain  matter  of  fact :  now  as  to  matter  of  right,  when 
twenty  more  reams  of  paper  have  been  spent  upon  it,  I  cannot  but 
think  it  must  come  to  this  short  issue  at  last :  1.  Are  the  Creeks, 
Cherokees,  and  Chickasaws,  within  the  bounds  of  Georgia  or  no  7 
2.  Is  an  act  of  the  king  in  council  in  pursuance  of  an  act  of  par- 
liament, of  any  force  within  these  bounds,  or  not?  That  all  other 
inquiries  are  absolutely  foreign  to  the  question  a  very  little  consider- 
ation will  show.  As  to  the  former  of  these,  the  Georgian  charter 
compared  with  any  map  of  these  parts  which  I  have  ever  seen, 
determines  it :  the  latter  I  never  heard  made  a  question  of,  but  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Carolina. 

"  Mr.  Johnson's  brother  has  been  with  us  some  days.  I  have  been 
twice  in  company  with  him  at  Mr.  Oglethorpe's  :  and  I  hope  there  are 
in  Carolina,  though  the  present  proceeding  would  almost  make  one 
doubt  it,  many  such  gentlemen  as  he  seems  to  be;  men  of  good 
nature,  good  manners,  and  understanding.  I  hope  God  will  repay  you 
seven-fold  for  the  kindness  you  have  shown  to  my  poor  mother,  and 
in  her  to,  sir,  your  most  obliged,  most  obedient  servant,  John  Wesley." 

At  the  same  time  he  wrote  to  Mr.  Yernon  on  the  same  subject. 
''As  short  a  time,"  says  he,  "as  I  have  for  writing,  I  could  not  par- 
don myself  if  I  did  not  spend  some  part  of  it  in  acknowledging  the 
continuance  of  your  goodness  to  my  mother :  which  indeed  neither 
she,  nor  I,  can  ever  lose  the  sense  of. 

"  The  behavior  of  the  people  of  Carolina,  finds  much  conversation 
for  this  place.  I  dare  not  say  whether  they  want  honesty  or  logic 
most ;  it  is  plain  a  very  little  of  the  latter,  added  to  the  former,  would 
show  how  utterly  foreign  to  the  point  in  question,  all  their  voluminous 
defences  are.  Here  is  an  act  of  the  king  in  council,  past  in  pur- 
suance of  an  act  of  parliament,  forbidding  unlicensed  persons  to  trade 
with  the  Indians  in  Georgia.    Nothing  therefore  can  justify  them  in 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


ir 


daily  sending  unlicensed  traders  to  the  Creek,  Cherokee,  and  Chica- 
saw  Indians,  but  the  proving  either  that  this  act  is  of  no  force,  or  that 
those  Indians  are  not  in  Georgia.  Why  then  are  these  questions  so 
httle  considered  by  them,  and  others  so  largely  discussed?  I  fear  for 
a  very  plain,  though  not  a  very  honest  reason ;  that  is,  to  puzzle  the 
cause.  I  sincerely  wish  you  all  happiness  in  time  and  eternity,  and 
am,  sir,"  &c. 

Sept.  13.  He  began  reading  over,  with  Mr.  Delamotte,  Bishop 
Beveridge's  Pandectse  Canonum  Conciliorum.  '^Nothing,"  says  he, 
''could  so  effectually  have  convinced  me,  that  both  particular  and 
general  councils  may  err,  and  have  erred :  and  of  the  infinite  differ- 
ence there  is  between  the  decisions  of  the  wisest  men,  and  those  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  recorded  in  his  word." — Sept.  20.  They  ended  the  Apos- 
tolical canons  so  called,  and  Mr.  Wesley  acknowledges  in  his  printed 
Journal,  that  he  once  thought  more  highly  of  them  than  he  ought  to 
think.  "Bishop  Beveridge,"  says  he,  "observes,  that  they  are  the 
decrees  of  the  several  Synods,  which  met  at  several  places,  and  on 
several  occasions,  in  the  second  and  third  age  after  Christ ;  and  are 
therefore  called  Apostolical,  because  partly  grounded  upon,  and  partly 
agreeing  with  the  traditions  they  had  received  from  the  Apostles.  He 
further  observes,  that  as  they  were  enacted  by  different  Synods,  so 
they  were  collected  by  different  persons ;  till  about  the  year  500,  John, 
Bishop  of  Constantinople,  placed  them  at  the  head  of  the  canons 
which  he  collected  into  one  code. — But  then  he  adds  (Cod.  Canon, 
p.  159,)  they  contain  that  discipline  which  was  used  in  the  church 
when  they  were  collected,  not  when  the  council  of  Nice  met,  for  then 
many  parts  of  them  were  useless  and  obsolete." 

After  Mr.  Charles  had  left  Frederica,  and  gone  for  England  in  the 
latter  end  of  July,  Mr.  Wesley  often  visited  that  place ;  where  he  met 
Avith  the  most  violent  opposition,  and  the  most  illiberal  abuse.  He 
still  however  persevered  in  his  endeavors  to  do  them  good,  and  on  the 
13th  of  October  set  out  from  Savannah,  once  more  to  visit  them.  He 
arrived  at  Frederica  on  the  morning  of  the  16th,  and  met  Mr.  Hird  on 
the  Bluff,  who  gave  him  a  melancholy  account  of  the  state  of  things 
there.*  The  public  service  had  been  discontinued ;  and  from  that 
time  every  thing  was  grown  worse  and  worse — "  Even  poor  Miss 
Sophy,"t  says  he,  "  was  scarce  the  shadow  of  what  she  was  when  I  left 

*  Mr.  "Wesley's  private  JouraaL  See  also  his  printed  Journal  in  his  "Works,  vol.  xxvi. 
p.  149. 

f  This  person  was  Miss  Sophy  Causton,  afterwards  Mrs.  "Williamson,  niece  to  Mr. 
Causton,  storekeeper  and  chief  magistrate  of  Savannah.  After  her  marriage  she  was  the 
occasion  of  so  much  trouble  to  Mr.  "Wesley,  that  it  evidently  hastened  his  departure  out  of 
America,  He  has  observed  a  silence  in  his  printed  Journal  on  some  circumstances  of  this 
affair,  which  has  induced  many  persons  to  suspect  the  propriety  of  his  conduct  in  this 
business.  He  has  however  been  more  open  in  his  private  Journal,  which  was  written  at 
the  time,  as  the  circumstances  arose.  And  as  this  private  Jounial  and  his  other  papers, 
lay  open  to  the  inspection  of  his  friends  for  several  years,  I  cannot  help  thinking  that  it 
would  have  been  more  candid,  and  more  to  the  reputation  of  themselves  and  Mr.  Wesley, 

VOL.  II.  2=**=  3 


18 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


her.  I  endeavored  to  convince  her  of  it,  but  in  vain :  and  to  put  it 
effectually  out  of  my  power  so  to  do,  she  was  resolved  to  return  to 
England  immediately.  I  was  at  first  a  little  surprised;  but  I  soon 
recollected  my  spirits,  and  remembered  my  calling.  Greater  is  he  that 
is  in  you,  than  he  that  is  in  the  world. 

Non  me,  qui  caetera,  vincet 
Impetus  ;  at  rapido  contrarius  evehar  orbi." 
The  force  shall  not  overcome  me,  that  overcomes  all  things  else  j 
But  I  shall  mount  in  a  direction  contrary  to  the  rapid  world. 

"  I  began  with  earnestly  crying  to  God  to  maintain  his  own  cause ; 
and  then  reading  to  a  few  who  came  to  my  house  in  the  evenings, 
one  of  Ephrem  Syrus's  exhortations,  as  I  did  every  night  after,  and 
by  the  blessing  of  God  not  without  effect.  My  next  step  was,  to 
divert  Miss  Sophy  from  the  fatal  resolution  of  going  to  England. 
After  several  fruitless  attempts  I  at  length  prevailed ;  nor  was  it  long 
before  she  recovered  the  ground  she  had  lost. 

"  October  23.  Mr.  Oglethorpe  returned  from  the  southward.  I  was 
in  the  fort  with  Mr.  Horton,  when  he  came.  He  ran  to  Mr.  Horton, 
kissed  him,  and  expressed  much  kindness  to  him,  but  took  no  notice  of 
me  good  or  bad  ;  any  more  than  if  I  had  not  been  in  the  room.  I  was 
not  surprised,  having  long  expected  it ;  when  I  mentioned  it  to  Miss 
Sophy,  she  said  ;  '  Sir,  you  encouraged  me  in  my  greatest  trials  :  be 
not  discouraged  yourself.  Fear  nothing  :  if  Mr.  Oglethorpe  will  not, 
God  will  help  you.' 

"October  25.  I  took  boat  for  Savannah,  with  Miss  Sophy;  and 
came  thither,  after  a  slow  and  dangerous,  but  not  a  tedious  passage, 
on  Sunday  the  31  st.^ 

I  insert  the  following  story,  because  it  seems  well  authenticated, 
and  because  it  may  be  the  means  of  putting  young  persons  upon  their 
guard  against  the  arts,  and  persuasive  words  of  designing  and  unprin- 
cipled men.  November  12,  says  Mr.  Wesley,  "By  a  careful  inquiry 
of  several  persons,  I  came  to  the  full  knowledge  of  a  strange  piece  of 
history.  Mr.  T.  a  surgeon  of  Edinburgh  debauched  the  daughter  of 
one  Mr.  Ure,  a  lawyer,  an  only  child,  and  distant  relation.  He  thea 
persuaded  her  to  sign  a  writing  which  she  had  never  read,  and  to  go 
over  with  him  to  America.  When  she  came  hither,  he  treated  her  as 
a  common  servant ;  and  not  only  so,  but  beat  her  frequently  to  such 
a  degree  that  the  scars  made  by  the  whip  were  plainly  to  be  seen  a 
year  after.    The  fault  commonly  was,  that  the  child  she  had  by  him 

to  have  openly  avowed  the  fact,  that  he  did  intend  to  marry  Miss  Causton,  and  was  not  a 
little  pained  when  she  broke  off  the  connection  with  him.  From  a  careful  perusal  of  his 
.private  Journal,  this  appears  to  me  to  have  been  the  case.  But  I  will  fairly  state  the  evi-: 
dence  on  which  my  opinion  is  founded,  in  his  own  words  as  they  occur,  and  leave  tha 
reader  to  judge  for  himself :  not  doubting  at  the  same  time,  that,  whatever  may  be  said  of  ' 
his  weakness  (and  who  is  not  weak  in  some  thing  or  other)  or  of  his  prudence  in  this 
affair,  nothing  can  be  laid  to  his  charge  in  point  of  criminality. 
*  See  also  his  printed  Journal  in  his  Works,  vol.  xxvi.  p.  150. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY.  19 

cried.  After  he  had  kept  her  thus  for  about  two  years,  and  she  had 
brought  him  another  child,  he  married  another  woman,  and  sold  her 
to  one  of  the  Indian  traders  !  The  facts  he  allowed  and  defended 
before  Mr.  Oglethorpe  (only  he  said  he  had  given,  not  sold  her)  who, 
after  a  full  hearing,  determined  that  she  should  be  set  at  liberty  to 
work  for  herself  and  the  child."  This  was  a  poor  recompense  for 
such  accumulated  injuries.  If  Mr.  Oglethorpe  had  the  power,  he  cer- 
tainly ought  to  have  laid  a  fine  upon  the  man,  sufficient  to  have 
maintained  the  woman  and  the  child.  Mr.  Wesley  proceeds.  "  Nov. 
23.  Mr.  Oglethorpe  sailed  for  England. — In  the  beginning  of  Decem- 
ber, I  advised  Miss  Sophy  to  sup  earlier,  and  not  immediately  before 
she  went  to  bed.  She  did  so :  and  on  this  little  circumstance,  what 
an  inconceivable  train  of  consequences  depend  !  Not  only,  '  All  the 
color  of  remaining  life,'  for  her  :  but  perhaps  all  my  happiness  too  !" 

Feb.  5,  1737.  '-One  of  the  most  remarkable  dispensations  of  Provi- 
dence towards  me,  which  I  have  yet  known,  began  to  show  itself 
this  day.  For  many  days  after  I  could  not  at  all  judge  which  way 
the  scale  would  turn :  nor  was  it  fully  determined  till  March  4th,  on 
which  God  commanded  me  to  pull  out  my  right  eye ;  and  by  his 
grace  I  determined  so  to  do  :  but  being  slack  in  the  execution,  on  Sat- 
urday, March  12,  God  being  very  merciful  to  me,  my  friend  performed 
what  I  could  not.^ 

"I  have  often  thought,  one  of  the  most  difficult  commands  that 
ever  was  given,  was  that  given  to  Ezekiel  concerning  his  wife.  But 
the  difficulty  of  obeying  such  a  direction,  appeared  to  me  now  more 
than  ever  before :  when,  considering  the  character  I  bore,  I  could  not 
but  perceive  that  the  word  of  the  Lord  was  come  to  me  likewise, 
saying,  "Son  of  man,  behold  I  take  away  from  thee  the  desire  of 
thine  eyes  with  a  stroke  :  yet  neither  shall  thou  mourn,  nor  weep, 
neither  shall  thy  tears  run  down." 

Feb.  24.  It  was  agreed  that  Mr.  Ingham  should  go  for  England, 
and  endeavor,  if  it  should  please  God,  to  bring  over  some  of  their 
friends  to  strengthen  their  hands  in  his  work.  By  him,  Mr.  Wesley 
wrote  to  Mr.  Oglethorpe ;  and  this  letter  shows  both  his  zeal  and  entire 
openness  of  heart,  in  pursuing  and  inculcating  without  fear,  what  he 
deemed  most  excellent.  It  is  as  follows :  "Sir,  You  apprehended 
strong  opposition  before  you  went  hence ;  and  unless  we  are  misin- 
formed, you  have  found  it.  Yesterday  morning,  I  read  a  letter  from 
London,  wherein  it  was  asserted,  that  Sir  Robert  had  turned  against 
you ;  that  the  parliament  was  resolved  to  make  a  severe  scrutiny  into 
all  that  has  been  transacted  here  ;  that  the  cry  of  the  nation  ran  the 
same  way ;  and  that  even  the  trustees  were  so  far  from  acknowledg- 
ing the  service  you  have  done,  that  they  had  protested  your  bills,  and 
charged  you  with  misapplying  the  moneys  you  had  received,  and  with 
gross  mismanagement  of  the  power  wherewith  you  was  intrusted — 

*  On  March  the  12th  Miss  Sophy  married  Mr.  "Williamson. 


at 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


Whether  these  things  are  so,  or  no,  I  know  not;  for  it  is  ill  depending 
on  a  single  evidence.  But  this  I  know,  that  if  your  scheme  was 
drawn  (which  I  shall  not  easily  believe)  from  that  first-born  of  hell, 
Nicholas  Machiavel,^  as  sure  as  there  is  a  God  that  governs  the  earth, 
he  will  confound  both  it  and  you.  If  on  the  contrary  (as  I  shall 
hope,  till  strong  proof  appear)  your  heart  was  right  before  God:  that 
it  was  your  real  design  to  promote  the  glory  of  God,  by  promoting 
peace  and  love  among  men  ;  let  not  your  heart  be  troubled  :  the  God 
whom  you  serve  is  able  to  deliver  you.  Perhaps  in  some  things  you 
have  shown  you  are  but  a  man  :  perhaps  I  myself  may  have  a  little 
to  complain  of:  but  O  what  a  train  of  benefits  have  I  received  to  lay 
in  the  balance  against  it !  I  bless  God  that  you  was  born.  I  acknowl- 
edge his  exceeding  mercy,  in  casting  me  into  your  hands.  I  own 
your  generous  kindness  all  the  time  we  were  at  sea  :  I  am  indebted 
to  you  for  a  thousand  favors  here :  why  then,  the  least  I  can  say  is, 
though  all  men  should  revile  you,  yet,  if  God  shall  strengthen  me, 
will  not  I :  Yea,  were  it  not  for  the  poor  creatures,  whom  you  have 
as  yet  but  half  redeemed  from  their  complicated  misery,  I  could  almost 
wish  that  you  were  forsaken  of  all ;  that  you  might  clearly  see  the 
difference,  between  men  of  honor,  and  those  who  are  in  the  very 
lowest  rank,  the  followers  of  Christ  Jesus. 

O  !  where  is  the  God  of  Elijah  ?  Stir  up  thy  strength  and  come 
and  help  him  !  If  the  desire  of  his  heart  be  to  thy  name,  let  all  his 
enemies  flee  before  him  !  Art  Thou  not  He  who  hast  made  him  a 
father  to  the  fatherless,  a  mighty  deliverer  to  the  oppressed !  Hast 
Thou  not  given  him  to  be,  feet  to  the  lame,  hands  to  the  helpless,  eyes 
to  the  blind !  Hath  he  ever  withheld  his  bread  from  the  hungry,  or 
hid  his  soul  from  his  own  flesh !  Then,  whatever  Thou  withholdest 
from  him,  O  Thou  lover  of  men,  satisfy  his  soul  with  thy  likeness  : 
renew  his  heart  in  the  whole  image  of  thy  Christ:  purge  his  spirit 
from  self-will,  pride,  vanity,  and  fill  it  with  faith  and  love,  gentleness 
and  long-suffering.  Let  no  guile  ever  be  found  in  his  mouth:  no 
injustice  in  his  hands  ! — And  among  all  your  labors  of  love,  it  becomes 
me  earnestly  to  entreat  him,  that  He  will  not  forget  those  you  have 

*  Nicholas  Machiavel,  was  born  of  a  distinguished  family  at  Florence.  Of  all  his  writ- 
ings, a  political  treatise  entitled  the  Prince,  has  made  the  greatest  noise  in  the  world.  Mr. 
Wesley  speaks  thus  of  it ;  "  If  all  the  other  doctrines  of  devils  which  have  been  com- 
mitted to  writing  since  letters  were  in  the  world,  were  collected  together  in  one  volume,  it 
would  fall  short  of  this  :  and  that  should  a  prince  form  himself  by  this  book,  so  calmly 
recommending  hypocrisy,  treachery,  lying,  robbery,  oppression,  adultery,  whoredom,  and 
murder  of  all  kinds ;  Domitian  or  Nero  would  be  an  angel  of  light  compared  with  that 
man." — The  world  is  not  agreed  as  to  the  motive  of  this  work ;  some  thinking  he  meant 
to  recommend  tyrannical  maxims ;  others,  that  he  only  delineated  them  to  excite  abhor- 
rence. Harrington  considers  Machiavel,  as  a  superior  genius,  and  as  the  most  excellent 
writer  on  politics  and  government  that  ever  appeared.  Some  have  said,  his  greatest  fault 
was,  that  he  told  the  world  what  bad  princes  did,  not  what  they  ought  to  do ;  and  that  his 
principles,  though  daily  condemned,  are  daily  put  in  practice.  It  has  also  been  said,  that 
he  took  his  political  maxims  from  the  government  of  the  Popes.    He  died  in  1530. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


21 


gone  through  for,  sir,  your  obliged  and  obedient  servant,  John 
Wesley." 

By  Mr.  Ingham,  he  also  wrote  to  Dr.  Bray's  associates,  who  had 
sent  a  parochial  library  to  Savannah.  =^  It  was  expected  of  the  min- 
>  isters  who  received  these  libraries,  that  they  should  send  an  account 
to  their  benefactors,  of  the  method  they  used  in  catechising  the  chil- 
dren, and  instructing  the  youth  of  their  respective  parishes.  That 
part  of  his  letter  was  as  follows — "Our  general  method  of  catechis- 
ing, is  this  ;  a  young  gentleman  who  came  with  me,  teaches  between 
thirty  and  forty  children,  to  read,  write  and  cast  accounts.  Before 
school  in  the  morning,  and  after  school  in  the  afternoon,  he  catechises 
the  lowest  class,  and  endeavors  to  fix  something  of  what  was  said  in 
their  understandings,  as  well  as  in  their  memories.  In  the  evening  he 
instructs  the  larger  children.  On  Saturday  in  the  afternoon  I  cate- 
chise them  all.  The  same  I  do  on  Sunday  before  the  evening-service : 
and  in  the  church  immediately  after  the  second  lesson,  a  select  num- 
ber of  them  having  repeated  the  catechism,  and  been  examined  in 
some  part  of  it,  I  endeavor  to  explain  at  large,  and  enforce  that  part, 
both  on  them  and  the  congregation. 

"Some  time  after  the  evening-service,  as  many  of  my  parishioners 
as  desire  it,  meet  at  my  house  (as  they  do  also  on  Wednesday  evening) 
and  spend  about  an  hour  in  prayer,  singing,  and  mutual  exhortation. 
A  smaller  number,  mostly  those  who  design  to  communicate  the  next 
day,  meet  here  on  Saturday  evening :  and  a  few  of  these  come  to  me 
on  the  other  evenings,  and  pass  half  an  hour  in  the  same  employment." 

March  4.  Mr.  Wesley  wrote  to  the  Trustees  for  Georgia,  giving 
them  an  account  of  his  expenses  from  March  1,  1736,  to  March  1, 
1737,  which  deducting  extraordinary  expenses  for  repairing  the  par- 
sonage-house, journies  to  Frederica,  &c.  amounted  for  himself  and 
Mr.  Delamotte,  to  forty-four  pounds,  four  shillings,  and  four-pence. 
At  the  same  time  he  accepted  of  the  fifty  pounds  a  year,  sent  by  the 

*  Dr.  Thomas  Bray,  was  bom  at  Marten,  in  Shropshire,  in  the  year  1656,  and  educated 
at  Oxford.  He  was  at  length  presented  to  the  vicarage  of  Over-Whitacre,  in  Warwick- 
shire ;  and  in  1690,  to  the  rectory  of  Sheldon,  where  he  composed  his  Catechetical  Lectures, 
which  procured  him  such  reputation,  that  Dr.  Compton,  Bishop  of  London,  pitched  upon 
liim  as  a  proper  person  to  model  the  infant  Church  of  Maryland ;  and  for  that  purpose  he 
was  invested  with  the  office  of  Commissary.  He  now  engaged  in  several  noble  undertak- 
ings. He  procured  sums  to  be  raised  for  purchasing  small  libraries,  for  the  use  of  the  poor 
ministers  in  the  several  parts  of  our  plantations  :  and  the  better  to  promote  this  design,  he 
published  two  books ;  one,  entitled  Bibliotheca  Parochialis,  or  a  scheme  of  such  theological 
and  other  heads,  as  seem  requisite  to  be  perused  or  occasionally  consulted  by  the  clergy, 
together  with  a  catalogue  of  books  which  may  be  profitably  read  on  each  of  those  points  j 
the  other.  Apostolical  Charity,  its  nature  and  excellency  considered.  He  endeavored  to 
get  a  fund  established  for  the  propagation  of  the  Gospel,  especially  among  the  uncultivated 
Indians  j  and  by  his  means  a  patent  was  obtained  for  erecting  the  corporation  called,  The 
Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel.  He,  by  his  industry,  procured  relief  for  pris- 
oners ;  and  formed  the  plan  of  the  society  for  the  reformation  of  manners,  charity-schools, 
&c.  He  wrote  1.  his  Martyrology,  or  Papal  usurpation,  in  one  volume  folio.  2  Pirec- 
torium  Missionarium  j  and  other  works.    He  died  in  1730. 


22 


THE  UFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


Society  for  his  maintenance,  which,  however,  was  in  a  manner  forced 
upon  him,  as  he  had  formed  a  resolution  not  to  accept  of  it,  saying 
his  Fellowship  was  sufficient  for  him.  On  this  occasion  his  brother 
Samuel  expostulated  with  him,  and  showed  him  that  by  refusing  it, 
he  might  injure  those  who  should  come  after  him :  and  if  he  did  not 
want  it  for  himself,  he  might  give  it  away  in  such  manner  as  he 
thought  proper.  He  at  length  yielded  to  the  solicitations  of  the  Soci- 
ety, and  the  advice  of  his  friends. 

It  appears  to  me,  that  the  affair  between  Mr.  Wesley,  and  Miss 
Sophy  Causton,  was  this  day  finally  broken  off;  and  that  he  refers 
to  this  circumstance  in  the  following  paragraph  in  his  printed  Journal ; 

From  the  direction  I  received  from  God  this  day  ;  touching  an  affair 
of  the  last  importance,  I  cannot  but  observe,  as  I  have  done  many 
times  before,  the  entire  mistake  of  many  good  men,  who  assert,  '  That 
God  will  not  answer  your  prayer  unless  your  heart  be  wholly  resigned 
to  his  will.'  My  heart  was  not  wholly  resigned  to  his  will ;  therefore 
I  durst  not  depend  on  my  own  judgment :  and  for  this  very  reason,  I 
cried  to  him  the  more  earnestly  to  supply  what  was  wanting  in  me. 
And  I  know,  and  am  assured,  that  he  heard  my  voice,  and  did  send 
forth  his  hght  and  his  truth." 

He  proceeds  in  his  private  Journal,  in  reference  to  the  same  affair. 
"March  7.  When  I  walked  with  Mr.  Causton,  to  his  country-lot,  I 
plainly  felt,  that  had  God  given  me  such  a  retirement,  with  the  com- 
panion I  desired,  I  should  have  forgot  the  work  for  which  I  was  bom, 
and  have  set  up  my  rest  in  this  world.  March  8.  Miss  Sophy  en- 
gaged herself  to  Mr.  Williamson — and  on  Saturday,  the  12th,  they  were 
married  at  Purrysburgh :  this  being  the  day  which  completed  the 
year  from  my  first  speaking  to  her.  What  thou  doest,  O  God,  I  know 
not  now;  but  I  shall  know  hereafter." 

Whether  the  lady's  patience  was  exhausted  by  Mr.  Wesley's  slow 
procedure  in  the  business  (as  it  does  not  appear  that  he  was  in  any 
haste  to  finish  it)  or,  whether  she  declined  entering  into  the  connubial 
state  with  him,  on  account  of  his  abstemious  and  rigid  manner  of  life, 
is  uncertain :  but  whatever  was  the  cause,  it  is  evident  from  his  own 
words,  that  he  felt  a  disappointment  when  she  married  Mr.  William- 
son. It  seems,  that  he  expressed  this  more  fully  in  a  letter  to  his 
brother  Samuel,  who  tells  him  in  his  answer,  "I  am  sorry  you  are 
disappointed  in  one  match,  because  you  are  very  unlikely  to  find 
another." — It  was  not  long  however,  before  he  saw  sufficient  cause  to 
be  thankful,  that  Providence  had  not  permitted  him  to  choose  for  him- 
self He  had  frequent  occasions  of  discovering,  that  Mrs.  Williamson 
was  not  that  strictly  religious  character  which  he  had  supposed.  On 
one  of  these  occasions,  near  three  months  after  her  marriage,  he  writes 
thus,  "God  has  showed  me  yet  more,  of  the  greatness  of  my  deliv- 
erance, by  opening  to  me  a  new  and  unexpected  scene  of  Miss  Sophy's 
dissimulation.  O  never  give  me  over  to  my  own  heart's  desires ;  nor 
Jet  me  follow  my  own  imaginations ! " 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


S3 


The  things  Mr.  Wesley  now  passed  through,  gave  hira  a  more  per- 
fect knowledge  of  his  own  heart,  and  of  human  nature  in  general, 
than  he  had  before  acquired,  which  amply  repaid  him  for  the  disap- 
pointment he  had  suffered.  He  still  pursued  his  labors  with  unremit- 
ting diligence,  and  observed  the  greatest  punctuality  in  answering  the 
letters  from  his  friends.  March  29.  He  wrote  to  Mrs.  Chapman,  a 
religious  acquaintance  in  England,  with  whom  he  held  a  correspon- 
dence. This  letter  will  be  a  sufficient  answer  to  an  objection,  often 
made  against  him  at  this  time,  that  he  thought  cheerfulness  incon- 
sistent with  religion  "True  friendship,"  says  he,  "is  doubtless 

stronger  than  death,  else  yours  could  never  have  subsisted  still,  in 
spite  of  all  opposition,  and  even  after  thousands  of  miles  are  inter- 
posed between  us. 

"  In  the  last  proof  you  gave  of  it,  there  are  a  few  things  which  I 
think  it  lies  on  me  to  mention :  as  to  the  rest,  my  brother  is  the 
proper  person  to  clear  them  up,  as  I  suppose  he  has  done  long  ago. 

"  You  seem  to  apprehend,  that  I  believe  religion  to  be  inconsistent 
with  cheerfulness,  and  with  a  sociable  friendly  temper.  So  far  from 
it,  that  1  am  convinced,  as  true  religion  or  holiness,  cannot  be  without 
cheerfulness,  so  steady  cheerfulness,  on  the  other  hand,  cannot  be 
without  holiness  or  true  religion.  And  I  am  equally  convinced,  that 
religion  has  nothing  sour,  austere,  imsociable,  unfriendly  in  it :  but, 
on  the  contrary,  implies  the  most  winning  sweetness,  the  most  amia- 
ble softness*  and  gentleness.  Are  you  for  having  as  much  cheerful- 
ness as  you  can?  So  am  I.  Do  you  endeavor  to  keep  alive  your 
taste  for  all  the  truly  innocent  pleasures  of  life  1  So  do  I  likewise. 
Do  you  refuse  no  pleasure,  but  what  is  a  hindrance  to  some  greater 
good,  or  has  a  tendency  to  some  evil?  It  is  my  very  rule:  and  I 
know  no  other  by  which  a  sincere  reasonable  Christian  can  be  guided. 
In  particular,  I  pursue  this  rule  in  eating,  which  I  seldom  do  without 
much  pleasure.  And  this  I  know  is  the  will  of  God  concerning  me; 
that  I  should  enjoy  every  pleasure,  that  leads  to  my  taking  pleasure 
in  him ;  and  in  such  a  measure  as  most  leads  to  it.  I  know  that,  as  / 
lo  every  action  which  is  naturally  pleasing,  it  is  his  will  that  it 
should  be  so :  therefore  in  taking  that  pleasure  so  far  as  it  tends  to 
this  end  (of  taking  pleasure  in  God)  I  do  his  will.  Though  there- 
fore that  pleasure  be  in  some  sense  distinct  from  the  love  of  God,  yet 
is  the  taking  of  it  by  no  means  distinct  from  his  will.  No ;  you  say 
yourself,  '  It  is  his  will  I  should  take  it.'  And  here  indeed  is  the 
hinge  of  the  question,  which  I  had  once  occasion  to  state  in  a  letter 
to  you ;  and  more  largely  in  a  sermon  on  the  love  of  God.  If  you 
will  read  over  those,  I  believe  you  will  find,  you  differ  from  Mr.  Law 
and  me,  in  words  only.    You  say,  the  pleasures  you  plead  for  are 

*  Softness  is  an  equivocal  term  :  but  Mr.  Wesley  does  not  here  mean  effeminacy,  which 
the  christian  religion  forbids,  and  which  he  always  discouraged  both  by  his  words  and 
actions. 


24 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


distinct  from  the  love  of  God,  as  the  cause  from  the  effect.  Why- 
then  they  tend  to  it ;  and  those  which  are  only  thus  distinct  from  it, 
no  one  excepts  against.  The  whole  of  what  he  affirms,  and  that  not 
on  the  authority  of  men,  but  from  the  words  and  example  of  God 
incarnate,  is,  there  is  one  thing  needful.  To  do  the  will  of  God,  and 
his  will-  is  our  sanctification ;  our  renewal  in  the  image  of  God,  in 
faith  and  love,  in  all  holiness  and  happiness.  On  this  we  are  to  fix 
our  single  eye,  at  all  times,  and  in  all  places :  for  so  did  our  Lord : 
this  one  thing  we  are  to  do ;  for  so  did  our  fellow-servant  Paul ;  after 
his  example,  'Whether  we  eat  or  drink,  or  whatsoever  we  do,  we 
are  to  do  all  to  the  glory  of  God.'  In  other  words,  we  are  to  do 
nothing  but  what,  directly  or  indirectly,  leads  to  our  holiness,  which 
is  his  glory,  and  to  do  every  such  thing  with  this  design,  and  in  such 
a  measure  as  may  most  promote  it. 

"  I  am  not  mad,  my  dear  friend,  for  asserting  these  to  be  the  words 
of  truth  and  soberness :  neither  are  any  of  those,  either  in  England 
or  here,  who  have  hitherto  attempted  to  follow  me.  I  am,  and  must 
be  an  example  to  my  flock :  not  indeed  in  my  prudential  rules ;  but 
in  some  measure  (if,  giving  God  the  glory,  I  may  dare  to  say  so.)  in 
my  spirit,  and  life,  and  conversation.  Yet  all  of  them  are,  in  your 
sense  of  the  word,  unlearned,  and  most  of  them  of  low  understand- 
ing :  and  still  not  one  of  them  has  been  as  yet.  entangled  in  any  case 
of  conscience  which  was  not  solved.  And  as  to  the  nice  distinctions 
you  speak  of,  it  is  you,  my  friend,  it  is  the  wise,  the  learned,  the  dis- 
piUers  of  this  world,  who  are  lost  in  them,  and  bewildered  more  and 
more,  the  more  they  strive  to  extricate  themselves.  We  have  no 
need  of  nice  distinctions,  for  I  exhort  all — Dispute  with  none.  I  feed 
my  brethren  in  Christ,  as  he  giveth  me  power,  with  the  pure  unmixed 
milk  of  his  word.  And  those  who  are  as  little  children  receive  it, 
not  as  the  word  of  man,  but  as  the  word  of  God.  Some  grow  thereby, 
and  advance  apace  in  peace  and  holiness:  they  grieve,  'tis  true,  for 
those  who  did  run  well,  but  are  now  turned  back ;  and  they  fear  for 
themselves,  lest  they  also  be  tempted :  yet  through  the  mercy  of  God 
they  despair  not,  but  have  still  a  good  hope  that  they  shall  endure  toi 
the  end.  Not  that  this  hope  has  any  resemblance  to  enthusiasm, 
which  is  a  hope  to  attain  the  end  without  the  means  ;  this  they  know 
is  impossible,  and  therefore  ground  their  hope  on  a  constant,  careful 
use  of  all  the  means.  And  if  they  keep  in  this  way,  with  lowliness, 
patience,  and  meekness  of  resignation,  they  cannot  carry  the  principle 
of  pressing  toward  perfection  too  far.  O  may  you,  and  I,  carry  it  far 
enough !  Be  fervent  in  spirit !  Rejoice  evermore !  Pray  without 
ceasing  !  In  every  thing  give  thanks  !  Do  every  thing  in  the  name 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  !  Abound  more  and  more  in  all  holiness,  and  in 
zeal  for  every  good  word  and  work ! " 

Before  Mr.  Wesley  left  Frederica,  in  January,  where  his  brother 
had  suffered  so  much,  the  opposition  of  some  ill-minded  and  desperate 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


25 


persons  rose  to  a  degree  of  violence  hardly  credible ;  so  that  his  life 
was  in  danger  several  times.  Every  species  of  defamation,  likely  to 
prejudice  the  people  against  him,  was  propagated  with  diligence. 
The  worst  constructions,  which  malignity  itself  could  invent,  were 
put  upon  his  actions,  and  reported  as  facts :  it  even  seems  that  the 
giving  away  his  own  private  income  in  acts  of  charity,  was  con- 
strued into  embezzlement  of  the  society's  money.  Mr.  Wesley  did 
not  doubt,  but  men  capable  of  such  baseness,  would  represent  the 
matter  in  this  light  to  the  trustees.  He  therefore  wrote  to  them  on 
the  subject,  and  received  the  following  answer  from  Dr.  Burton; 
which,  as  it  shows  the  confidence  the  trustees  had  in  his  uprightness 
and  integrity,  and  their  approbation  of  his  conduct,  I  shall  insert. 

"  Georgia  Office ^  June  15ih. 

"  Dear  Sir, 

"I  communicated  your  letter  to  the  Board  this  morning.  We  are 
surprised  at  your  apprehensions  of  being  charged  with  the  very  impu- 
tation of  having  embezzled  any  pubhc  or  private  monies.  I  cannot 
learn  any  ground  for  even  suspicion  of  anything  of  this  kind.  We 
never  heard  of  any  accusation ;  but  on  the  contrary,  are  persuaded 
both  of  your  frugality  and  honesty.  We  beg  you  not  to  give  weight 
to  reports  or  private  insinuations.  The  trustees  have  a  high  esteem 
of  your  good  services,  and  on  all  occasions  will  give  further  encour- 
agement :  and  would  not  have  the  express  mention  ,of  the  fifty 
pounds,  in  lieu  of  the  same  sum  formerly  advanced  by  the  society 
for  propagation  so  understood,  as  not  to  admit  of  enlargement  upon 
proper  occasions.  I  am  ordered  by  all  the  members  present  to 
acquaint  you  of  this,  and  to  give  you  assurance  of  their  approbation 
of  your  conduct,  and  readiness  to  assist  you.  The  V.  Prov.  of  Eton 
has  given  you  ten  pounds,  for  your  private  use  and  doing  works  of 
charity :  I  have  desired  Mr.  Oglethorpe,  to  convey  this  to  you  in  a 
private  way.  Mr.  Whitefield,  will  shortly,  and  by  the  next  conveni- 
ent opportunity  go  over  to  Georgia.  There  are  three  hundred  acres 
granted  to  the  church  in  Frederica.  Be  not  discouraged  by  many 
hasty  insinuations ;  but  hope  the  best  while  many  labor  for  the  best. 
In  good  time  matters  will  bear  a  better  face.  God  strengthen  your 
hands,  and  give  efl[icacy  to  your  honest  endeavors.  In  a  former  let- 
ter I  spoke  my  mind  at  large  to  you  concerning  many  particulars.  I 
am  in  much  haste  at  present, 

"  Your  affectionate  friend, 

"J.  Burton." 

P.  S.  My  Lord  Egmont  gives  his  respects  and  kind  wishes,  and 
begs  you  not  to  be  discouraged." 

Mr.  Causton,  the  chief  magistrate  of  Savannah,  seems  to  have 
been  of  a  warm  and  rather  violent  temper,  impatient  of  contradic- 
tion, over-bearing,  and  fickle  in  his  attachments.    He  had  hitherto, 

VOL.  II.  3  4 


26 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   JOHN  WESLEY. 


not  only  shown  a  decent  civility  towards  Mr.  Wesley,  but  even  a 
friendly  regard  for  him.  This  regard  seemed  increased  during  a  fever 
he  had  in  the  end  of  June,  in  which  Mr.  Wesley  attended  him  every 
day.— On  the  third  of  July,  Mr.  Wesley  reproved  Mrs.  Williamson 
for  some  things  he  thought  wrong  in  her  conduct.  The  reproof  was 
resented  by  the  lady,  who  said,  she  did  not  exj)ect  such  usage  from 
him.  This  was  the  beginning  of  strife,  which  as  the  wise  man  tells 
us,  is  as  when  one  letteth  out  water."  The  next  day,  Mrs.  Causton 
called,  and  apologizing  for  the  behavior  of  her  niece,  desired  Mr. 
Wesley  to  inform  Mrs.  Williamson  in  writing  what  he  had  to  object 
against  her  conduct.  He  accordingly  wrote  to  her  on  the  5th,  and 
here  the  matter  rested  for  a  few  weeks.  In  the  meantime,  however, 
Mrs.  Williamson  miscarried,  and  Mrs.  Causton  reported  that  the  mis- 
carriage was  occasioned  by  Mr.  Wesley's  reproof,  and  the  letter  he 
had  sent :  but  Mrs.  Williamson  frankly  acknowledged  that,  her  hus- 
band having  been  sick,  it  was  occasioned  by  the  hurry  and  anxiety 
his  sickness  had  produced.  During  this  time  Mr.  Causton  showed 
the  same  friendly  attention  to  Mr.  Wesley,  as  if  nothing  had  hap- 
pened. On  this  occasion  Mr.  Wesley  writes  in  his  private  journal ; 
''July  23.  The  strange  esteem  which  Mr.  Causton  seemed  to  show 
for  us,  by  which  means  we  had  nothing  without  but  ease  and  plenty, 
occasioned  my  expressing  myself  thus  in  a  letter  to  a  friend ;  '  How 
to  attain  the  being  crucified  with  Christ,  I  find  not;  being  in  a  condi- 
tion which  I  neither  desired  nor  expected  in  America:  in  ease  and 
honor,  and  abundance.    A  strange  school  for  him  who  has  but  one 

business,  rvixvuC^eiv  ar-avrov  ngog  eiaiSeiav.^  "  * 

In  the  beginning  of  August,  he  joined  with  the  Germans  in  one  of 
their  love-feasts.  This,  I  believe,  was  the  first  time  he  ever  saw  a 
love-feast.  He  speaks  thus  of  it:  "It  was  begun  and  ended  with 
thanksgiving  and  prayer,  and  celebrated  in  so  decent  and  solemn  a 
manner,  as  a  Christian  of  the  apostolic  age,  would  have  allowed  to 
be  worthy  of  Christ."  He  afterwards  adopted  love-feasts  into  the 
economy  of  Methodism, 

August  7.  Mr.  Wesley  repelled  Mrs.  Williamson  from  the  holy 
communion,  for  the  reasons  specified  in  his  letter  of  the  5th  of  July, 
as  well  as,  for  not  giving  him  notice  of  her  design  to  communicate, 
after  having  discontinued  it  for  some  time.  On  the  9th,  a  warrant 
having  been  issued  and  served  upon  him,  he  was  carried  before  the 
Recorder  and  magistrates.  Mr.  Williamson's  charge  was,  1.  That 
Mr.  Wesley  had  defamed  his  wife :  2.  That  he  had  causelessly 
repelled  her  from  the  holy  communion.  The  first  charge  Mr.  Wesley 
denied;  and  the  second,  being  purel3'  ecclesiastical,  he  would  not 
acknowledge  the  magistrate's  power  to  interrogate  him  concerning  it. 
He  was  told,  that  he  must,  however,  appear  at  the  next  court  holden 
for  Savannah.    In  the  mean  time  Mr.  Causton,  having  become  Mr. 

*  To  exercise  himself  unto  godliness. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


27 


Wesley's  bitter  enemy,  required  him  to  assign  his  reasons  in  writing 
for  repelling  his  niece.  This  he  accordingly  did,  in  the  following 
letter  to  Mrs.  Williamson.  "At  Mr.  Causton's  request  I  write  once 
more.  The  rules  whereby  I  proceed  are  these  :  So  many  as  intend 
to  partake  of  the  holy  communion,  shall  signify  their  names  to  the 
curate,  at  least  some  time  the  day  before.    This  you  did  not  do. 

"  And  if  any  of  these — have  done  any  wrong  to  his  neighbor  by 
word  or  deed,  so  that  the  congregation  be  thereby  offended,  the  curate 
shall  advertise  him,  that  in  any  wise  he  presume  not  to  come  to  the 
Lord's  table,  until  he  hath  openly  declared  himself  to  have  truly 
repented. 

"  If  you  offer  yourself  at  the  Lord's  table  on  Sunday,  I  will  adver- 
tise you,  as  I  have  done  more  than  once,  wherein  you  have  done 
wrong :  and  when  you  have  openly  declared  yourself  to  have  truly 
repented,  I  will  administer  to  you  the  mysteries  of  God." 

On  the  r2th  of  August,  and  the  following  days,  Mr.  Causton  read 
to  as  many  as  he  conveniently  could,  all  the  letters  Mr.  Wesley  had 
written  to  himself,  or  Miss  Sophy,  from  the  beginning  of  their 
acquaintance  :  not  indeed  throughout,  but  selecting  certain  passages, 
which  might,  being  detached  from  the  rest,  and  aided  by  a  comment 
which  he  supplied,  make  an  impression  to  Mr.  Wesley's  disadvan- 
tage. Such  methods  as  these,  of  oppressing  an  individual,  are  detes- 
table ;  and  yet  they  have  too  often  been  practised,  even  by  persons 
professing  religion ;  but  they  always  afford  sure  evidence  of  a  bad 
cause. 

While  Mr.  Causton  was  thus  employed,  the  rest  of  the  family  were 
assiduous  in  their  endeavors  to  convince  all  to  whom  they  spake,  that 
Mr.  Wesley  had  repelled  Mrs.  WiUiamson  from  the  communion  out 
of  revenge,  because  she  had  refused  to  marry  him.  "I  sat  still  at 
home,"  says  Mr.  Wesley,  and  I  thank  God,  easy,  having  committed 
my  cause  to  him :  and  remembering  his  word,  '  Blessed  is  the  man 
that  endureth  temptation ;  for  when  he  is  tried,  he  shall  receive  the 
crown  of  life,  which  the  Lord  hath  promised  to  them  that  love  him.' 
I  was  at  first  afraid,  that  those  who  were  weak  in  the  faith  would  be 
turned  out  of  the  way,  at  least  so  far  as  to  neglect  the  public  worship, 
by  attending  which  they  were  likely  to  suffer  in  their  temporal  con- 
cerns. But  I  feared  where  no  fear  was :  God  took  care  of  this  like- 
wise; insomuch  that  on  Sunday  the  14th,  more  were  present  at  the 
morning  prayers,  than  had  been  for  some  months  before.  Many  of 
them  observed  those  words  in  the  first  lesson,  '  Set  Naboth  on  high 
among  the  people :  and  set  two  men,  sons  of  Belial  before  him,  to 
bear  witness  against  him.'  No  less  remarkable  were  those  in  the 
evening  lesson,  '  I  hate  him,  for  he  doth  not  prophesy  good  concern- 
ing me,  but  evil.'  O  may  I  ever  be  able  to  say  with  Micaiah,  'What 
the  Lord  saith  unto  me,  that  will  I  speak :  and  that,  though  I  too 


2B  THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 

should  be  put  into  prison,  and  fed  there,  with  bread  of  affliction,  and 
with  water  of  affliction.'  " 

August  16.  At  the  request  of  several  of  the  communicants,  he 
drew  up  a  short  relation  of  the  case,  and  read  it  after  the  evening 
prayers  in  the  open  congregation.  And  this  evening,  as  Mr.  Wesley 
supposed,  Mrs.  Williamson  was  prevailed  upon  to  swear  to,  and  sign 
a  paper,  containing  many  assertions  and  insinuations  injurious  to 
his  character. — During  the  whole  of  this  week,  Mr.  Causton  was 
employed  in  preparing  those  who  were  to  form  the  grand-jury  at  the 
next  court-day.  He  was  talking  with  some  or  other  of  them  day  and 
night :  his  table  was  free  to  all :  old  misunderstandings  were  forgot, 
and  nothing  was  too  much  to  be  done  for  them,  or  promised  to  them. 
Monday,  the  twenty-second,  the  court  was  formed,  and  forty-four 
jurors  were  sworn  in,  instead  of  fifteen,  to  be  a  grand-jury  to  find  the 
bills.  This  was  done  by  Mr.  Causton,  who  hereby  showed  his  skill 
in  the  management  of  a  controversy  like  this.  He  knew  well,  that 
numbers  would  add  weight  to  every  thing  they  transacted,  and  induce 
them  to  take  bolder  steps,  than  a  few  would  venture  upon.  To  this 
grand-jury,  he  gave  a  long  and  earnest  charge,  "  to  beware  of  spirit- 
ual tyranny,  and  to  oppose  the  new  illegal  authority,  which  was 
usurped  over  their  consciences."  Mrs.  Williamson's  affidavit  was 
read;  and  he  then  delivered  to  them  a  paper,  entitled  a  List  of 
Grievances,  presented  by  the  grand-jury  for  Savannah,  this  day 
of  August,  1737.  In  the  afternoon  Mrs.  Williamson  was  examined, 
who  acknowledged  that  she  had  no  objections  to  make  against  Mr. 
Wesley's  conduct  before  her  marriage.  The  next  day  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Causton  were  also  examined,  when  she  confessed,  that  it  was  by  her 
request  Mr.  Wesley  had  written  to  Mrs.  Williamson  on  the  5th  of 
July :  and  Mr.  Causton  declared,  that  if  Mr.  Wesley  had  asked  his 
consent  to  have  married  his  niece,  he  should  not  have  refused  it. — 
The  grand-jury  continued  to  examine  these  ecclesiastical  grievances, 
which  occasioned  warm  debates,  till  Thursday ;  when  Mr.  Causton 
being  informed  they  were  entered  on  matters  beyond  his  instructions, 
went  to  them,  and  behaved  in  such  a  manner,  that  he  turned  forty- 
two,  out  of  the  forty-four,  into  a  fixed  resolution  to  inquire  into  his 
whole  behavior.  They  immediately  entered  on  that  business,  and 
continued  examining  witnesses  all  day  on  Friday.  On  Saturday, 
Mr.  Causton  finding  all  his  efforts  to  stop  them  ineffectual,  he 
adjourned  the  court  till  Thursday,  the  first  of  September,  and  spared 
no  pains  in  the  mean  time,  to  bring  them  to  another  mind.  Septem- 
ber 1.  He  so  far  prevailed,  that  the  majority  of  the  grand-jury 
returned  the  list  of  grievances  to  the  court,  in  some  particulars 
altered,  under  the  form  of  two  presentments,  containing  ten  bills, 
only  two  of  which  related  to  the  affair  of  Mrs.  Williamson ;  and  only 
one  of  these  was  cognizable  by  that  court,  the  rest  being  merely 
ecclesiastical.    September  2,  Mr.  Wesley  addressed  the  court  to  this 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   JOHN  WESLEY. 


29 


effect;  ''As  to  nine  of  the  ten  indictments  against  me,  I  know  this 
court  can  take  no  cognizance  of  them;  they  being  matters  of  an 
ecclesiastical  nature,  and  this  not  an  ecclesiastical  court.  But  the  tenth, 
concerning  my  speaking  and  writing  to  Mrs.  Williamson,  is  of  a  sec- 
ular nature :  and  this  therefore  I  desire  may  be  tried  here,  where  the 
facts  complained  of  were  committed."  Little  answer  was  made, 
and  that  purely  evasive. 

In  the  afternoon  he  moved  the  court  again,  for  an  immediate  trial 
at  Savannah;  adding,  "That  those  who  are  offended  may  clearly 
see  whether  I  have  done  any  wrong  to  any  one ;  or  whether  I  have 
not  rather  deserved  the  thanks  of  Mrs.  Williamson,  Mr.  Causton,  and 
of  the  whole  family."  Mr.  Causton's  answer  was  full  of  civility  and 
respect.  He  observed,  "  Perhaps  things  would  not  have  been  carried 
so  far,  had  you  not  said,  you  believed  if  Mr.  Causton  appeared,  the 
people  would  tear  him  in  pieces ;  not  so  much  out  of  love  to  you,  as 
out  of  hatred  to  him  for  his  abominable  practices."  If  Mr.  Wesley 
really  spake  these  words,  he  was  certainly  very  imprudent,  consider- 
ing the  circumstances  in  which  he  was  placed.  But  we  too  often 
find  in  disputes,  that  the  constructions  of  others  on  what  has  been 
said,  are  reported  as  the  very  words  we  have  spoken ;  which  I  sus- 
pect to  have  been  the  case  here.  Mr.  Causton,  however,  has  suffi- 
ciently discovered  the  motives  that  influenced  his  conduct  in  this 
business. 

Twelve  of  the  grand-jurors  now  drew  up  a  protest  against  the  pro- 
ceedings of  the  majority,  to  be  immediately  sent  to  the  trustees  in 
England.  In  this  paper  they  gave  such  clear  and  satisfactory  rea- 
sons, under  every  bill,  for  their  dissent  from  the  majority,  as  effectu- 
ally did  away  all  just  ground  of  complaint  against  Mr.  Wesley,  on 
the  subjects  of  the  prosecution. — As  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Williamson 
intended  to  go  for  England  in  the  first  ship  that  should  sail ;  some  of 
Mr.  Wesley's  friends  thought,  he  ought  to  go  likewise;  chiefly  to 
prevent  or  remove  the  bad  impressions  which  misrepresentation  and 
ill-natured  report,  might  make  on  the  trustees  and  others,  interested 
in  the  welfare  of  the  colony.  But  September  10,  he  observes,  "I  laid 
aside  the  thoughts  of  going  to  England ;  thinking  it  more  suitable  to 
my  calling,  still  to  commit  my  cause  to  God,  and  not  to  be  in  haste 
to  justify  myself:  only,  to  be  always  ready  to  give  to  any  that  should 
ask  me,  a  reason  of  the  hope  that  is  in  me." 

Immoderate  zeal  is  always  to  be  suspected;  especially  when  it 
appears  in  pursuing  such  measures  as  tend  to  injure  or  ruin  an  indi- 
vidual. A  bad  cause,  which  originated  from  hatred  or  malice,  will 
almost  always  be  carried  on  with  more  intemperate  zeal,  and  bolder 
measures,  than  a  consciousness  of  acting  right  will  ever  produce. 
The  pursuit  of  any  end  in  view,  when  governed  by  the  passions,  is 
always  more  violent  than  when  directed  by  reason  and  truth.  On 
this  principle  we  may  account  for  the  proceedings  of  the  magistrates 
3* 


30  THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 

of  Savannah.  They  sent  the  affidavit  they  had  procured,  and  the 
two  presentments  of  the  grand-jury,  to  be  inserted  in  the  news- 
papers in  different  parts  of  America.  The  only  purpose  this  could 
answer  was,  to  injure  Mr.  Wesley  in  the  opinion  of  a  large  body  of 
people,  who  could  not  easily  come  at  a  true  knowledge  of  the  case. 
That  these  advertisements  might  make  a  deeper  impression  on  the 
minds  of  the  multitude,  the  pomp  of  legal  form  was  preserved;  the 
following  words  being  added  at  the  end  of  each  bill,  "Contrary  to 

THE  PEACE  of  OUR  SOVEREIGN  LoRD  THE  KiNG,  HIS  CrOWN  AND  DiGNITY." 

Persons  of  discernment  saw  through  the  artifice,  and  in  the  end  of 
September,  Mr.  Wesley  received  a  letter  from  a  gentleman  of  consid- 
erable abilities  and  learning  in  Charlestown,  in  which  are  the  follow- 
ing observations.  "I  am  much  concerned  at  some  reports  and 
papers  concerning  you  from  Georgia.  The  papers  contain  some 
affidavits  made  against  you,  by  one  Mrs.  Williamson ;  and  a  parcel 
of  stuff  called  presentments  of  you  by  the  grand-jury,  for  matters 
chiefly  of  your  mere  office  as  a  clergyman.  Has  our  sovereign  lord 
the  king,  given  the  temporal  courts  in  Georgia,  ecclesiastical  juris- 
diction? If  he  has  not,  then  sure  I  am,  that,  whatever  your  failings 
in  your  office  may  be,  a  grand  jury's  presentments  of  them,  being 
repugnant  to  the  fundamental  laws  and  constitution  of  England,  is 
a  plain  '  breach  of  his  peace,'  and  an  open  insult  on  '  his  crown  and 
dignity;'  for  which  they  themselves  ought  to  be  presented,  if  they 
have  not  incurred  a  premunire.^  The  presentments,  a  sad  pack  of 
nonsense,  I  have  seen ;  but  not  the  affidavits.  They  were  both 
designed  to  have  been  published  in  our  Gazette,  but  our  friends  here 
have  hitherto  prevented  it.  I  shall  be  glad  to  have  some  light  from 
yourself  into  these  matters,  and  wherewith  to  oppose  the  reports 
industriously  spread  here  to  your  disadvantage ;  mean  time,  I  remain 
your  most  obedient  humble  servant, 

"S.  Garden." 

Mr.  Wesley  received  some  consolatory  letters  from  those  of  his 
friends,  to  whom  he  had  represented  his  situation.  A  letter  of  this 
kind,  from  Dr.  Cutler,  a  clergyman  at  Boston,  contains  some  thoughts 
so  just,  and  not  very  commonly  to  be  met  with,  that  I  think  it  worthy 
of  a  place  here.  It  is  dated  the  twenty-second  of  October.  "I  am 
sorry,  sir,"  says  he,  "  for  the  clouds  hanging  over  your  mind,  respect- 
ing your  undertaking  and  situation  :  but  hope  God  will  give  a  happy 
increase  to  that  good  seed  you  have  planted  and  watered,  according 
to  his  will.  The  best  of  men  in  all  ages,  have  failed  in  the  success 
of  their  labor ;  and  there  will  ever  be  found  too  many  enemies  to  the 
cross  of  Christ:  for  earth  will  not  be  heaven.  This  reminds  us  of 
that  happy  place,  where  we  shall  not  see  and  be  grieved  for  trans- 
gressors ;  and  where,  for  our  well  meant  labors,  our  judgment  is  with 

*  To  incur  a  premunire,  is  to  be  liable  to  imprisonment  and  loss  of  goods. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


31 


the  Lord,  and  our  reward  with  our  God.  And  you  well  know,  sir, 
that  under  the  saddest  appearances,  we  may  have  some  share  in  the 
consolations  which  God  gave  Ehjah ;  and  may  trust  in  him,  that 
there  is  some  wickedness  we  repress  or  prevent ;  some  goodness  by 
our  means,  weak  and  unworthy  as  we  are,  beginning  and  increasing 
in  the  hearts  of  men,  at  present;  perhaps  like  a  grain  of  mustard- 
seed,  that  in  God's  time  may  put  forth,  and  spread,  and  flourish  :  and 
that,  if  the  world  seems  not  the  better  for  us,  it  might  be  worse  with- 
out us.  Our  low  opinion  of  ourselves  is  a  preparative  to  these  suc- 
cesses ;  and  so  the  modest  and  great  Apostle  found  it. 

"  No  doubt,  sir,  you  have  temptations  where  you  are,  nor  is  there 
any  retreat  from  them ;  they  hint  to  us  the  care  we  must  take,  and 
the  promises  we  must  apply  to  :  and  blessed  is  the  man  that  endureth 
temptation. 

"1  rejoice  in  the  good  character  you  give,  which  I  believe  you  well 
bestow,  of  Mr.  Whitefield,  who  is  coming  to  you — but  I  question  not, 
but  his  labors  will  be  better  joined  with,  than  supersede  yours :  and 
even  his,  and  all  our  sufficiency  and  efficiency  is  of  God. 

"  It  is  the  least  we  can  do  to  pray  for  one  another ;  and  if  God  will 
hear  me,  a  great  sinner,  it  will  strengthen  your  interest  in  him.  I 
recommend  myself  to  a  share  in  your  prayers,  for  his  pardon,  accep- 
tance, and  assistance :  and  beg  that  my  family — may  not  be  forgotten 
by  you." 

Mr.  Wesley,  in  the  midst  of  this  storm  kept  up  by  the  arts  of  his 
avowed  enemies,  without  a  shilling  in  his  pocket,  and  three  thousand 
miles  from  home,  possessed  his  soul  in  peace,  and  pursued  his  labors 
with  the  same  unremitting  diligence,  as  if  he  had  enjoyed  the  greatest 
tranquillity  and  ease.  October  30.  He  gives  us  an  account  of  his 
labors  on  the  Lord's-day.  "  The  English  service  lasted  from  five  till 
half  an  hour  past  six.  The  Italian  (with  a  few  Vaudois)  began  at 
nine.  The  second  service  for  the  English,  including  the  sermon  and 
the  holy  communion,  continued  from  half  an  hour  past  ten,  till  about 
half  an  hour  past  twelve.  The  French  service  began  at  one.  At 
two  I  catechised  the  children.  About  three  began  the  English  ser- 
vice. After  this  was  ended,  I  joined  with  as  many  as  my  large  room 
would  hold,  in  reading,  prayer,  and  singing.  And  about  six  the  ser- 
vice of  the  Germans  began ;  at  which  I  was  glad  to  be  present,  not 
as  a  teacher,  but  as  a  learner." 

November  1.  He  received  a  temporary  relief  from  his  pressing 
wants.  "Col.  Stephens,"  says  he,  "arrived,  by  whom  I  received  a 
benefaction  of  ten  pounds  sterling;^  after  having  been  for  several 
months  without  one  shilling  in  the  house,  but  not  without  peace, 
health  and  contentment." 

November  3.  He  attended  the  court  holden  on  that  day ;  and  again 

*  I  suppose  the  ten  pounds  mentioned  in  Dr.  Burton's  letter,  the  15th  of  June. 


32 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


at  the  court  held  on  the  twenty-third  ;  urging  an  immediate  hearing 
of  his  case,  that  he  might  have  an  opportunity  of  answering  the  alle- 
gations alleged  against  him.  But  this  the  magistrates  refused,  and 
at  the  same  time  countenanced  every  report  to  his  disadvantage : 
whether  it  was  a  mere  invention,  or  founded  on  a  malicious  construc- 
tion of  any  thing  he  did  or  said.  Mr.  Wesley  perceiving  that  he  had 
not  the  most  distant  prospect  of  obtaining  justice,  that  he  was  in  a 
place  where  those  in  power  were  combined  together  to  oppress  him, 
and  could  any  day  procure  evidence  (as  experience  had  shown)  of 
words  he  had  never  spoken,  and  of  actions  he  had  never  done ;  being 
disappointed  too,  in  the  primary  object  of  his  mission,  preaching  to 
the  Indians  ;  he  consulted  his  friends  what  he  ought  to  do  ;  who  were 
of  opinion  with  him,  that,  by  these  circamstances.  Providence  did 
now  call  him  to  leave  Savannah.  The  next  day  he  called  on  Mr. 
Causton,  and  told  him  he  designed  to  set  out  for  England  immedi- 
ately. November  24,  he  put  up.  the  following  advertisment  in  the 
great  square,  and  quietly  prepared  for  his  journey. 

"Whereas  John  Wesley  designs  shortly  to  set  out  for  England, 
This  is  to  desire  those  who  have  borrowed  any  books  of  him,  to 
return  them  as  soon  as  they  conveniently  can,  to 

John  Wesley." 

November  30.  He  went  once  more  to  Mr.  Causton,  to  desire  money 
to  defray  his  expenses  to  England,  intending  to  set  out  on  Friday  the 
second  of  December.  It  appears  to  me,  that  this  was  an  event  which 
the  magistrates  most  ardently  wished  to  take  place,  and  to  which  all 
their  proceedings  had  been  solely  directed.  It  is  no  objection  to  this 
opinion,  that  they  published  an  order  to  prohibit  him  from  leaving  the 
province.  It  is  manifest,  that  they  had  no  intention  of  bringing  the 
matter  to  a  fair  hearing  before  them,  and  of  giving  it  a  legal  decision. 
They  knew  well  that  the  evidence  was  so  strong  in  Mr.  Wesley's 
favor  that  they  could  not  even  invent  a  plausible  pretence  for  giving 
the  cause  against  him.  But  to  give  it  in  his  favor  would  have  been 
cause  of  rejoicing  to  liim  and  his  friends,  and  would  have  covered  his 
enemies  with  shame ;  and  they  had  no  way  of  preventing  this,  but 
by  delaying  the  trial  as  long  as  possible.  On  the  other  hand,  they 
easily  foresaw,  that  if  by  cutting  off  all  prospect  of  terminating  the 
affair,  and  multiplying  false  and  injurious  reports  concerning  him, 
every  day,  they  could  weary  out  his  patience,  and  induce  him  to  quit 
the  province  of  his  own  accord,  the  triumph  would  be  left  to  his  ene- 
mies ;  and  he  leaving  the  province  pending  a  prosecution  against 
him,  and  in  opposition  to  a  prohibition  of  the  magistrates,  would 
bring  a  censure  upon  him,  and  make  his  conduct  and  character  sus- 
pected among  all  those  who  did  not  know  the  circumstances  of  the 
case.  Finding  him  now  determined  to  go  for  England,  they  had  a 
fine  opportunity  of  giving  their  plan  its  full  effect.    Mr.  Wesley 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


33 


intended  to  set  out  about  noon,  the  tide  then  serving :  but  about  ten 
o'clock  the  magistrates  sent  for  him,  and  told  him  he  should  not  go 
out  of  the  province,  till  he  had  entered  into  recognizance  to  appear  at 
the  court,  and  answer  the  allegations  laid  against  him.  Mr.  Wesley 
replied,  that  he  had  appeared  at  six  courts  successively,  and  had  openly 
desired  a  trial,  but  was  refused  it.  They  said  that  he  must  however 
give  security  to  appear  again.  He  asked,  what  security  7  After  a 
long  consultation  together,  they  agreed  upon  a  kind  of  bond,  that  he 
should  appear  at  Savannah,  when  required,  under  a  penalty  of  fifty 
pounds.  But  the  Recorder  added,  you  must  likewise  give  bail  to 
answer  Mr.  Williamson's  action  of  one  thousand  pounds  damages. 
"I  then  began,"  says  Mr.  Wesley,  "  to  see  into  their  design,  of  spin- 
ning out  time  and  doing  nothing;  and  so  told  him  plainly.  Sir,  I 
will  sign  neither  one  bond  nor  the  other :  you  know  your  business,  and 
I  know  mine." 

The  magistrates  finding  him  quit^esolved  to  go  for  England,  saw 
their  plan  was  secure,  and  that  they  might  carry  on  the  farce,  to  keep 
up  appearances  in  their  own  favor,  without  danger  of  disappointment. 
In  the  afternoon  therefore,  they  published  an  order,  requiring  all  oflS.- 
cers  to  prevent  his  going  out  of  the  province ;  and  forbidding  any 
person  to  assist  him  so  to  do.  The  day  was  now  far  spent :  after 
evening  prayers,  therefore,  the  tide  again  serving,  Mr.  Wesley  left 
Savannah,  in  company  with  three  other  persons,  no  one  attempting  to 
hinder  him.  Indeed  I  have  no  doubt,  but  the  magistrates  were  heartily 
glad  to  get  rid  of  a  man,  whose  whole  manner  of  life  was  a  constant 
reproof  of  their  licentiousness,  and  whose  words  were  as  arrows 
sticking  fast  in  them. 

If  we  candidly  review  all  the  circumstances  of  this  affair,  we  shall 
perhaps  be  led  to  conclude,  that  Mr.  Wesley  might  have  acted  with 
more  caution,  and  more  regard  to  his  own  ease  and  character  than  he 
did,  when  he  first  saw  the  storm  gathering  and  likely  to  burst  with 
violence  upon  him.  But  his  constant  rule  was,  to  ascertain  to  the 
satisfaction  of  his  own  mind,  that  particular  line  of  conduct  which 
duty  required  him  to  pursue  as  a  Christian  and  a  minister  of  the 
gospel,  and  then  steadily  to  walk  in  it  regardless  of  consequences. 
And  there  is  every  evidence  which  the  case  will  admit,  that  he  acted 
in  this  conscientious  manner  towards  Mrs.  Williamson.  It  does  not 
appear  that  any  one  ever  charged  him  with  repelling  her  from  the 
holy  communion  out  of  revenge  because  she  would  not  marry  him, 
except  her  relations,  who  now  thought  it  necessary  to  injure  his  rep- 
utation as  much  as  possible,  to  cover  themselves  from  reproach.  But 
this  charge  not  only  wants  positive  proof,  it  is  even  destitute  of  prob- 
I  ability.  It  was  about  five  months  after  her  marriage  when  this  cir- 
cumstance happened,  during  the  former  part  of  which  time  he  had 
I  frequently  administered  the  sacrament  to  her,  without  showing  any 
!  symptoms  of  revenge :  and  about  three  months  after  her  marriage, 
!     VOL.  n.  6 


34 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


he  saw  such  things  in  her  conduct,  as,  in  his  private  Journal  which 
was  never  printed,  induced  him  to  bless  God  for  his  deliverance  in 
not  marrying  her.  Now  let  me  ask  any  candid  man,  if  it  is  probable, 
that  Mr.  Wesley  could  be  actuated  by  a  spirit  of  revenge  for  a  disap- 
pointment at  the  end  of  five  months,  which  had  no  influence  on  his 
conduct  at  the  end  of  three  months  ;  and  even  after  he  had  been  con- 
vinced that  the  disappointment  itself  was  a  mercy,  for  which  he 
secretly  thanked  God?  I  think  no  man  will  say  it  is  probable,  I 
apprehend  it  is  impossible,  this  should  be  the  case.  In  his  pastoral 
character,  Mr.  Wesley  acted  by  one  rule  towards  all  the  communi- 
cants. If  any  one  had  discontinued  his  attendance  at  the  Lord's 
table,  he  required  him  to  signify  his  name  some  time  the  day  before 
he  intended  to  communicate,  again  :  and  if  any  one  had  done  wrong 
to  his  neighbor,  so  that  the  congregation  was  thereby  ofljended,  he 
required  him  openly  to  declare  that  he  had  repented.  This  rule  the 
order  of  the  Church  of  England  Required  him  to  observe,  and  he  acted 
by  it  invariably  in  all  cases,  whether  the  persons  were  rich  or  poor, 
friends  or  enemies.  Mrs.  Williamson  did  not  conform  to  this  estab- 
lished order,  which  must  have  been  well  known  to  all  the  communi- 
cants in  so  small  a  place.  Mr.  Wesley  was  therefore  reduced  to  this 
alternative,  either  to  break  an  order  he  held  sacred,  in  her  favor,  and 
thereby  incur  the  censure  of  a  blameable  partiality  for  her,  after  being 
married  to  another ;  or  to  repel  her  from  the  Holy  Communion,  and 
incur  the  censure  of  having  done  it  out  of  revenge,  because  she  would 
not  marry  him.  Censure  was  inevitable,  whichever  way  he  had  acted : 
and  having  well  considered  the  matter,  he  determined  to  follow  the 
rule  he  had  always  observed,  and  to  leave  the  consequences  to  God. 

Mr.  Wesley  enjoyed  a  wonderful  state  of  health  while  in  America. 
His  constitution  seemed  to  improve  under  the  hardships  he  endured, 
which  appeared  sufficient  to  have  weakened  or  destroyed  the  strongest 
man.  Three  hundred  acres  having  been  set  apart  at  Savannah,  for 
glebe  land,  he  took  from  it  what  he  thought  sufficient  for  a  good  gar- 
den, and  here  he  frequently  worked  with  his  hands.  He  continued 
his  custom  of  eating  little,  of  sleeping  less,  and  of  leaving  not  a 
moment  of  his  time  unemployed.  He  exposed  himself  with  the 
utmost  indifference  to  every  change  of  season,  and  to  all  kinds  of 
weather.  Snow  and  hail,  storm  and  tempest,  had  no  effect  on  hisi 
iron  body.  He  frequently  slept  on  the  ground  in  the  summer,  under 
the  heavy  dews  of  the  night :  and  in  the  winter  with  his  hair  and 
clothes  frozen  to  the  earth  in  the  morning.  He  would  wade  through 
swamps,  and  swim  over  rivers  in  his  clothes,  and  then  travel  on  till 
they  were  dry,  without  any  apparent  injury  to  his  health.  On  one 
of  these  occasions  he  concludes,  that  any  person  might  undergo  the 
same  hardship  without  injury,  if  his  constitution  was  not  impaired 
by  the  softness  of  a  genteel  education.  In  all  Mr.  Wesley's  writings, 
I  do  not  know  such  a  flagrant  instance  of  false  reasoning  as  this :  con- 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


35 


trary  to  all  the  rules  of  logic,  he  draws  a  general  conclusion  from 
particular  premises  ;  but  who  is  at  all  times  in  full  possession  of  the 
powers  of  his  own  mind  ? 

Mr.  Wesley,  and  his  three  companions  suffered  great  hardships  in 
iravelling  from  Purrysbnrg,  to  Port  Royal.  Not  being  able  to  pro- 
:ure  a  guide,  they  set  out  un  hour  before  sunrise,  without  one.  The 
consequence  was,  they  lost  their  way ;  wandered  in  the  woods  till 
jvening,  without  any  food  but  part  of  a  ginger-bread  cake  divided 
imong  them,  and  without  a  drop  of  water.  At  night,  two  of  the 
company  dug  with  their  hands  about  three  feet  deep,  and  found 
ivater,  with  which  they  were  refreshed.  They  lay  down  together  on 
ihe  ground  (in  December,)  "  And  1,  at  least,"  says  Mr.  Wesley, 
'  slept  till  near  six  in  the  morning."  They  rose,  took  the  rest  of  the 
finger-bread  cake,  and  wandered  on  till  between  one  and  two  o'clock, 
before  they  came  to  any  house,  or  obtained  any  further  refreshment. 
December  6,  after  many  difficulties  and  delays,  they  came  to  Port- 
Royal,  and  the  next  day  walked  to  Beaufort,  on  the  opposite  side  of 
Ihe  island.  Here  Mr.  Jones,  the  minister  of  the  place,  invited  Mr. 
V\'esley  to  his  house,  and  gave  him,  as  he  acknowledges,  a  lively  idea 
3f  the  old  English  hospitality.  Mr.  Wesley  adds  in  his  private 
Journal,  "Yet  observing  the  elegance,  and  more  than  neatness  of 
3very  thing  about  him,  I  could  not  but  sigh  to  myself,  and  say,  Hen 
ielicatum  discipulum  Dvri  MagistrV  Perhaps  this  remark  was  un- 
charitable and  unjust ;  and  to  adopt  the  language  Mr.  Wesley  some- 
times used,  he  was  severely  reproved  for  it  shortly  after.  On  the 
9th,  Mr.  Delamotte  having  come  to  him,  they  took  boat  for  Charles- 
town  :  but  the  wind  being  contrary,  and  provisions  falling  short,  they 
were  obliged  on  the  11th,  to  land  at  a  plantation  to  get  some  refresh- 
ment. The  people  were  unwilling  to  let  them  have  any :  at  length, 
however,  they  gave  them  some  bad  potatoes,  "  of  which,"  says  Mr. 
Wesley,  "  they  plainly  told  us  we  robbed  the  swine."  The  wind 
continued  contrary,  and  they  in  want  of  every  thing,  till  about  noon, 
on  the  I2th,  having  reached  John's  Island,  they  desired  a  Mr.  G.  to 
let  them  have  a  little  meat  or  drink  of  any  sort,  either  with  or 
without  price.  With  much  difficulty,  he  tells  us,  they  obtained  some 
potatoes,  and  liberty  to  roast  them,  in  a  fire  his  negroes  had  made 
at  a  distance  from  the  house." 

Mr.  Wesley  proceeds.  "  Early  on  Tuesday,  December  13,  we  came 
to  Charlestown,  where  I  expected  trials  of  a  quite  different  nature, 
and  more  dangerous  ;  contempt  and  hunger  being  easy  to  be  borne  ; 
but  who  can  bear  respect  and  fulness  of  bread?"  On  the  16th,  he 
parted  from  his  faithful  friend,  Mr.  Delamotte,  from  whom  he  had 
been  but  a  few  days  separate  since  their  departure  from  England. 
On  the  22d  he  took  his  leave  of  America,  after  having  preached  the 
gospel,  as  he  observes  in  Savannah,  not  as  he  ought,  but  as  he  was 
able,  for  one  year  and  near  nine  months. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  following  May,  Mr.  Whitefield  arrived  at 
Savannah,  where  he  found  some  serious  persons,  the  fruits  of  Mr. 
Wesley's  ministry,  glad  to  receive  him.  He  had  now  an  opportunity 
of  inquiring  upon  the  spot,  into  the  circumstances  of  the  late  disputes, 
and  bears  testimony  to  the  ill  usage  Mr.  Wesley  had  received ;  but 
adds,  he  thought  it  most  prudent  not  to  repeat  grievances.^  When 
he  was  at  Charlestown,  Mr.  Garden  acquainted  him  with  the  ill- 
treatment  Mr.  Wesley  had  met  with,  and  assured  him  that  were  the 
same  arbitrary  proceedings  to  commence  against  him.  he  would  defend 
him  with  life  and  fortuncf  These  testimonies,  of  persons  so  respect- 
able, and  capable  of  knowing  all  the  circumstances  of  the  affair, 
coincide  with  the  general  tendency  of  the  statement  above  given  ;  and 
with  candid  persons  must  do  away  all  suspicions  v.^ith  regard  to  the 
integrity  of  Mr.  Wesley's  conduct. 

During  his  voyage  to  England,  Mr.  Wesley  entered  into  a  close 
and  severe  examination  of  himself,  and  recorded  the  result  with  the 
greatest  openness.  January  8,  1738,  in  the  fulness  of  his  heart  he 
writes  thus  :  "  By  the  most  infallible  of  proofs,  inward  feeling,  I  am 
convinced,  1.  Of  unbelief;  having  no  such  faith  in  Christ,  as  will 
prevent  my  heart  from  being  troubled. — 2.  Of  pride,  throughout  my 
life  past :  inasmuch  as  I  thought  I  had,  what  I  find  I  have  not.  3.  Of 
gross  irrecoUection ;  inasmuch  as,  in  a  storm  I  cry  to  God  every 
moment ;  in  a  calm,  not.  4.  Of  levity  and  luxuriancy  of  spirit — ap- 
pearing by  my  speaking  words  not  tending  to  edify ;  but  most,  by 

my  manner  of  speaking  of  my  enemies  Lord  save,  or  I  perish  ! 

Save  me,  1.  By  such  a  faith  as  implies  peace  in  life  and  death. 
2.  But  such  humility,  as  may  fill  my  heart  from  this  hour  forever, 
with  a  piercing  uninterrupted  sense.  Nihil  est  cpiod  hactemis  feci^  that, 
hitherto  I  have  done  nothing.  3.  By  such  a  recollection  as  may 
enable  me  to  cry  to  thee  every  moment.  4.  By  steadiness,  serious- 
ness, oeuvoTTji^  sobriety  of  spirit,  avoiding  as  fire,  every  word  that 
tendeth  not  to  edifying,  and  never  speaking  of  any  who  oppose  me,  or 
sin  against  God,  without  all  my  own  sins  set  in  array  before  my 
face." 

January  13.  They  had  a  thorough  storm. — On  the  24th,  being 
about  160  leagues  from  the  land's  end,  he  observes,  his  mind  was  full 
of  thought,  and  he  wrote  as  follows  :  "  I  went  to  America  to  convert 
the  Indians  ;  but  oh  !  who  shall  convert  me  ?  Who  is  he  that  will 
deliver  me  from  this  evil  heart  of  unbelief;  I  have  a  fair  summer 
rehgion ;  I  can  talk  well,  nay,  and  believe  myself  while  no  danger  is 
near ;  but  let  death  look  me  in  the  face,  and  my  spirit  is  troubled. 
Nor  can  I  say,  to  die  is  gain  ! 

'  I  have  a  sin  of  fear,  that  when  I ' ve  spun 
My  last  thread,  I  shall  perish  on  the  shore ! ' 

"  I  think  verily  if  the  gospel  be  true,  I  am  safe — I  now  believe  the 
*  Robert's  Narrative  of  the  Life  of  IMr.  George  Whitefield,  page  56.    f  Ibid,  page  58. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


37 


gospel  is  true.  I  show  my  faith  by  my  works,  by  staking  my  all 
upon  it.  I  would  do  so  again  and  again  a  thousand  times,  if  the 
phoice  were  still  to  make.  Whoever  sees  me,  sees  I  would  be  a 
Christian.  Therefore  are  my  ways  not  like  other  men's  ways. 
Therefore  I  have  been,  I  am,  I  am  content  to  be,  a  by-word,  a  pro- 
verb of  reproach.  But  in  a  storm  I  think,  what  if  the  gospel  be  not 
true  ;  then  thou  art  of  all  men  most  foolish — O  who  will  deliver  me 
from  this  fear  of  death?  What  shall  I  do?  Where  shall  I  fly  from 
it?"  &c.  These  reflections  on  his  own  state,  evince  the  deepest 
consciousness  that  he  had  not  attained  the  privileges  of  a  true  believer 
in  Christ:  though  he  diligently  sought  them  in  the  practice  of  every 
moral  and  religious  duty,  according  to  the  best  of  his  knowledge. 
This  would  naturally  suggest  some  defect  in  the  principle  on  which 
he  performed  these  duties.  The  next  day,  therefore,  Jan.  25,  he  took 
a  review  of  his  religious  principles  on  a  few  important  points  ;  and  in 
a  private  paper  wrote  as  follows  : 

1.  "  For  many  years  I  have  been  tossed  about  by  various  winds  of 
doctrine.  I  asked  long  ago,  'What  must  I  do  to  be  saved?'  The 
Scripture  answered,  keep  the  commandments,  believe,  hope,  love; 
follow  after  these  tempers  till  thou  hast  fully  attained,  that  is,  till 
death :  by  all  those  outward  works  and  means  which  God  hath 
appointed,  by  walking  as  Christ  walked. 

2.  "  I  was  early  warned  against  laying,  as  the  Papists  do,  too  much 
stress  on  outward  works,  or  on  a  faith  with  works ;  which,  as  it  does 
not  include,  so  it  will  never  lead  to  true  hope  or  charity.  Nor  am  I 
sensible,  that  to  this  hour  I  have  laid  too  much  stress  on  either; 
having  from  the  very  beginning  valued  both  faith  and  the  means  of 
grace,  and  good  works,  not  on  their  own  account,  but  as  believing 
God,  who  had  appointed  them,  would  by  them  bring  me  in  due  time 
to  the  mind  that  was  in  Christ. 

3.  "  But  before  God's  time  was  come,  I  fell  among  some  Lutheran 
and  Calvinist  authors,  whose  confused  and  indigested  accounts,  mag- 
nified faith  to  such  an  amazing  size,  that  it  quite  hid  all  the  rest  of 
the  commandments.  I  did  not  then  see,  that  this  was  the  natural 
effect  of  their  overgrown  fear  of  Popery :  being  so  terrified  with  the 
cry  of  merit  and  good  works,  that  they  plunged  at  once  into  the  other 
extreme.  In  this  labyrinth  T  was  utterly  lost;  not  being  able  to  find 
out  what  the  error  was ;  nor  yet  to  reconcile  this  uncouth  hypothesis, 
either  with  Scripture  or  common  sense. 

4.  "  The  English  writers,  such  as  Bishop  Beveridge,  Bishop  Taylor, 
and  Mr.  Nelson,  a  little  relieved  me  from  these  well-meaning,  wrong- 
headed  Germans.  Their  accounts  of  Christianity,  I  could  easily  see 
to  be,  in  the  main  consistent  both  with  reason  and  Scripture.  Only 
when  they  interpreted  Scripture  in  diflferent  ways,  I  was  often  much 
at  a  loss.    And  again,  there  was  one  thing  much  insisted  on  in  Scrip- 

VOL.  IL  4 


33^  THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 

ture,  the  unity  of  the  church,  which  none  of  them,  I  thought,  clearly 
explained,  or  strongly  inculcated. 

5..  "  But  it  was  not  long  before  Providence  brought  me  to  those, 
who  showed  me  a  sure  rule  of  interpreting  Scripture ;  viz.  Consensus 
Veterum :  '  Quod  ah  omnibus,  quod  ubique,  quod  semper  creditumJ 
At  the  same  time  they  sufficiently  insisted  upon  a  due  regard  to  the 
one  church,  at  all  times,  and  in  all  places.  Nor  was  it  long  before  I 
bent  the  bow  too  far  the  other  way:  1.  By  making  Antiquity  a  co- 
ordinate, rather  than  sub-ordinate,  rule  with  Scripture.  2.  By  admit- 
ting several  doubtful  writings,  as  undoubted  evidences  of  Aiitiquity. 
3.  By  extending  Antiquity  too  far,  even  to  the  middle  or  end  of  the 
fourth  century.  4.  By  believing  more  practices  to  have  been  uni- 
versal in  the  ancient  church,  than  ever  were  so.  5.  By  not  consid- 
ering that  the  decrees  of  one  provincial  synod,  could  bind  only  that 
province ;  and  that  the  decrees  of  a  general  synod,  only  those  prov- 
inces whose  representatives  met  therein.  6.  By  not  considering,  that 
the  most  of  those  decrees  were  adapted  to  particular  times  and  occa- 
sions ;  and  consequently  when  those  occasions  ceased,  must  cease  to 
bind  even  those  provinces. 

6.  "These  considerations  insensibly  stole  upon  me,  as  I  grew 
acquainted  with  the  mystic  writers  :  whose  noble  descriptions  of  union 
with  God,  and  internal  religion,  made  every  thing  else  appear  mean, 
flat  and  insipid.  But  in  truth  they  made  good  works  appear  so  too; 
ye6L,  and  faith  itself,  and  what  not  7  These  gave  me  an  entire  new 
view  of  religion ;  nothing  like  any  I  had  before.  But  alas !  it  was 
nothing  like  that  religion  which  Christ  and  his  apostles  lived  and 
taught.  I  had  a  plenary  dispensation  from  all  the  commands  of  God: 
the  form  ran  thus,  '  Love  is  all ;  all  the  commands  beside,  are  only 
means  of  love :  you  must  choose  those  which  you  feel  are  means  to 
you,  and  use  them  as  long  as  they  are  so.'  Thus  were  all  the  bands 
burst  at  once.  And  though  I  could  never  fully  come  into  this,  nor 
contentedly  omit  what  God  enjoined ;  yet,  I  know  not  how,  I  fluctu- 
ated between  obedience  and  disobedience.  I  had  no  heart,  no  vigor, 
no  zeal  in  obeying;  continually  doubting  whether  I  was  right  or 
wrong,  and  never  out  of  perplexities  and  entanglements.  Nor  can  I 
at  this  hour  give  a  distinct  account,  how,  or  when,  I  came  a  little 
back  toward  the  right  way :  only  my  present  sense  is  this — all  the 
other  enemies  of  Christianity  are  triflers :  the  mystics  are  the  most 
dangerous  of  its  enemies.  They  stab  it  in  the  vitals;  and  its  most 
serious  professors  are  most  likely  to  fall  by  them.  May  I  praise  Him 
who  hath  snatched  me  out  of  this  fire  likewise,  by  warning  all  others, 
that  it  is  set  on  fire  of  hell." 

The  censure  Mr.  Wesley  has  here  passed  on  the  Lutheran^  the  CcU- 
vinisij  and  mystic  writers,  is  abundantly  too  severe.  I  apprehend, 
Mr.  Wesley  did  not  at  this  time,  undersand  either  the  Lutheran,  or 
Calvinist  writers  on  the  article  of  faith.    He  acknowledges  after  his 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY.  81 

return  to  England,  that  he  did  not  at  first  understand  the  Moravian 
doctrine  of  faith,  which,  I  beheve,  differed  but  Httle  from  that  held  in 
the  Lutheran  Church. — What  the  moderate  rmjstics  have  said  on  the 
vmion  of  the  soul  with  God,  is  in  general  excellent,  and  better  said  by 
them,  than  by  most  other  writers.  It  must  indeed  be  owned,  that 
they  do  not  sufficiently  insist  on  the  atonement  and  mediation  of 
Christ,  as  the  only  foundation  of  a  sinner's  union  with  God :  nor  do 
they  always  explain  and  enforce  the  scriptural  method  of  attaining  it. 

January  29.  They  once  more  saw  English  land:  and  Feb.  1,  Mr. 
Wesley  landed  at  Deal ;  where  he  was  informed  Mr.  Whitefield  had 
sailed  the  day  before,  for  Georgia.  He  read  prayers,  and  explained 
a  portion  of  Scripture  to  a  large  company  at  the  inn ;  and  on  the  third 
arrived  safe  in  London. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

GIVING  SOME  ACCOUNT  OF  MR.   WESLEY,  FROM  FEBRUARY,  1738,  TILL  APRIL, 
1739,  WHEN  HE  BECAME  AN  ITINERANT  AND  FIELD-PREACHER. 

On  his  arrival  in  England,  he  made  some  reflections  on  his  own 
state  of  mind,  and  on  the  effects  of  his  visit  to  America.  It  is  now," 
says  he,  two  years  and  almost  four  months,  since  I  left  my  native 
country,  in  order  to  teach  the  Georgian  Indians,  the  nature  of  Chris- 
tianity :  but  what  have  I  learned  myself  in  the  mean  time  ?  Why, 
what  I  the  least  of  all  suspected,  that  I,  who  went  to  America  to  con- 
vert others,  was  never  myself  converted  to  God.  /  am  not  mad, 
though  I  thus  speak ;  but  I  speak  the  words  of  truth  and  soberness ; 
if  haply  some  of  those  who  still  dream^  may  awake  and  see,  that  as 
lam,  so  are  they,  &c." — He  observes  however,  "Many  reasons  I 
have  to  bless  God — for  my  having  been  carried  into  that  strang5*land, 
contrary  to  all  my  preceding  resolutions.  Hereby  I  trust  he  hath  in 
some  measure  humbled  me  and  proved  me,  and  shown  me  what  was 
in  my  heart.  Hereby  I  have  been  taught  to  beware  of  men. — Hereby 
God  has  given  me  to  know  many  of  his  servants,  particularly  those 
of  the  church  of  Hernhuth.  Hereby  my  passage  is  open  to  the  writ- 
ings of  holy  men,  in  the  German,  Spanish,  and  Italian  tongues.  All 
in  Georgia  have  heard  the  word  of  God :  some  have  believed  and 
began  to  run  well.  A  few  steps  have  been  taken  towards  publishing 
the  glad-tidings  both  to  the  African  and  American  heathens.  Many 
children  have  learned  how  they  ought  to  serve  God,  and  to  be  useful  to 
their  neighbor.  And  those  whom  it  most  concerns,  have  an  opportu- 
nity of  knowing  the  state  of  their  infant  colony,  and  laying  a  firmer 
foundation  of  peace  and  happiness  to  many  generations." 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


Mr.  Wesley  here  supposes,  that  he  was  not  converted  to  God, 
because  he  had  not  that  faith  which  deUvered  him  from  the  fear  of 
death,  and  gave  him  victory  over  all  sin,  inward  or  outward.  He 
does  not  seem  to  have  any  immediate  reference  to  that  notion  of  faith 
which  he  afterwards  espoused  and  taught;  for  as  yet  he  did  not  un- 
derstand it.  When  the  first  Journal,  in  which  this  is  said,  was  printed 
in  his  Works,  in  1774,  he  doubted  whether  the  severe  sentence  he  here 
pronounced  upon  himself,  was  just.  This  ought  not  to  be  charged  on 
Mr.  Wesley,  as  a  contradiction,  but  as  a  change  in  his  opinion.  This 
is  certainly  commendable,  when  an  increase  of  knowledge  gives  a 
man  sufficient  reason  for  so  doing.  In  1774,  he  believed,  that  when 
he  went  to  America,  he  had  the  faith  of  a  servant,  though  not  of  a 
son.*  Though  he  was  far  from  being  singular  in  making  this  distinc- 
tion, yet  the  propriety  of  it  has  been  doubted,  or  rather  denied.  It  is 
of  some  importance  in  christian  experience  that  the  subject  should  be 
understood,  and  therefore  it  deserves  to  be  examined. 

The  distinction  is  founded  on  what  the  Apostle  has  said,  Rom.  viii. 
15,  and  further  illustrated  and  confirmed,  Gal.  iv.  1 — 7.  Mr.  Wesley 
observes  in  a  note  on  Rom.  viii.  15,  that,  "  The  Spirit  of  bondage^ 
here  seems  directly  to  mean,  those  operations  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  by 
which  the  soul  on  its  first  conviction,  feels  itself  in  bondage  to  sin,  to 
the  world,  to  satan,  and  obnoxious  to  the  wrath  of  God."  He  has 
printed  a  sermon  on  the  same  text,  in  which  he  explains  it  in  the  same 
way.  He  was  not  singular  in  this  interpretation,  as  might  easily  be 
shown  from  respectable  authority.  But,  though  it  be  most  true,  that 
a  person  under  conviction  for  sin,  is  in  a  state  of  bondage  and  fear,  it 
does  not  follow  that  this  is  the  dbect  meaning  of  the  Apostle,  or  that 
the  distinction  between  a  servant  and  a  son  of  God,  ought  to  be 
immediately  fixed  on  this  foundation.  Many  among  the  most  learned 
and  pious  persons  in  the  christian  church,  have  understood  the  spirit 
of  bondage  to  fear,  as  referring  to  that  servile  spirit,  or  spirit  of  ser- 
vitude, which  the  whole  Mosaic  economy  tended  to  produce.-f  And 
this  seems  most  agreeable  to  the  tenor  of  the  iVpostle's  discourse,  and 
most  conformable  to  his  grand  design  of  establishing  and  illustrating 
the  truth  and  excellency  of  the  gospel,  as  a  more  perfect  dispensation 
of  mercy  and  favor  from  God. 

We  must  not  however  suppose,  that,  because  the  faithful  under  the 
Old  Testament,  had  a  spirit  of  bondage  to  fear,  they  were  not  there- 
fore children  of  God;  or  that  they  had  not  the  spirit  of  God.  In 
every  age  of  the  world,  since  the  first  promise  of  a  Redeemer,  those 
who  have  placed  their  confidence  in  the  mercy  of  God,  manifested 
through  a  promised  Saviour,  have  become  children  of  God,  heirs  of  the 
heavenly  inheritance,  and  experienced  some  degree  of  divine  grace. 
But  under  the  Mosaic  dispensation,  the  faithful  themselves,  were 

*  See  the  Errata  to  the  26th  volume  of  his  Works. 
I  See  Doddridge  j  and  Pole's  Synopsis. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


41 


children  held  in  a  state  of  servitude,  which  produced  fear,  rather 
than  filial  confidence,  or  the  spirit  of  adoption,  crying  Abba,  Father. 
The  reason  of  this  was,  the  nature  of  that  economy  under  which 
they  lived,  which  was  wonderfully  adapted  to  the  state  of  the  Israel- 
ites in  that  age  of  the  world,  and  only  preparatory  to  the  introduction 
of  a  more  perfect  dispensation  of  the  Divine  favor. 

The  Mosaic  economy,  taking  it  in  a  loose  and  general  sense,  may 
be  considered  in  three  points  of  view,  corresponding  to  the  ends  it 
was  intended  to  answer.  The  first  view  of  it,  regards  those  laws  it 
contained,  which  related  only  to  external  things,  and  were  merely 
literal  or  carnal,  as  the  Apostle  calls  them.*  The  intention  of  these 
was,  to  separate  the  whole  body  of  the  people  from  idolatry,  and  all 
mixture  with  other  nations :  to  preserve  the  worship  of  the  true 
God  in  the  world  :  to  make  the  Israelites  the  depositaries  of  the 
promises,  prophecies,  and  the  whole  word  of  God :  and  to  keep  their 
own  tribes  and  families  distinct :  that  as  the  Messiah  was  to  descend, 
according  to  the  flesh,  from  the  seed  of  Abraham,  the  tribe  of  Judah, 
and  the  family  of  David,  his  introduction  into  the  world  might  be 
more  strongly  marked,  the  prophecies  concerning  him  be  distinctly 
fulfilled,  and  his  character  be  clearly  ascertained.  These  laws 
required  no  more  than  a  mere  external  obedience,  the  reward  of 
which  was,  the  land  of  Canaan,  with  protection,  prosperity,  and  long 
life. 

The  second  view  of  it,  is  typical.  The  promise  made  to  Abraham, 
being  continued  through  this  economy,  the  laws  and  institutions 
established  for  the  purposes  above  mentioned,  were  so  ordered  as  to 
become  typical  representations  of  Christ  and  the  benefits  of  his  king- 
dom. They  gave  a  new  modification  to  the  promulgation  of  the 
promise  of  a  Redeemer,  the  object  of  faith  and  hope  in  true  believers, 
by  which  they  obtained  a  foretaste  of  the  grace  and  blessings  of  the 
gospel.  All  these  laws  and  institutions  were  peculiar  to  Moses, 
purely  external  and  temporary ;  being  preparatory  to  the  coming  of 
Christ,  when  they  were  to  be  abolished. 

The  third  view  of  this  economy,  regards  those  moral  precepts 
introduced  into  it,  to  regulate  the  moral  principles,  as  well  as  conduct 
of  the  people  towards  each  other,  for  the  well-being  of  the  state :  and 
also  such  other  commands  as  tended  to  give  them  a  higher  and  more 
spiritual  notion  of  their  duty  to  God,  and  of  the  nature  of  sin,  than 
the  Mosaic  code  suggested.  These  were  intended  to  raise  the  minds 
of  the  people  to  something  higher  than  the  mere  external  economy 
of  Moses :  to  awaken  in  them  a  sense  of  their  depravity ;  to  show 
them  the  spiritual  nature  of  sin;  its  power,  dominion,  and  guilt ;  that 
conscious  of  their  wants,  they  might  more  ardently  desire  their  great 
Deliverer,  and  be  better  prepared  to  receive  him.  These  precepts  and 
commands,  being  of  a  general  and  permanent  nature,  were  not  pecu- 


VOL.  II. 


*  Heb.  vii.  16 :  ix.  10. 

4* 


6 


42 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


liar  to  Moses,  nor  to  be  done  away  with  his  institution ;  but  additions 
to  his  economy,  that  were  highly  necessary  and  useful. 

That  the  promise  before  made,  was  continued  through  this  dispen- 
sation, is  manifest.  For  as  circumcision  was  not  of  Moses,  but  of 
the  fathers,  so  the  promise  of  grace  and  life  by  Christ,  was  not  given 
by  him,  but  found  by  him  already  existing.  It  is  not  said,  That  the 
promise  was  added  to  the  law ;  but.  That  the  law  was  added  to  the 
promise.*  The  law  of  Moses,  therefore,  did  not  disannul,  or  do 
away  the  promise  of  salvation  by  a  Redeemer,  or  any  way  alter  the 
method  of  a  sinner's  justification  before  God,  and  acceptance  to  eter- 
nal life,  as  exemplified  in  the  case  of  Abraham :  nor  yet  change,  or 
lessen  the  obligation  to  those  duties  men  owe  to  God,  and  to  one 
another,  founded  on  the  permanent  relations  of  things.  It  follows, 
that  these,  and  the  law  of  Moses,  though  difi'erent  in  their  nature, 
and  designed  for  very  different  purposes,  were  associated  together  in 
this  economy,  until,  "  In  the  fulness  of  time,"  God  should  send  forth 
his  Son. 

But  though  the  promise  still  existed  under  the  law,  which  was 
intended  to  bring  men  ultimately  to  Christ;  yet  the  Mosaic  economy 
exhibited  the  Messiah,  and  the  nature  and  benefits  of  his  kingdom, 
through  a  kind  of  veil.  These  appeared  in  it,  like  objects  placed  in 
the  back-ground  of  a  picture,  distant,  obscure,  and  diminished  from 
their  natural  size.  This  representation  best  suited  that  age  of  the 
world,  the  state  and  circumstances  of  the  Israelites,  and  the  future 
designs  of  Providence.  The  prophets,  indeed,  as  the  fulness  of  time 
when  Christ  should  appear,  drew  nearer  and  nearer,  often  brought 
forward  these  important  objects  into  a  stronger  light,  and  gave  them 
a  more  bold  and  full  appearance,  directing  the  minds  of  the  people  to 
look  through  their  external  and  temporary  economy,  to  blessings  more 
general,  permanent,  and  satisfactory. 

Under  this  economy,  God  assumed  the  character,  and  had  the  title 
of  King  of  Israel,  jealous  of  his  prerogatives  and  glory.  The  people 
were  prone  to  idolatry,  which  was  rebellion  against  their  King ;  and 
all  the  laws  tended  to  produce  a  "  spirit  of  bondage  to  fear,"  for  their 
subjugation,  that  the  external  purposes  of  this  dispensation  might  be 
obtained.  So  terrible  was  the  appearance  of  the  Divine  majesty  at 
,the  giving  of  the  law,  that  the  people  said,  "  Let  not  God  speak  to 
us,  lest  we  die."t  And  Moses  himself  said,  "  I  exceedingly  fear  and 
quake."  f  The  punishments  under  this  government  were  exceedingly 
■severe ;  so  that  an  error  through  inadvertency  was  sometimes  pun- 
ished with  immediate  death,  which  made  the  most  pious  among  them 
afraid.§  The  body  of  the  ceremonial  law,  was  minute,  expensive, 
and  laborious,  and  required  the  most  servile  obedience.  Peter  calls 
it  a  yoke,  which  neither  they  nor  their  fathers  could  bear :  ||  and 

*  Gal.  iii.  19.  t  Exod.  xx.  19.  $  Heb.  xu.  21. 

§  2  Sam.  vi.  7,  9.  ||  Acts  xv.  10. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


43 


Paul,  a  yoke  of  bondage.'^  The  yearly  sacrifices  brought  their 
sins  to  their  remembrance,  the  repetition  showing  they  were  not 
expiated,  f  The  people  were  kept  at  a  distance  from  God  in  their 
worship ;  even  from  the  symbol  of  his  presence  in  the  holiest  of  all, 
to  which  the  high  priest  alone  was  admitted,  and  that  but  once  a 
year.  I  And  even  at  the  burning  of  incense  morning  and  evening, 
the  people  stood  praying  witliout.^  In  their  approaches  to  God  in 
prayer,  they  addressed  him  as  a  Sovereign,  under  the  title  of  God,  or 
Lord ;  Jesus  Christ  being  the  first  who  taught  us  to  say,  "  Our  Father 
who  art  in  heaven;"  himself  procuring  for  us  this  na^o-qu'ia^  or  free- 
dom and  openness  of  access  to  the  presence  of  God.  It  was  given  in 
charge  to  Moses,  that  he  should  not  let  the  priests,  and  the  people, 
^t«^fff(9wor«i',||  break  through  the  described  limits  in  their  approaches 
to  God,  nor  invade  a  place  deemed  too  holy  for  them  to  enter.  This 
w^as  never  allowed  under  the  ceremonial  law.  How  different  is 
our  hberty !  "From  the  days  of  John  the  Baptist,"  says  our 
Lord,^  "  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  ^laterai^  suffereth  violence,"  or 
rather,  is  invaded  by  violence ;  that  is,  in  violation  of  the  commands 
and  prohibitions  of  the  ceremonial  law  :  and  the  fences  being  broken 
down,  which  had  shut  out  the  Gentiles  from  it;  and  the  formali- 
ties done  away,  which  kept  the  Jews  at  a  certain  distance  in  bond- 
age and  fear,  the  §iu<^ai^  invaders^  regardless  of  the  solemnities  and 
restrictions  prescribed  by  the  law,  aqna'c^auiv  avTrjv^  seize  upon  it  with 
eagerness  and  confidence,  having  boldness  to  enter  into  the  holiest  by 
a  new  and  living  way.*=^ — The  very  word  which  the  Seventy  had 
used  with  a  negative  particle  expressing  prohibition,  our  Lord  uses  in 
the  affirmative,  thereby  showing  the  prohibition  was  taken  off. — 
Indeed,  the  whole  of  the  old  economy  was  full  of  prohibitions,  sever- 
ities, and  hardships;  to  which  the  most  faithful  and  pious  were  sub- 
ject, as  well  as  the  most  wicked  and  profligate.  It  tended  to  produce 
bondage  and  fear,  particularly  the  fear  of  death,  to  which  the  Jews 
were  then,  and  are  even  now,  remarkably  subject.  The  apostle  com- 
pares those  under  it,  to  persons  shut  up  in  a  strong  place  of  custody,!! 
like  criminals  who  had  not  obtained  the  full  privileges  of  a  free  par- 
don. Afterwards,  comparing  the  condition  of  the  faithful  under  the 
law  of  Moses,  with  the  privileges  of  believers  under  the  gospel,  he 
finely  illustrates  what  is  said,  Rom.  viii.  15,  and  fully  establishes  the 
distinction  between  a  servant  and  a  son — "  Now  I  say,  that  the  heir, 
as  long  as  he  is  a  child,  differeth  nothing  from  a  servant,  though  he 
be  lord  of  all;  but  is  under  tutors  and  governors  until  the  time 
appointed  of  the  father  :  even  so,  when  we  were  children" — that  is. 
imder  the  Mosaic  economy — "we  were  in  bondage  under  the  ele- 
ments of  the  world" — to  which  the  ceremonial  law  may  fitly  be 


♦  Gal.  V.  1.  t  Heb.  x.  3,  18.  %  Levit.  xvi.  2.    Heb.  ix.  7. 

§  Luke  i.  10.  H  The  Septuagint,  Eiod.  xbc.  24.    i  Matt.  xi.  12. 

♦*  Heb.  X.  19,  20.  ft  Gal.  iii.  23. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   JOHN  WESLEY. 


compared. — But  when  the  fulness  of  the  time  was  come,  God  sent 
forth  his  Son — to  redeem  them  that  were  under  the  law,  that  we  might 
receive  the  adoption  of  sons.  And  because  ye  are  sons,  God  hath 
sent  forth  the  spirit  of  his  Son  into  your  hearts,  crying  Abba,  Father. 
Wherefore  thou  art  no  more  a  servant,  but  a  son."=^ — Tt  appears  then 
from  what  has  been  said,  that  the  distinction  Mr.  Wesley  made,  is 
scriptural  and  just,  so  far  as  it  relates  to  ihe  different  state  of  believ- 
ers under  the  Old  and  New  Testament.  It  must  be  observed  how- 
ever, that  there  is  a  low  degree  of  christian  experience,  in  which  a 
person  is  in  a  state  similar  to  the  condition  of  believers  under  the 
Mosaic  dispensation,  subject  to  bondage  and  fear,  particularly  the  fear 
of  death ;  and  in  the  latter  part  of  life,  he  judged  this  to  have  been  his 
own  state  when  he  went  to  America,  and  returned  from  it.  The  very 
learned  Buddeus,  has  observed,  that  most  professing  Christians  seem 
content  to  live  in  this  state,  without  ever  rising  into  the  enjoyment  ot 
that  full  liberty  wherewith  Christ  has  made  them  free.f 

After  Mr.  Wesley  arrived  in  London,  he  waited  on  the  trustees  for 
Georgia,  at  several  different  times,  and  gave  them  an  account  of  the 
colony ;  but  his  account  was  so  different  from  what  others  had  flat- 
tered them  with,  that  he  supposes  they  did  not  soon  forgive  him. 
Time  however  convinced  them  of  Mr.  Wesley's  fidelity,  when  com- 
plaints pouring  in  upon  them  from  all  sides,  they  thought  it  best  to 
resign  their  charter  into  the  hands  of  the  king. 

February  7,  "A  day  much  to  be  remembered,"  says  Mr.  Wesley, 
he  met  Peter  Bohler,  and  two  other  persons,  teachers  in  the  Mora- 
vian church.  Hitherto  he  had  reduced  his  religious  principles  to 
practice,  in  the  most  scrupulous  and  rigorous  manner,  and  yet  had 
not  attained  that  victory  over  the  evils  of  his  own  heart,  and  that 
peace  and  happiness  which  he  saw  the  gospel  promised.  It  seems  as 
if  he  had  always  supposed,  that  bodily  austerities,  and  a  religious 
regard  to  the  duties  he  owed  to  God  and  man,  would  produce  in  him 
the  christian  faith,  and  the  true  christian  temper.  After  about  ten 
years  of  painful  labor,  his  experience  convinced  him,  that  his  notions 
were  not  evangelical,  that  he  had  considered  as  causes,  things  that 
were  only  placed  as  the  fruits  of  faith  in  the  gospel  economy ;  and 
therefore,  that  he  neither  possessed  saving  faith,  nor  had  a  right  notion 
of  it.    Having  observed,  both  at  sea,  and  in  America,  that  the  Mora- 

*Gal.  iv.  1—7. 

f  In  the  above  quotation  from  the  Seventy,  we  may  observe,  that  they  translate  the  He- 
brew word  o'^n  by  the  Greek  word  ptato),  Exod.  xix.  24.  The  Hebrew  verb  occurs,  in  one 
form  or  other,  about  thirty-two  times  in  the  Old  Testament.  It  generally  signifies  to  break, 
throw  down,  or  destroy ;  and  often  in  opposition  to  building  up :  but  no  where  exactly  in  the 
connexion  it  is  here  used,  in  reference  to  the  limits  prescribed  to  the  people  in  their  approaches 
to  God ;  and  it  is  remarkable  that  the  Seventy  have  no  where  rendered  it  by  the  Greek 
verb  (iiaiti),  but  in  this  one  place.  Our  Lord,  by  using  the  very  same  word  without  the 
negative  particle,  seems  to  intimate  that  a  freedom  of  access  to  God,  not  allowed  under 
the  law,  is  allowed  under  the  gospel,  the  prohibition  being  taken  off.  Walchius,  has  hinted 
at  this  interpretation  of  our  Lord's  words,  Matt.  xi.  12.    See  Miscel.  Sacra,  p.  768. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


vian  brethren  enjoyed  a  state  of  peace  and  comfort  in  their  minds,  to 
which  he  was  almost  wholly  a  stranger,  he  was  well  prepared  to  hear 
what  these  messengers  of  God  had  to  say  of  faith  as  the  means  of 
obtaining  it.  He  was  determined  that  his  conviction  should  be  the 
result  of  knowledge;  and  therefore  made  continual  objections  to  what 
Bohler  said  on  the  subject.  This  occasioned  Bohler  to  say  more 
than  once,  '  Mi  frater^  Mi  f rater ^  excoquenda  est  ista  tua  philoso- 
phia:^  My  brother,  my  brother,  that  philosophy  of  yours  must  be 
purged  away.  We  may  observe  however,  that  objections  in  such 
cases,  are  seldom  the  result  of  just  reasoning,  but  the  mere  effects  of 
prejudice,  which  a  previous  system  had  produced  in  his  mind. 

Feb.  27.  He  took  coach  for  Salisbury,  to  see  his  mother ;  intending 
also  to  visit  his  brother  Samuel,  at  Tiverton.  But  March  2,  he  re- 
ceived a  message  that  his  brother  Charles  was  dying  at  Oxford,  and 
immediately  set  out  for  that  place.  He  now  renewed  and  set  down 
his  former  resolutions  respecting  his  own  behavior.  1.  To  use 
absolute  openness  and  unreserve,  with  all  he  should  converse  with. 
2.  To  labor  after  continual  seriousness,  not  willingly  indulging  him- 
self in  any  the  least  levity  of  behavior,  or  in  laughter,  no,  not  for  a 
moment,  3.  To  speak  no  word  which  did  not  tend  to  the  glory  of 
God  ;  in  particular,  not  to  talk  of  worldly  things.  "  Others  may,  nay 
must,"  said  he  ;  "but  what  is  that  to  me."  4.  To  take  no  pleasure 
which  did  not  tend  to  the  glory  of  God,  thanking  God  every  moment 
for  what  he  did  take,  and  therefore  rejecting  every  sort  and  degree  of 
it,  which  he  felt  he  could  not  so  thank  him  in  and  for  it. 

At  Oxford,  Mr.  Wesley  again  met  with  Peter  Bohler;  "by  whom," 
says  he,  "in  the  hand  of  the  great  God,  I  was  on  Sunday  the  5th, 
clearly  convinced  of  unbelief,  of  the  want  of  that  faith  whereby  alone 
we  are  saved," — he  afterwards  added — "  with  the  full  christian  sal- 
vation," He  was  now  fully  convinced,  that  his  faith  had  hitherto 
been  faith  in  God,  too  much  separated  from  an  evangelical  view  of 
the  promises  of  a  free  justification,  or  pardon  of  sin,  through  the  atone- 
ment and  mediation  of  Christ  alone ;  which  was  the  reason  why  he 
had  been  held  in  continual  bondage  and  fear.  It  immediately  occurred 
to  his  mind,  "  Leave  off  preaching;  how  can  you  preach  to  others, 
who  have  not  faith  yourself?"  He  consulted  his  friend  Bohler,  who 
said,  "  By  no  means.  Preach  faith  till  you  have  it,  and  then  because 
you  have  it,  you  will  preach  faith." 

On  the  15th  of  this  month  he  set  out  for  Manchester,  accompanied 
by  Mr.  Kinchin  of  Corpus-Christi  College,  and  a  Mr.  Fox.  In  this 
journey,  they  lost  few  opportunities  of  speaking  on  matters  of  religion 
to  those  they  met  with,  either  on  the  road,  or  at  the  inns.  The  prac- 
tice was  new,  and  the  success  various;  some  staring  with  silent 
astonishment,  and  others  appeared  thankful  and  ready  to  receive  in- 
struction. On  the  22d  they  returned  to  Oxford,  and  next  day  Mr. 
Wesley  observes,  "  I  met  Peter  Bohler  again,  who  now  amazed  me 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


more  and  more,  by  the  account  he  gave  of  the  fruits  of  living  faith, 
the  holiness  and  happiness  which  he  aflirmed  to  attend  it.  The  next 
morning  I  began  the  Greek  Testament  again,  resolving  to  abide  by 
the  law  and  the  testimony^  being  confident,  that  God  would  hereby 
show  me  whether  this  doctrine  was  of  God." 

About  this  time  he  began  to  pray  extempore.  March  27,  Mr.  Kin- 
chin went  with  him  to  the  castle,  where,  after  reading  prayers,  and 
preaching  on,  "  It  is  appointed  for  men  once  to  die,"  "  We  prayed," 
says  he,  "  with  the  condemned  man,  first  in  several  forms  of  prayer, 
and  then  in  such  words  as  were  given  us  in  that  hour.  He  kneeled 
down  in  much  heaviness  and  confusion,  having  '  no  rest  in  his  bones 
by  reason  of  his  sins.'  After  a  space  he  rose  up,  and  eagerly  said, 
'  I  am  now  ready  to  die.  I  know  Christ  has  taken  away  my  sins, 
and  there  is  no  more  condemnation  for  me.'  The  same  composed 
cheerfulness  he  showed  when  he  was  carried  to  execution ;  and  in 
his  last  moments  was  the  same,  enjoying  a  perfect  peace  in  confidence 
that  he  was  accepted  in  the  beloved."  Mr.  Wesley  again  observes, 
"  that  on  Saturday,  April  1,  being  at  Mr.  Foxe's  society,  he  found  his 
heart  so  full,  that  he  could  not  confine  himself  to  the  forms  of  prayer 
they  were  accustomed  to  use  there.  Neither,"  says  he,  do  I  propose 
to  be  confined  to  them  any  more ;  but  to  pray  indifferently,  with  a 
form  or  without,  as  I  may  find  suitable  to  particular  occasions." 

A  few  observations  have  already  been  made  on  the  propriety  and 
usefulness  of  extemporary  prayer ;  *  and  here  I  shall  transcribe  the 
words  Dr.  Wattsf  has  quoted  from  the  Marquis  of  Halifax,  who  being 
a  courtier  in  the  reigns  of  the  two  brothers,  king  Charles  and  James 
II.  cannot  be  supposed  to  have  any  partiality  for  deviation  from  the 
forms  of  the  estabUshed  church.  This  noble  writer,  it  seems,  in  a 
little  book  under  a  borrowed  character,  has  expressed  his  own  sen- 
timents on  this  subject.  "  He  tells  us,"  says  Dr.  Watts,  he  is  far 
from  relishing  the  impertinent  wanderings  of  those  who  pour  out  long 
prayers  upon  the  congregation,  and  all  from  their  own  stock,  too  often 
a  barren  soil,  which  produces  weeds  instead  of  flowers,  and  by  this 
means  they  expose  religion  itself  rather  than  promote  men's  devotion  : 
on  the  other  side,  there  may  be  too  great  a  restraint  put  upon  men 
whom  God  and  nature  have  distinguished  from  their  fellow  laborers, 
by  blessing  them  with  a  happier  talent,  and  by  giving  them  not  only 
good  sense,  but  a  powerful  utterance  too ;  this  has  enabled  them  to 
gush  out  upon  the  attentive  auditory  with  a  mighty  stream  of  devout 
and  unaffected  eloquence.  When  a  man  so  qualified,  endued  with 
learning  too,  and  above  all  adorned  with  a  good  life,  breaks  out  into 
a  warm  and  well  delivered  prayer  before  his  sermon,  it  has  the  ap- 
pearance of  a  divine  rapture :  he  raises  and  leads  the  hearts  of  the 
assembly  in  another  manner  than  the  most  composed  or  best  studied 

*  Vol.  1.  page  108. 

t  See  his  Humble  Attempt  toward  the  Revival  of  Practical  Religion,  p.  161. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY.  4[i 

form  of  set  words  can  ever  do ;  and  the  Pray  we^s,  who  serve  up  all 
their  sermons  with  the  same  garnishing,  would  look  like  so  many 
statues,  or  men  of  straw  in  tlie  pulpit,  compared  with  those  who 
speak  with  such  a  powerful  zeal,  that  men  are  tempted  at  the  moment 
to  believe  that  heaven  itself  has  dictated  their  words  to  them." — We 
may  observe  that  no  man  will  pray  with  the  energy  and  force 
here  described,  unless  his  own  heart  be  animated  and  powerfully 
quickened,  with  the  most  lively  sentiments  of  true  devotion  :  and  if 
this  be  the  case,  a  man  will  attain  to  it  by  constant  habits  of  prayer 
and  reading  the  Scriptures,  although  he  have  but  little  learning,  and 
his  understanding  not  improved  above  mediocrity. 

April  21.  He  met  Peter  Bohler,  once  more.  "  I  had  now,"  says 
he,  no  objection  to  what  he  said  of  the  nature  of  faith ;  that  it  is,  to 
use  the  words  of  our  church,  a  sure  trust  and  confidence  which  a  man 
has  in  God,  that  through  the  merit  of  Christ,  his  sins  are  forgiven, 
and  he  reconciled  to  the  favor  of  God.  Neither  could  I  deny,  either 
the  happiness  or  holiness  which  he  described  as  fruits  of  this  living 
faith.  '  The  spirit  itself  beareth  witness  with  our  spirit,  that  we  are 
the  children  of  God;  and  he  that  believeth  hath  the  witness  in  him- 
self' fully  convinced  me  of  the  former:  as, '  whatsoever  is  born  of  God, 
doth  not  commit  sin  ;  and  whosoever  believeth  is  born  of  God,'  did 
of  the  latter.  But  I  could  not  comprehend  what  he  spoke  of  an  in- 
stantaiieous  xcork.  I  could  not  understand  how  this  faith  should  be 
given  in  a  moment ;  how  a  man  could  at  once^  be  thus  turned  from 
darkness  to  light ;  from  sin  and  misery  to  righteousness  and  joy  in 
the  Holy  Ghost.  I  searched  the  Scriptures  again  touching  this  very 
thing,  particularly  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  But  to  my  utter  aston- 
ishment, found  scarce  any  instances  there,  of  other  Va^xv  instantaneous 
conversions ;  scarce  any  so  slow  as  that  of  St.  Paul.  I  had  but  one 
retreat  left,  viz.  Thus,  I  grant,  God  wrought  in  the  first  ages  of  Chris- 
tianity :  but  the  times  are  changed.  What  reason  have  I  to  believe, 
he  works  in  the  same  manner  now  7  But  on  Sunday  22,  I  was  beat 
out  of  this  retreat  too,  by  the  concurring  evidence  of  several  living 
witnesses;  who  testified  God  had  so  wrought  in  themselves;  giving 
them  in  a  moment,  such  a  faith  in  the  blood  of  his  Son,  as  translated 
them  out  of  darkness  into  light,  and  of  sin  and  fear  into  holiness  and 
happiness.  Here  ended  my  disputing.  I  could  now  only  cry  out, 
'  Lord,  help  thou  my  unbehef  ! '  " 

He  now  began  to  declare,  '  the  faith  as  it  is  in  Jesus,'  which  those 
that  were  convinced  of  sin  gladly  received.  A  day  or  two  following 
he  was  much  confirmed  in  the  truth  by  hearing  the  experience  of 
Mr.  Hutchins,  of  Pembroke  College,  and  Mrs.  Fox  :  "  Two  living 
witnesses,"  says  he,  that  God  can  at  least,  if  he  does  not  always, 
give  that  faith  whereof  cometh  salvation,  in  a  moment,  as  lightning 
falling  from  heaven." 

May  1.    They  began  to  form  themselves  into  a  religious  society, 


48 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


which  met  in  Fetter-Lane.  This  has  been  called  the  first  Methodist 
society  in  London.  Mr.  Wesley  distinguishes  the  origin  of  Metho-  i 
dism,  into  three  distinct  periods.  "The  first  rise  of  Methodism,"  1 
says  he,  "  was  in  November,  1729,  when  four  of  us  met  together  at 
Oxford :  the  second  was  at  Savannah,  in  April,  1736,  when  twenty  or 
thirty  persons  met  at  my  house :  the  last  was  at  London,  on  this  day, 
when  forty  or  fifty  of  us  agreed  to  meet  together  every  Wednesday 
evening,  in  order  to  free  conversation,  begun  and  ended  with  singing 
and  prayer.=^  This  is  hardly  accurate  ;  as  Mr.  Wesley,  his  brother, 
and  their  friends,  retained  little  but  the  exterior,  of  their  former 
character.  Having  changed  their  doctrines,  they  were  now  Mora- 
vians, rather  than  the  Methodists  of  Oxford,  and  Savannah.  When 
some  of  the  Moravian  teachers,  afterwards  introduced  innovations 
into  their  doctrines,  Mr.  Wesley  and  his  friends  separated  from  them, 
and  formed  a  distinct  society,  as  will  soon  appear  ;  and  this,  I  appre- 
hend, was  the  true  origin  of  the  present  economy  of  Methodism.  In 
the  society  now  formed,  the  old  Methodists  and  the  Moravians  were 
indiscriminately  blended  together  in  one  body.  Their  rules  were 
printed  under  the  title  of,  "  Orders  of  a  Religious  Society,  meeting 
in  Fetter-Lane ;  in  obedience  to  the  command  of  God  by  St,  James, 
and  by  the  advice  of  Peter  Bohler  :"  It  was  then  agreed, 

1.  That  they  would  meet  together  once  in  a  week,  to  confess  their 
faults  one  to  another,  and  to  pray  one  for  another  that  they  might  be 
healed. 

2.  That  others,  of  whose  sincerity  they  were  well  assured,  might, 
if  they  desired  it,  meet  with  them  for  that  purpose.  And  May  29,  it 
was  agreed, 

3.  That  the  persons  desirous  of  meeting  together  for  that  purpose, 
should  be  divided  into  several  bands,  or  little  companies,  none  of 
which  should  consist  of  fewer  than  five,  or  more  than  ten  persons. 

4.  That  some  person  in  each  band,  should  be  desired  to  speak  to 
the  rest  in  order,  who  might  be  called  the  leader  of  that  band.  And 
on  Monday,  September  26,  it  was  further  agreed, 

5.  That  each  band  should  meet  twice  in  a  week ;  once  on  Monday 
evening  and  the  second  time  when  it  was  most  convenient  for  each 
band;  every  meeting  to  be  begun  and  ended  with  singing  and  prayer. 

6.  That  every  one  in  order,  should  speak  as  freely,  plainly,  and 
concisely  as  he  could,  the  state  of  his  heart,  with  his  several  tempta- 
tions and  deliverances  since  the  last  time  of  meeting. 

7.  That  all  the  bands  should  have  a  conference  at  eight  every 
Wednesday  evening,  begun  and  ended  with  singing  and  prayer. 

8.  That  any  who  desired  to  be  admitted  into  this  society,  should  be 
asked,  What  are  your  reasons  for  desiring  this  ?  Will  you  be  entirely 
open,  using  no  kind  of  reserve?  Have  you  any  objection  to  any  of 
our  orders  ?  (which  may  then  be  read.) 

♦  See  his  Ecclesiastical  History,  vol.  iv.  page  175. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


49 


9.  That  when  any  new  member  was  proposed,  every  one  present 
should  speak  clearly  and  freely  whatever  objection  he  had  against 
him. 

10.  That  those  against  whom  no  reasonable  objection  appeared, 
should  be,  in  order  for  their  trial,  formed  into  one  or  more  distinct 
bands,  and  some  person  agreed  on  to  assist  them. 

11.  That  after  two  months'  trial,  if  no  objection  then  appeared,  they 
might  be  admitted  into  the  society. 

12.  That  every  fourth  Saturday  should  be  observed  as  a  day  of 
general  intercession,  which  might  continue  from  twelve  to  two,  from 
three  to  five,  and  from  six  to  eight. 

13.  That  on  the  Sunday  seven-night  following,  there  should  be  a 
general  love-feast,  from  seven  till  ten  in  the  evening. 

14.  That  no  particular  person  should  be  allowed  to  act  in  any  thing, 
contrary  to  any  order  of  this  society ;  but  that  every  one  without 
distinction  should  submit  to  the  determination  of  his  brethren ;  and 
that  if  any  person  or  persons  did  not.  after  being  thrice  admonished, 
conform  to  the  society,  they  should  no  longer  be  esteemed  as  members. 

15.  That  any  person  whom  the  whole  society  should  approve  might 
be  accounted  a  corresponding  member,  and  as  such  be  admitted  to  the 
general  meetings,  provided  he  corresponded  with  the  society,  at  least 
once  a  month. 

The  fourteenth  rule,  to  which  the  ministers  were  subject  as  well  as 
the  common  members,  was  an  excellent  preservative  against  the  abuse 
of  power  ;  and  some  of  the  others  are  good  guards  against  the  admis- 
sion of  improper  members.  It  would  have  been  happy  for  the  Meth- 
odist societies  if  these  rules  had  been  preserved  among  them,  and 
rigorously  kept :  the  work  would  in  that  case  have  been  more  pure 
than  it  has  been,  and  much  confusion  would  have  been  prevented. 

Wherever  Mr.  Wesley  was  now  invited  to  preach  in  the  churches, 
he  boldly  oflfered  to  all,  a  free  salvation  through  faith  in  the  blood  of 
Christ.  At  most  of  these,  he  was  soon  told,  Sir,  you  must  preach 
here  no  more."  To  illustrate  the  reason  of  the  offence  which  this 
doctrine  gave,  he  has  inserted  in  his  own  Journal,  part  of  a  letter 
written  by  Mr.  Gambold  to  Mr.  Charles  Wesley,  a  little  after  this 
time.  This  letter  abounds  with  fine  thoughts  on  the  subject,  and 
contains  some  excellent  advice.  Mr.  Wesley  has  inserted  but  a  small 
part;  I  shall  transcribe  a  little  more  of  it. 

"  I  have  seen  upon  this  occasion,  more  than  ever  I  could  have 
imagined,  how  intolerable  the  doctrine  of  faith  is  to  the  mind  of  man  : 
how  peculiarly  intolerable  to  the  most  religious  men.  One  may  say 
the  most  unchristian  things,  even  down  to  deism;  the  most  enthusi- 
astic things,  so  they  proceed  but  upon  mental  raptures,  lights  and 
unions ;  the  most  severe  things,  even  the  whole  rigor  of  ascetic  mor- 
tification; and  all  this  will  be  forgiven.  But  if  you  speak  of  faith, 
in  such  a  manner  as  makes  Christ  a  Saviour  to  the  utmost,  a  most  unU 

VOL.  n.  5  T 


50 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


versal  help  and  refuge ;  in  such  a  manner  as  takes  away  glorying, 
but  adds  happiness  to  wretched  man ;  as  discovers  a  greater  pollution 
in  the  best  of  us,  than  we  could  before  acknowledge,  but  brings  a 
greater  deliverence  from  it,  than  we  could  before  expect :  if  any  one 
offers  to  talk  at  this  rate,  he  shall  be  heard  with  the  same  abhorrence 
as  if  he  was  going  to  rob  mankind  of  their  salvation,  their  mediator, 
or  their  highest  happiness.  I  am  persuaded,  that  a  Montanist,  or  a 
Novation,  who  from  the  height  of  his  purity  should  look  with  con- 
tempt upon  poor  sinners,  and  exclude  them  from  all  mercy,  would 
not  be  thought  such  an  overthrower  of  the  gospel,  as  he  who  should 
learn  from  the  author  of  it  to  be  a  friend  to  publicans  and  sinners,  and 
to  sit  down  upon  the  level  with  them  as  soon  as  they  begin  to  repent. 
But  this  is  not  to  be  wondered  at.  For  all  religious  people  have  such  a 
quantity  of  righteousness,  acquired  by  much  painful  exercise,  and 
formed  at  last  into  current  habits,  which  is  their  wealth  both  for  this 
world  and  the  next.  Now  all  other  schemes  of  religion  are  either  so 
complaisant  as  to  tell  them  they  are  very  rich,  and  have  enough  to 
triumph  in;  or  else  only  a  little  rough,  but  friendly  in  the  main,  by 
telling  them  their  riches  are  not  sufficient,  but  by  such  arts  of  self- 
denial  and  mental  refinement  they  may  enlarge  the  stock.  But  the 
doctrine  of  faith  is  a  downright  robber ;  it  takes  away  all  this  wealth, 
and  only  tells  us,  it  is  deposited  for  us  with  somebody  else,  upon 
whose  bounty  we  must  live  like  mere  beggars.  Indeed  they  who  are 
truly  beggars,  vile  and  filthy  sinners  till  very  lately,  may  stoop  to  live 
in  this  dependent  condition ;  it  suits  them  well  enough :  but  they  who 
have  long  distinguished  themselves  from  the  herd  of  vicious  wretches, 
or  have  even  gone  beyond  moral  men;  for  them  to  be  told  that  they 
are  either  not  so  well ;  or  but  the  same  needy,  impotent,  insignificant 
vessels  of  mercy  with  others,  this  is  more  shocking  to  reason  than 
transubstantiation.  For  reason  had  rather  resign  its  pretensions  to 
judge  what  is  bread  or  flesh,  than  have  this  honor  wrested  from  it,  to 
be  the  architect  of  virtue  and  righteousness. — But  where  am  I  run- 
ning? My  design  was  only  to  give  you  warning,  that  wherever  you 
go,  this  foolishness  of  preaching  will  alienate  hearts  from  you,  and 
open  mouths  against  you.  What  are  you  then  to  do,  my  dear  friend? 
I  will  not  exhort  you  to  courage ;  we  need  not  talk  of  that,  for  nothing 
that  is  approaching  is  evil.  I  will  only  mention  the  prejudice  we 
shall  be  under,  if  we  seem  in  the  least  to  lay  aside  universal  charity, 
and  modesty  of  expression.  Though  we  love  some  persons  more  than 
we  did,  let  us  love  none  less :  and  the  rather,  because  we  cannot  say 
any  one  is  bad,  or  destitute  of  divine  grace,  for  not  thinking  as  we  do. 
Indignation  at  mankind,  is  a  temper  unsuitable  to  this  cause.  If  we 
are  at  peace  with  God  in  Christy  let  it  soften  our  demeanor  still  more, 
even  towards  gainsayers. — What  has  given  most  offence  hitherto,  is 
what  perhaps  may  best  be  spared :  as  some  people's  confident  and 
hasty  triumphs  in  the  grace  of  God ;  not  by  way  of  humble  thank- 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


51 


fulness  to  him  for  looking  upon  them,  or  acknowledgment  of  some 
peace  and  strength  unknown  before,  which  they  hope  will  be  increased 
to  them;  but  insisting  on  the  completeness  of  their  deliverance  already 
from  all  sin,  and  taking  to  them  every  apostolical  boast  in  the  strongest 
terms. — Let  us  speak  of  every  thing  in  such  manner  as  may  convey 
glory  to  Christ,  without  letting  it  glance  on  ourselves  by  the  way. — 
Let  us  profess,  when  we  can  with  truth,  how  really  the  christian  sal- 
vation is  fulfilled  in  us,  rather  than  how  sublimely.''^ — This  is  certainly 
most  important  advice,  and  ought  to  be  daily  considered  and  attended 
to  in  practice  both  by  every  minister,  and  by  every  private  Christian, 
who  has  any  experience  of  the  grace  and  blessings  of  the  gospel. 

Mr.  Wesley  now  hungered  and  thirsted  more  and  more  after 
righteousness,  even  the  righteousness  which  is  of  God  by  faith.  He 
saw  the  promise  of  justification  and  life  was  the  free  gift  of  God 
through  Jesus  Christ.  The  nearer  he  approached  to  the  enjoyment  of 
it,  the  more  distinctly  he  perceived,  and  more  strongly  felt,  his  own 
sinfulness,  guilt,  and  helplessness,  which  he  thus  expressed  in  a  letter 
to  a  friend.  I  feel  what  you  say,  though  not  enough,  for  I  am 
under  the  same  condemnation.  I  see  that  the  whole  law  of  God,  is 
holy,  just,  and  good.  I  know  every  thought,  every  temper  of  my  soul, 
ought  to  bear  God's  image  and'  superscription.  But  how  am  I  fallen 
from  the  glory  of  God !  I  feel  that  I  am  sold  under  sin.  I  know, 
that  I  too  deserve  nothing  but  wrath,  being  full  of  all  abominations, 
and  having  no  good  thing  in  me  to  atone  for  them,  or  to  remove  the 
wrath  of  God.  All  my  works,  my  righteousness,  my  prayer,  need  an 
atonement  for  themselves.  So  that  my  mouth  is  stopped.  I  have 
nothing  to  plead.  God  is  holy,  I  am  unholy.  God  is  a  consuming 
fire.    I  am  altogether  a  sinner,  meet  to  be  consumed. 

"  Yet  I  hear  a  voice  (and  is  it  not  the  voice  of  God)  saying,  'Believe 
and  thou  shalt  be  saved.  He  that  believeth,  is  passed  from  death 
unto  life.  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten 
Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  on  him,  should  not  perish,  but  have 
everlasting  life.' 

"O  let  no  one  deceive  us  by  vain  words,  as  if  we  had  already 
attained  this  faith  !  By  its  fruits  we  shall  know  it.  Do  we  already 
feel  peace  with  God,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost  7  Does  his  Spirit 
bear  witness  with  our  spirit,  that  we  are  the  children  of  God  ?  Alas! 
with  mine  he  does  not.  Nor  I  fear  with  yours.  O  thou  Saviour  of 
men,  save  us  from  trusting  in  any  thing  but  Thee !  Draw  us  after 
Thee  !  Let  us  be  emptied  of  ourselves,  and  then  fill  us  with  all  peace 
and  joy  in  believing,  and  let  nothing  separate  us  from  thy  love  in 
time  or  eternity." 

Mr.  Wesley  continued  in  this  state,  till  Wednesday,  May  24.  "  I 
think,"  says  he,  "  it  was  about  five  this  morning,  that  I  opened  my 
Testament  on  those  words,  '  There  are  given  unto  us,  exceeding  great 
and  precious  promises,  that  by  these  ye  might  be  partakers  of  the 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


divine  nature.'  2  Pet.  i.  4.  Just  as  I  went  out,  I  opened  it  again  on 
those  words,  '  Thou  art  not  far  from  the  kingdom  of  God.'  In  the 
afternoon  I  was  asked  to  go  to  St.  Paul's.  The  anthem  was,  '  Out 
of  the  deep  have  I  called  unto  thee,  O  Lord:  Lord,  hear  my  voice. 
O  let  thine  ears  consider  well  the  voice  of  my  complant.  If  thou 
Lord,  will  be  extreme  to  mark  what  is  done  amiss,  O  Lord,  who  may 
abide  it  ?  But  there  is  mercy  with  thee ;  therefore  thou  shalt  be  feared. 
O  Israel,  trust  in  the  Lord  :  for  with  the  Lord  there  is  mercy,  and 
with  him  is  plenteous  redemption.  And  he  shall  redeem  Israel  from 
all  his  sins. 

"  In  the  evening  I  went  very  unwillingly  to  a  society  in  Aldersgate- 
street,  where  one  was  reading  Luther's  preface  to  the  Epistle  to  the 
Romans.  About  a  quarter  before  nine,  while  he  was  describing  the 
change  which  God  works  in  the  heart  through  faith  in  Christ,  I  felt 
my  heart  strangely  warmed.  I  felt  I  did  trust  in  Christ,  Christ  alone 
for  salvation  :  and  an  assurance  was  given  me,  that  he  had  taken 
away  my  sins,  even  mine,  and  saved  me  from  the  law  of  sin  and  death. 

"  I  began  to  pray  with  all  my  might,  for  those  who  had  in  a  more 
especial  manner  despitefully  used  me,  and  persecuted  me.  I  then 
testified  openly  to  all  there,  what  I  now  first  felt  in  my  heart. 
But  it  was  not  long  before  the  enemy  suggested,  '  This  cannot  be 
faith,  for  where  is  thy  joy.'  Then  was  I  taught,  that  peace  and  victory 
over  sin,  are  essential  to  faith  in  the  Captain  of  our  salvation :  but, 
that  as  to  the  transports  of  joy,  that  usually  attend  the  beginning  of 
it,  especially  in  those  who  have  mourned  deeply,  God  sometimes 
giveth,  sometimes  withholdeth  them,  according  to  the  counsels  of 
his  own  will." 

Mr.  Wesley's  confidence  was  often  interrupted  with  doubts  and 
fears,  which  however  lasted  but  a  short  time,  generally  vanishing 
away  in  prayer.  When  we  consider  the  constant  vicissitude  of  things 
around  us,  the  occasions  of  temptation  continually  presented  to  our 
senses,  and  the  nature  of  the  human  constitution,  liable  to  receive 
various  impressions  from  external  things  and  circumstances  against 
our  will:  we  may  pronounce  it  impossible  that  we  should  always 
enjoy  an  uniformity,  or  perpetual  sameness  of  agreeable  sensations, 
and  consequently  not  the  same  degree  of  religious  joy.  Properly 
speaking,  the  whole  set  of  sensations  arising  from  the  sources  just 
mentioned,  with  the  imaginations  of  the  mind  arising  from  them, 
whether  agreeable,  or  painful,  even  to  melancholy,  are  no  evidences 
of  our  christian  state.  And  therefore  the  changes  in  these  sensations, 
however  frequent,  or  painful,  are  no  evidences  of  any  change  in  our 
relation  to  God,  because  not  imputed  to  us  as  sin,  while  the  christian 
temper  is  preserved.  They  are,  indeed,  totally  different  both  in  their 
source,  their  nature,  and  their  tendency,  from  those  internal  feelings 
of  the  mind  which  inseparably  accompany  convictions  for  sin,  and 
true  justifying  faith  in  Christ.    These  are  produced  by  the  truths  of 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


58 


revealed  religion  proposed  to  the  understanding,  clearly  understood, 
firmly  believed,  and  by  the  influence  of  a  divine  agency  accompany- 
ing them,  applied  with  energy  to  our  own  individual  state.  Their 
nature  and  tendency  are  equally  distinct  from  the  sensations  above 
mentioned.  Yet  these  sensations  arising  from  external  causes,  and 
out  of  our  own  power  to  prevent,  may  in  some  circumstances  rise  to 
that  height,  as  to  produce  for  a  season,  a  cloudiness  and  heaviness 
upon  the  most  sincere  mind ;  in  which  case,  the  comfort  or  joy  gener- 
ally following  a  justified  state,  will  not  be  so  strongly  felt,  nor  so  dis- 
tinctly perceived  as  before.  This  is  the  reason  why  young  converts 
so  generally  fall  into  doubts  and  perplexities  concerning  their  state, 
merely  through  ignorance  of  the  distinction  they  ought  to  make, 
between  the  efl^ects  of  sensations  on  the  human  constitution  occa- 
sioned by  external  objects  or  circumstances,  and  the  true  evidences 
of  their  acceptance  with  God.  Hence  also  we  see  the  principle  on 
which  we  may  safely  maintain,  that  doubts  and  fears  are  consistent 
with  justifying  faith. 

Perhaps  it  may  be  said,  without  incurring  the  charge  of  censori- 
ousness,  that  few  preachers  of  the  gospel,  have  sufficiently  studied 
the  present  state  of  human  nature,  to  be  able  to  clear  the  difficulties 
which  sometimes  accompany  christian  experience.  Mr.  Wesley  was, 
at  present,  but  a  young  convert;  and  therefore  we  cannot  wonder  at 
his  perplexities.  June  6.  He  tells  us,  "I  received  a  letter  from 
Oxford,  which  threw  me  into  much  perplexity.  It  was  asserted 
therein.  '  That  no  doubting  could  consist  with  the  least  degree  of 
true  faith  :  that  whoever  at  any  time  felt  any  doubt  or  fear,  was  not 
weak  in  faith^  but  had  no  faith  at  all :  and  that  none  hath  any  faith, 
till  the  law  of  the  spirit  of  life  has  made  him  wholly  free  from  the  law 
of  sin  and  death.' — Begging  of  God  to  direct  me,  I  opened  my  Tes- 
tament on  1  Cor.  iii.  1,  where  St.  Paul  speaks  of  those  whom  he  terms 
babes  in  Christ,  who  Avere  not  able  to  bear  strong  meat :  nay,  who 
were,  in  a  sense,  carnal :  to  whom  he  nevertheless  says,  '  Ye  are  God's 
building,  ye  are  the  temple  of  God.'  Surely  then  these  men  had 
some  degree  of  faith,  though  it  is  plain  their  faith  was  but  weak." 

June  7.  "I  determined  if  God  should  permit,  to  retire  for  a  short 
time  into  Germany.  I  had  fully  proposed  before  1  left  Georgia,  so  to 
do,  if  it  should  please  God  to  bring  me  back  to  Europe.  And  I  now 
clearly  saw  the  time  was  come.  My  weak  mind  could  not  bear  to  be 
thus  sawn  asunder.  And  I  hoped  the  conversing  with  those  holy 
men,  who  were  themselves  living  witnesses  of  the  full  power  of  faith, 
and  yet  able  to  bear  with  those  that  are  weak,  would  be  a  means 
under  God  of  so  establishing  my  soul,  that  I  might  go  on  from  faith 
to  faith,  and  from  strength  to  strength." 

Having  taken  leave  of  his  mother,  he  embarked  on  Tuesday  the 
13th,  accompanied  by  Mr.  Ingham  and  three  others,  English,  and 
three  Germans.  In  passing  through  Holland,  he  met  with  great  hos- 
5* 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


pitality  and  friendship,  particularly  from  Dr.  Koker,  a  physician  of 
Rotterdam.  The  German  formalities  in  admitting  strangers  into  their 
towns,  even  in  times  of  peace,  gave  him  and  his  friends  a  great  deal 
of  trouble,  and  were  peculiarly  disagreeable ;  as  they  always  are  to 
Englishmen,  nothing  of  the  kind  being  known  with  us.  July  4.  He 
arrived  at  Marienborn,  where  he  found  Count  Zinzendorf,  and  others 
of  the  brethren,  whose  Christian  conversation  greatly  refreshed  his 
mind.  He  was  present  at  their  conferences  for  strangers ;  at  one  of 
which  the  Count  was  asked,  "Can  a  man  be  justified  and  not  know 
it?"  He  answered  to  the  following  effect.  1.  Justification  is  the 
forgiveness  of  sins.  2.  The  moment  a  man  flies  to  Christ,  he  is  justi- 
fied :  3.  And  has  peace  with  God,  but  not  always  joy:  4.  Nor  per- 
haps may  he  know  he  is  justified,  till  long  after :  5.  For  the  assurance 
of  it  is  distinct  from  justification.  6.  But  others  may  know  he  is  jus- 
tified by  his  power  over  sin,  by  his  seriousness,  his  love  of  the  brethren, 
and  his  hunger  and  thirst  after  righteousness,  which  alone  prove  the 
spiritual  life  to  be  begun. 

In  giving  this  statement,  Mr.  Wesley  has  not  made  any  remark  on 
the  fourth  proposition,  which  seems  to  imply  that  he  did  not  disap- 
prove of  it.  But  certainly  it  ought  not  to  stand  in  so  unguarded  a 
manner.  We  know,  1 .  That  if  a  man  be  really  justified,  a  very  great 
change  has  taken  place  in  the  state  of  his  mind,  which  will  show  itself 
in  his  life  and  conversation.  2.  That  a  man  must  necessarily  be  con- 
scious of  what  has  passed  within  himself,  whether  the  change  was 
instantaneous  or  gradual.  3.  If,  therefore,  a  man  do  not  know  that 
he  is  justified,  when  he  really  is  so,  it  is  because  he  does  not  under- 
stand the  true  scriptural  evidence  of  a  state  of  justification.  This 
has  sometimes  been  the  case ;  when  a  man  truly  convinced  of  sin, 
and  trusting  in  Christ  for  salvation,  has  not  had  the  happiness  to  sit 
under  a  gospel  minister ;  or,  when  he  has  sat  under  a  minister,  who, 
though  he  preached  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  did  not  rightly  divide 
the  word  of  truth,  nor  point  out  to  his  hearers,  the  order  to  be  observed 
in  the  gradations  of  christian  experience,  evidently  founded  on  Scrip- 
ture and  the  nature  of  the  human  faculties.  Such  a  preacher,  will 
never  give  his  hearers  clear  and  distinct  views  of  the  evidences  of 
their  state,  whatever  that  state  may  be. 

From  Marienborn,  Mr.  Wesley  wrote  to  his  brother  Samuel,  as 
follows,  "God  has  given  me  at  length  the  desire  of  my  heart.  I  am 
with  a  church  whose  conversation  is  in  heaven,  in  whom  is  the  mind 
that  was  in  Christ,  and  who  so  walk  as  he  walked.  As  they  have 
all  one  Lord  and  one  faith,  so  they  are  all  partakers  of  one  spirit,  the 
spirit  of  meekness  and  love,  which  uniformly,  and  continually  ani- 
mates all  their  conversation.  O  how  high  and  holy  a  thing  Christian- 
ity is  !  And  how  widely  distant  from  that — I  know  not  what — 
which  is  so  called,  though  it  neither  purifies  the  heart,  nor  renews 
the  life,  after  the  image  of  our  blessed  Redeemer. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


56 


"I  grieve  to  think  how  that  holy  name,  by  which  we  are  called, 
must  be  blasphemed  among  the  heathen,  Avhile  they  see  discontented 
Christians,  passionate  Christians,  resentful  Christians,  earthly-minded 
Christians.  Yea,  to  come  to  what  we  are  apt  to  count  small  things, 
while  they  see  Christians  judging  one  another,  ridiculing  one  another, 
spealving  evil  of  one  another,  increasing,  instead  of  bearing  one  anoth- 
er's burdens.  How  bitterly  would  Julian  have  applied  to  these,  'See 
how  these  Christians  love  one  another.'  I  know,  I  myself,  I  doubt 
you  sometimes,  and  my  sister  often,  have  been  under  this  condemna- 
tion. O  may  God  grant,  we  may  never  more  think  to  do  him  service, 
by  breaking  those  commands  which  are  the  very  life  of  his  religion ! 
But  may  we  utterly  put  away  all  anger,  and  wrath,  and  malice,  and 
bitterness,  and  evil- speaking." — O  that  Mr.  Wesley  could  rise  from 
the  dead,  to  enforce  these  reproofs  on  those  who  have  succeeded  him 
in  the  government  of  the  Methodist  societies ! 

July  19.  Mr.  Wesley  left  Marienborn,  and  August  1,  arrived  at 
Hernhuth.  Here  he  staid  a  fortnight ;  during  which  time  he  had  fre- 
quent opportunities  of  conversing  with  the  most  experienced  of  the 
brethren  in  that  place,  of  hearing  several  of  them  preach,  and  of  ac- 
quainting himself  with  their  whole  economy.  I  would  gladly,"  says 
he,  "  have  spent  my  life  here;  but  my  Master  calling  me  to  labor  in 
another  part  of  his  vineyard,  on  Monday  the  14th,  I  was  constrained 
to  take  my  leave  of  this  happy  place — O  when  shall  this  Christianity 
cover  the  earth,  as  the  waters  cover  the  sea."  He  adds  in  another 
place,  "I  was  exceedingly  comforted  and  strengthened  by  the  con- 
versaition  of  this  lovely  people ;  and  returned  to  England  more  fully 
determined  to  spend  my  life  in  testifying  the  gospel  of  the  grace  of 
God." 

Sept.  16.  He  arrived  again  in  London,  having  no  intention  but  to 
preach  the  gospel  in  the  churches  ;  and  accordingly  wherever  he  was 
invited,  he  boldly  declared,  '  By  grace  ye  are  saved  through  faith.' 
This  doctrine,  branched  into  all  its  parts,  was  opposed  by  most  of  the 
clergy  ;  and  in  most  places,  the  genteel  part  of  the  congregation  was 
offended  at  the  crowds  that  followed  him,  so  that  he  was  frequently 
told  after  preaching,  that  he  must  preach  there  no  more.  This  at 
length  became  so  general,  that  it  amounted  to  an  exclusion  from 
almost  all  the  churches  in  London.  October  9.  He  met  with  the 
Narrative  of  the  revival  of  the  work  of  God  about  the  town  of  North- 
ampton, in  New  England.  He  sent  an  extract  of  this  to  a  friend, 
whose  answer  threw  him  into  some  perplexity,  and  occasioned  him  to 
enter  into  a  very  close  examination  of  himself;  which  he  describes  as 
follows. 

" '  Examine  yourselves,  whether  ye  be  in  the  faith.'  Now  the  surest 
test  whereby  we  can  examine  ourselves,  whether  we  be  indeed  in  the 
faith,  is  that  given  by  St.  Paul,  '  If  any  man  be  in  Christ  he  is  a  new 
creature.  Old  things  are  past  away :  behold  all  things  are  become 
new.' 


56 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


"  First,  His  judgments  are  new  :  his  judgment  of  himself,  of  hap- 
piness, of  holiness. 

"He  judges  himself  to  be  altogether  fallen  short  of  the  glorious 
image  of  God.  To  have  no  good  thing  abiding  in  him ;  but  all  that 
is  corrupt  and  abominable,  &xj. — Thus  by  the  grace  of  God  in  Christ, 
I  judge  of  myself    Therefore  I  am,  in  this  respect,  a  new  creature. 

"  Again.  His  judgment  concerning  happiness  is  new.  He  would 
as  soon  expect  to  dig  it  out  of  the  earth,  as  to  find  it  in  riches,  honor, 
pleasure,  so  called,  or  indeed,  in  the  enjoyment  of  any  creature :  he 
knows  there  can  be  no  happiness  on  earth,  but  in  the  enjoyment  of 
God,  and  in  the  foretaste  of  those  rivers  of  pleasure  which  flow  at  his 
right  hand  for  evermore. — Thus  by  the  grace  of  God  in  Christ,  I  judge 
of  happiness.    Therefore  I  am,  in  this  respect,  a  new  creature. 

''Yet  again.  His  judgment  concerning  holiness  is  new.  He  no 
longer  judges  it  to  be  an  outward  thing  :  to  consist  either,  in  doing  no 
harm,  in  doing  good,  or  in  using  the  ordinances  of  God.  He  sees  it  is 
the  life  of  God  in  the  soul ;  the  image  of  God  fresh  stamped  on  the 
heart;  an  entire  renewal  of  the  mind  in  every  temper  and  thought, 
after  the  likeness  of  him  that  created  it. — Thus  by  the  grace  of  God 
in  Christ,  I  judge  of  holiness.  Therefore  I  am,  in  this  respect,  a  new 
creature. 

"  Secondly,  His  designs  are  new.  It  is  the  design  of  his  life,  not  to 
heap  treasures  upon  earth,  not  to  gain  the  praise  of  men,  not  to  in- 
dulge the  desires  of  the  flesh,  the  desire  of  the  eye,  or  the  pride  of 
life ;  but  to  regain  the  image  of  God ;  to  have  the  life  of  God  again 
planted  in  his  soul :  and  to  be  renewed  after  his  likeness  in  righteous- 
ness and  all  true  holiness. — This,  by  the  grace  of  God  in  Christ,  is 
the  design  of  my  life.  Therefore  I  am,  in  this  respect,  a  new  crea- 
ture. 

"  Thirdly,  His  desires  are  new,  and  indeed  all  the  whole  train  of 
his  passions  and  inclinations.  They  are  no  longer  fixed  on  earthly 
things.  They  are  now  set  on  the  things  of  heaven.  His  love  and 
joy,  and  hope;  his  sorrow  and  fear,  have  all  respect  to  things  above. 
They  all  point  heavenward.  Where  his  treasure  is,  there  is  his  heart 
also.  I  dare  not  say  I  am  a  new  creature  in  this  respect.  For  other 
desires  often  ai^ise  in  my  heart.  But  they  do  not  reign.  I  put  them 
all  under  my  feet  through  Christ  who  strengiheneth  me.  Therefore 
I  believe  he  is  creating  me  anew  in  this  also,  and  that  he  has  begun, 
though  not  finished  his  work. 

"  Fourthly,  His  conversation  is  new.  It  is  always  seasoned  with 
salt,  and  fit  to  minister  grace  to  the  hearers.  So  is  mine,  by  the  grace 
of  God  in  Christ,  therefore,  in  this  respect,  I  am  a  new  creature. 

"  Fifthly,  His  actions  are  new.  The  tenor  of  his  life,  singly  points 
at  the  glory  of  God.  All  his  substance  and  time  are  devoted  thereto. 
Whether  he  eats  or  drinks,  or  whatever  he  does,  it  either  springs 
from,  or  leads  to  the  glory  of  God  and  the  good  of  man. — Such,  by 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


the  grace  of  God  in  Christ,  is  the  tenor  of  my  life.  Therefore,  in  this 
respect,  I  am  a  new  creature."  Heconchides  thus,  "  Upon  the  whole, 
although  I  have  not  yet  that  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  nor  the  full  as- 
surance of  faith,  much  less  am  I,  in  the  full  sense  of  the  words,  in 
Christ  a  new  creature:  I  nevertheless  trust  that  I  have  a  measure  of 
faith,  and  am  'accepted  in  the  beloved:'  1  trust  the  hand-writing  that 
was  against  me  is  blotted  out,  and  that  I  am  reconciled  to  God 
through  his  Son." 

The  whole  of  this  examination  of  himself  plainly  shows,  that  how- 
ever credulous  Mr.  Wesley  might  be,  with  respect  to  the  reports  of 
others,  and  credulous  he  certainly  was,  yet  in  judging  of  his  own  state, 
he  placed  no  confidence  in  visions,  dreams,  or  sudden  impressions  on 
the  mind  ;  but  calmly  and  rationally  examined,  whether  he  had  true 
scriptural  evidence,  that  he  was  passed  from  death  unto  life. 

October  13.  Being  at  Oxford,  he  found  leisure  to  write  to  a  few  of 
his  friends  in  Holland  and  Germany.  These  letters  show  us 
something  of  the  state  of  his  mind,  how  he  was  employed,  and  the 
success  of  his  labors.  To  Dr.  Koker,  of  Rotterdam,  he  wrote  as  fol- 
lows :  "  I  have  delayed  writing  till  now,  in  hopes  I  might  have  had  an 
opportunity  of  transcribing  the  papers  you  desired,  before  I  wrote. 
But  I  find  I  cannot  have  time  for  this  yet ;  it  having  pleased  God  to 
give  me  full  employment  of  another  nature.  His  blessed  Spirit  has 
wrought  so  powerfully  both  in  London  and  Oxford,  that  there  is  a 
general  awakening,  and  multitudes  are  crying  out,  'what  must  we  do 
to  be  saved?'  So  that  till  our  gracious  Master  sendeth  more  laborers 
into  his  harvest,  all  my  time  is  much  too  little  for  them. 

"  May  our  blessed  Lord  repay  seven-fold  into  your  bosoms,  the 
kindness  showed  to  us  for  his  name's  sake  !  that,  you  may  be  found 
in  him,  not  having  your  own  righteousness  which  is  of  the  law,  but 
that  which  is  through  the  faith  of  Christ,  the  righteousness  which  is 
of  God  by  faith,  is  the  earnest  prayer  of,  dear  sir,  your  unworthy 
brother  in  Christ." 

"  TO  MR.  INGHAM,  AT  HERNHUTH. 

"  O  my  dear  brother,  God  hath  been  wonderfully  gracious  to  iis, 
ever  since  our  return  to  England.  Though  there  are  many  adversaries, 
yet  a  great  door  and  eflfectual  is  opened  ;  and  we  continue,  through 
evil  report  and  good  report,  to  preach  the  gospel  of  Christ  to  all  peo- 
ple, and  earnestly  to  contend  for  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints. 
Indeed  he  hath  given  unto  us  many  of  our  fiercest  opposers,  who  now 
receive  with  meekness  the  ingrafted  word.  One  of  the  bitterest  of 
them  could  have  no  rest  in  his  spirit,  till  on  Saturday,  the  30th  of 
September,  O.  S.  he  was  compelled  to  send  for  me,  who  knew  him 
not,  so  much  as  by  face,  and  to  tell  me  the  secrets  of  his  heart.  He 
owned  with  many  tears,  that  in  spite  of  all  his  endeavors,  he  was  still 
carnal,  sold  under  sin  :  that  he  continually  did  the  thing  he  would 

VOL.  n.  8 


68 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   JOHN  WESLEY. 


not,  and  was  thereby  convinced  of  the  entire  corruption  of  his  whole 
nature:  that  the  very  night  before,  after  the  most  solemn  resolutions 
to  the  contrary,  he  had  been  guilty  of  gross  drunkenness,  and  had  no 
hope  of  escaping,  having  neither  spirit  nor  strength  left  in  him.  We 
fell  on  our  knees,  and  besought  our  Lord  to  bring  this  sinner  unto 
God,  who  through  his  blood  justifieth  the  ungodly.  He  arose,  and 
his  countenance  was  no  longer  sad :  for  he  knew,  and  testified  aloud, 
that  he  was  passed  from  death  unto  life,  and  felt  in  himself,  that  he 
was  healed  of  his  plague.  And  from  that  hour  to  this,  he  hath  had 
peace  and  joy  in  believing,  and  sin  hath  no  more  dominion  over 
him. 

"  Mr.  Stonehouse  hath  at  length  determined  to  know  nothing  but 
Jesus  Christ,  and  him  crucified ;  and  to  preach  unto  all,  remission  of 
sins  through  faith  in  his  blood.  Mr.  Sparkes  also,  is  a  teacher  of 
sound  doctrine.  Mr.  Hutchins  is  strong  in  the  faith,  and  mightily 
convinces  gainsayers,  so  that  no  man  hitherto  hath  been  able  to  stand 
before  him.  Mr.  Kinchin,  Gombold,  and  Wells,  have  not  yet  received 
comfort  but  are  patiently  waiting  for  it.  Mr.  Robson,  who  is  now  a 
minister  of  Christ  also,  is  full  of  faith,  and  peace,  and  love.  So  is 
Mr.  Combes,  a  little  child,  who  was  called  to  minister  in  holy  things 
two  or  three  weeks  ago.  Indeed  I  trust  our  Lord  will  let  us  see,  and 
that  shortly,  a  multitude  of  priests  that  believe.  My  brother  and  I, 
are  partly  here,  and  partly  in  London,  till  Mr.  Whitefield,  or  some 
other,  is  sent  to  release  us  from  hence. 

Pray  for  us  continually,  my  dear  brother,  that  we  may  make  full 
proof  of  our  ministry  ;  and  may  ourselves  stand  fast  in  the  grace  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  :  and  as  soon  as  you  can,  send  word  of  what  he  is 
doing  by  and  for  you." 

"  TO  COUNT  ZINZENDORF,  AT  MARIENBORN. 

"  May  our  gracious  Lord,  who  counteth  whatsover  is  done  to  the 
least  of  his  brethren,  as  done  to  himself,  return  seven-fold  to  you  and 
the  Countess,  and  to  all  the  brethren,  the  kindnesses  you  did  to  us  !  It 
would  have  been  a  great  satisfaction  to  me,  if  I  could  have  spent  more 
time  with  the  Christians  who  love  one  another.  But  that  could  not 
be  now ;  my  Master  having  called  me  to  work  in  another  part  of  his 
vineyard.  Nor  did  I  return  hither  at  all  before  the  time  :  for  though 
a  great  door  and  eff*ectual  had  been  opened,  the  adversaries  had  laid 
so  many  stumbling-blocks  before  it,  that  the  weak  were  daily  turned 
out  of  the  way.  Numberless  misunderstandings  had  arisen,  by 
means  of  which  the  way  of  truth  was  much  blasphemed  :  and  thence 
had  sprung  anger,  clamor,  bitterness,  evil-speaking,  envyings,  strifes, 
railings,  evil-surmises ;  whereby  the  enemy  had  gained  such  an 
advantage  over  the  little  flock,  that  of  the  rest  durst  no  man  join  him- 
self to  them. 

But  it  has  now  pleased  our  blessed  Master  to  remove,  in  great 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


69 


measure,  these  rocks  of  offence.  The  word  of  the  Lord  again  runs 
and  is  glorified;  and  his  work  goes  on  and  prospers.  Great  multi- 
tudes are  every  where  awakened,  and  cry  out,  '  What  must  we  do  to 
be  saved  7'  Many  of  them  see,  that  there  is  only  one  name  under 
heaven  whereby  they  can  be  saved :  and  more  and  more  of  those 
who  seek  it,  find  salvation  in  his  name :  and  these  are  of  one  heart 
and  one  soul.  They  all  love  one  another,  and  are  knit  together  in 
one  body,  and  one  spirit,  as  in  one  faith,  and  one  hope  of  their  call- 
ing. The  love  and  zeal  of  our  brethren  in  Holland  and  Germany, 
particularly  at  Hernhuth,  has  stirred  up  many  among  us,  who  will 
not  be  comforted  till  they  also  partake  of  the  great  and  precious  prom- 
ises. I  hope,  if  God  permit,  to  see  them  at  least  once  more,  were  it 
only  to  give  them  the  fruit  of  my  love,  the  speaking  freely  on  a  few 
things  which  I  did  not  approve,  perhaps  because  I  did  not  understand 
them.  May  our  merciful  Lord  give  you  a  right  judgment  in  all 
things,  and  make  you  to  abound  more  and  more  in  all  lowliness  and 
meekness,  in  all  simplicity  and  godly  sincerity,  in  all  watchfulness 
and  seriousness :  in  a  word,  in  all  faith  and  love,  particularly  to 
those  that  are  without;  till  you  are  merciful  as  your  father  which  is 
in  heaven  is  merciful !  I  desire  your  constant  and  earnest  prayers, 
that  he  would  vouchsafe  me  a  portion  of  the  same  spirit." 

"  To  the  Church  of  God  which  is  in  Hernhuth,  John  Wesley,  an 
unworthy  presbyter  of  the  Church  of  God  in  England,  wisheth  all 
grace  and  peace  in  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.    October  14. 

"  Glory  be  to  God,  even  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  for 
his  unspeakable  gift !  for  giving  me  to  be  an  eye-witness  of  your 
faith,  and  love,  and  holy  conversation  in  Christ  Jesus.  I  have  borne 
testimony  thereof  with  all  plainness  of  speech,  in  many  parts  of 
Germany,  and  thanks  have  been  given  to  God  by  many  on  your 
behalf 

"  We  are  endeavoring  here  also,  by  the  grace  which  is  given  us,  to 
be  followers  of  you,  as  ye  are  of  Christ.  Fourteen  were  added  to  us 
since  our  return,  so  that  we  have  now  eight  bands  of  men,  consisting 
of  fifty-six  persons,  all  of  whom  seek  for  salvation  only  in  the  blood 
of  Christ.  As  yet  we  have  only  two  small  bands  of  women,  the  one 
of  three,  the  other  of  five  persons.  But  here  are  many  others  who 
only  wait  till  we  have  leisure  to  instruct  them,  how  they  may  most 
effectually  build  up  one  another  in  the  faith  and  love  of  him  who 
gave  himself  for  them. 

''Though  my  brother  and  I,  are  not  permitted  to  preach  in  most 
of  the  churches  in  London,  yet,  thanks  be  to  God,  there  are  others 
left,  wherein  we  have  liberty  to  speak  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus. 
Likewise  every  evening,  and  on  set  evenings  in  the  week  at  two  sev- 
eral places,  we  publish  the  word  of  reconciliation,  sometimes  to  twenty 
or  thirty,  sometimes  to  fifty  or  sixty,  sometimes  to  three  or  four  hun- 


6^ 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


dred  persons,  met  together  to  hear  it.  We  begin  and  end  all  our 
meetings  with  singing  and  prayer  :  and  we  know  that  our  Lord  hear- 
eth  our  prayer,  having  more  than  once  or  twice,  and  this  was  not 
done  in  a  corner,  received  our  petitions  in  that  very  hour. 

"  Nor  hath  he  left  himself  without  other  witnesses  of  his  grace  and 
truth.  Ten  ministers  I  know  now  in  England,  who  lay  the  right 
foundation,  '  The  blood  of  Christ  cleanseth  us  from  all  sin.'  Over 
and  above  whom,  I  have  found  one  Anabaptist,  and  one,  if  not  two 
of  the  teachers  among  the  Presbyterians  here,  who,  I  hope,  love  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  sincerity,  and  teach  the  way  of  God  in  truth. 

O  cease  not,  ye  that  are  highly  favored,  to  beseech  our  Lord  that 
he  would  be  with  us  even  to  the  end;  to  remove  that  which  is  dis- 
pleasing in  his  sight,  to  support  that  which  is  weak  among  us,  to  give 
us  the  whole  mind  that  was  in  him,  and  teach  us  to  walk  even  as  he 
walked !  And  may  the  very  God  of  peace  fill  up  what  is  wanting 
in  your  faith,  and  build  you  up  more  and  more  in  all  lowliness  of 
mind,  in  all  plainness  of  speech,  in  all  zeal  and  watchfulness ;  that 
he  may  present  you  to  himself  a  glorious  church,  not  having  spot  or 
wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing,  but  that  ye  may  be  holy  and  unblamea- 
ble  in  the  day  of  his  appearing." 

We  should  not  do  justice  to  Mr.  Wesley,  were  we  to  suppose,  that 
he  meant  in  this  letter  to  insinuate,  there  were  only  ten  clergymen  in 
England  who  preached  the  gospel.  He  particularly  refers  to  those  he 
personally  knew,  who  had  been  lately  awakened  out  of  sleep,  and 
now  saw  the  way  of  salvation  through  faith  in  Christ  Jesus.  And 
his  principles  and  connexions,  as  a  high  churchman,  had  separated 
him  from  all  denominations  of  Dissenters,  so  that  he  could  have  had 
very  little  acquaintance  with  them.  Perhaps  the  three  to  whom  he 
refers,  were  all  he  could  speak  of  from  his  own  personal  knowledge ; 
though  no  doubt  many  others  taught  the  way  of  God  in  truth. 

Mr.  Wesley  pursued  his  labors  with  unremitting  diligence,  spend- 
ing his  time  from  an  early  hour  in  the  morning,  till  night,  in  preach- 
ing, exhorting,  praying,  or  conversing  with  the  people,  on  subjects 
that  related  to  christian  experience.  November  22.  He  again  wrote 
to  three  or  four  of  his  religious  friends,  and  spake  more  freely  than 
before,  of  the  state  of  his  own  mind. 

"TO  DR.  KOKER,  AT  ROTTERDAM. 

"  My  desire  and  prayer  to  God  is,  that  the  glorious  gospel  of  his 
Son,  may  run  and  be  glorified,  among  you  as  it  doth  among  us ;  and 
much  more  abundantly !  I  should  rejoice  to  hear,  what  our  Lord 
hath  done  for  you  also.  Is  the  number  of  believers  multiplied  ?  Do 
they  love  one  another?  Are  they  all  of  one  heart  and  one  soul7 
Do  they  build  up  one  another,  in  the  knowledge  and  love  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  ?  May  he  multiply  your  little  flock  a  thousand  fold,  how 
many  soever  you  be !  May  he  fill  you  with  all  peace  and  joy  in 
believing !    May  he  preserve  you  in  all  lowliness  of  spirit !  And 


THE  LIFE  OP  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


61 


may  he  enable  you  to  use  great  plainness  of  speech,  both  toward  each 
other,  and  toward  all  men ;  and  by  manifestation  of  the  truth,  to 
commend  yourselves  to  every  man's  conscience  in  the  sight  of  God ! 

"Even  to  this  hour,  I  have  not  had  one  day's  leisure,  to  transcribe 
for  you  the  papers  I  brought  from  Hernhuth :  the  harvest  here  also, 
is  so  plenteous,  and  the  laborers  so  few  ;  and  it  increases  upon  us  daily. 
Verily  the  spirit  of  the  Lord  hath  lift  up  his  standard  against  the 
iniquity  which  had  overspread  our  land  as  a  flood !  O  pray  ye  for 
us,  that  he  would  send  more  laborers  into  his  harvest !  And  that  he 
would  enable  us  whom  he  hath  already  sent,  to  approve  ourselves 
faithful  ministers  of  the  New  Covenant,  by  honor  and  dishonor,  by 
evil  report  and  good  report !  In  particular  let  all  the  brethren  and 
sisters  who  are  with  you,  pray  that  God  would  warm  with  his 
love,  the  cold  heart  of,  dear  sir,  your  much  obliged  and  very  affec- 
tionate brother  in  Christ,  J.  Wesley." 

"  TO  MR.  VINEY,  AT  YSSELSTEIN. 

"  After  a  long  sleep,  there  seems  now  to  be  a  great  awakening  in 
this  place  also.  The  spirit  of  the  Lord  hath  already  shaken  the  dry 
bones,  and  some  of  them  stand  up  and  live.  But  I  am  still  dead  and 
cold ;  having  peace  indeed,  but  no  love  or  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost.  O 
pray  for  me,  that  I  may  see  and  feel  myself  a  sinner,  and  have  a  full 
interest  in  the  Lamb  of  God  that  taketh  away  the  sins  of  the 
world !"  &c. 

"to  ISAAC  LE-LONG,  AT  AMSTERDAM. 

"  Do  not  think  my  dear  brother  that  I  have  forgotten  you.  I  can- 
not forget  you,  because  I  love  you :  though  I  cannot  love  any  one  yet, 
as  I  ought,  because  I  cannot  love  our  blessed  Lord,  as  I  ought.  My 
heart  is  cold  and  senseless :  it  is  indeed  a  heart  of  stone.  Pray  for 
me,  and  let  all  your  household  pray  for  me,  yea  and  all  the  brethren 
also,  that  our  God  would  give  me  a  broken  heart;  a  loving  heart; 
a  heart  wherein  his  spirit  may  delight  to  dwell. 

"  May  our  good  Lord  repay  you  all  a  thousand  fold  for  the  love 
you  showed  to  us.  How  does  his  gospel  prosper  at  Amsterdam? 
Are  believers  multiplied?  and  is  his  grace  mighty  among  you?  Is 
their  name  yet  cast  out  as  evil  (for  that  must  be  the  next)  and  do 
men  despitefully  use  you,  and  persecute  you?  I  want  you  to  say  a 
great  deal  to  me  of  it.  But  above  all,  I  want  you  to  pray  a  great? 
deal,  for  your  poor,  weak  brother,  John  Wesley." 

We  see  by  these  letters,  that  Mr.  Wesley  was  not  carried  up  on-, 
high  as  on  eagles'  wings,  by  any  extatic  joy  which  obliterated  the 
common  feelings  of  human  nature :  he  walked  in  the  valley,  humble 
and  low,  bemoaning  his  condition,  and  struggling  against  the  dulness 
and  sluggishness  of  his  own  heart.  Had  he  been  actuated  in  his 
labors,  only  by  a  religious  fervor  of  mind,  his  diligence  would  not 
have  been  so  uniform  as  it  was,  nor  his  perseverance  so  lasting.  Omr 

VOL.  II.  6 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


passions  and  inward  feelings  are  necessarily  variable ;  and  if  we  are  ! 
impelled  only  by  these,  in  a  religious  course  of  life,  or  in  any  other  ' 
laudable  pursuit,  our  diligence  will  remit,  and  our  perseverance  be 
short,  especially  when  temptation  and  interest  draw  another  way. 
Mr.  Wesley  acted  on  a  different  principle.  He  had  a  strong  convic- 
tion, founded  on  cool  reflection,  that  he  was  every  day  doing  what 
God  required  him  to  do :  he  considered  his  success  in  turning  sinners 
from  darkness  to  light,  and  from  the  power  of  satan  to  God,  as  a  tes- 
timony of  the  divine  approbation  of  his  conduct;  and  therefore 
believed,  that  he  was  laboring  for  the  best  interests  of  his  fellow  mor- 
tals. This  conviction  was  so  strong  that  no  persecution  or  opposite 
interest  could  ever  divert  him  from  his  pursuits. 

December  11.  Hearing  Mr.  Whitefield  was  returned  from  Georgia, 
he  went  to  London  to  meet  him,  and  they  again  took  sweet  counsel 
together.  January  1,  1739.  He  was  present  at  a  love-feast  in  Fet- 
ter-Lane, together  with  Mr.  Hall,  Kinchin,  Ingham,  Whitefield, 
Hutchins,  and  his  brother  Charles ;  and  about  sixty  of  the  brethren. 
"About  three  in  the  morning,"  says  he,  "as  we  were  continuing 
instant  in  prayer,  the  power  of  God  came  mightily  upon  us,  insomuch 
that  many  cried  out  for  exceeding  joy,  and  many  fell  to  the  ground. 
As  soon  as  we  were  recovered  a  little  from  that  awe  and  amazement 
at  the  presence  of  His  majesty,  we  broke  out  with  one  voice,  '  We 
praise  Thee,  O  God ;  we  acknowledge  Thee  to  be  the  Lord.'  " — How 
little  does  the  world  know;  how  little  do  merely  speculative  and 
formal  Christians  know,  of  these  refreshing,  invigorating  seasons 
which  come  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  and  give  to  the  true  wor- 
shippers a  demonstrative  evidence  of  the  truth  of  Christianity ! 

In  the  spring  Mr.  Whitefield  went  down  to  Bristol,  and  there  first 
began  to  preach  in  the  open  air,  to  incredible  numbers  of  people. 
Mr.  Wesley  continued  his  labors  in  London  and  Oxford  alternately, 
and  occasionally  in  the  neighboring  places  without  any  intention  of 
altering  his  usual  manner  of  proceeding.  But  in  the  latter  end  of 
March,  he  received  a  letter  from  Mr.  Whitefield,  who  entreated  him 
in  the  most  pressing  manner  to  come  to  Bristol,  evidently  with  inten- 
tion that  he  might  step  into  this  new  path  which  now  lay  open  before 
him.  At  first  he  was  not  at  all  forward  to  comply  with  the  request; 
and  his  brother  Charles,  and  some  others,  warmly  opposed  his  going; 
from  an  unaccountable  apprehension  that  it  would  prove  fatal  to  him.* 
At  length  Mr.  Wesley  freely  gave  himsolf  up,  to  whatever  the  Lord 
should  appoint.  It  was  a  rule  of  the  society,  "  That  any  person  who 
desired,  or  designed  to  take  a  journey,  should  first,  if  it  were  possible, 
have  the  approbation  of  the  bands  : "  so  entirely  were  the  ministers, 
at  this  time,  under  the  direction  of  the  people  !  Accordingly  on  the 
28th,  the  matter  was  laid  before  them,  and  after  some  debate  they 
determined  that  he  should  comply  with  Mr.  Whitefield's  request.  He 
left  London  the  next  day,  and  on  the  31st  came  to  Bristol. 

*  See  vol.  i.  page  128. 


THE 


LIFE  OF  THE  MV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


BOOK  THIRD. 


CHAPTER  I. 

CONTAINING  A  VIEW  OF  MR.  WESLEY's  LABORS  AS  AN  ITINERANT  PREACHER, 
AND  OF  THE  FORMATION  OF  SOCIETIES,  &C.  TILL  THE  FIRST  METHODIST- 
CONFERENCE,  IN  1744. 

I  HAVE  now  traced  the  steps  of  Mr.  Wesley,  from  his  infancy  to 
the  present  period,  which  forms  an  important  era  in  his  Hfe.  He  now 
commenced  a  Field-preacher,  as  he  was  called,  and  itinerancy  natu- 
rally followed,  which  laid  the  foundation  of  the  present  system  of 
Methodism.  It  has  often  been  suggested  by  his  opponents,  that  the 
plan  of  Methodism  was  the  result  of  a  long  premeditated  design :  but 
on  a  careful  examination  into  the  very  minutice  of  his  life  till  this 
time,  no  such  design  appears.  He  positively  asserts  the  contrary ; 
and  every  circumstance  collected  from  his  private  papers,  confirms  the 
truth  of  his  assertion.  It  is  indeed  true,  that  by  a  strange  chain  of 
providences,  he  was  admirably  fitted  without  any  design  of  his  own, 
to  prosecute  the  plan  he  now  entered  upon  through  all  its  conse- 
quences. After  many  years  of  painful  labor  and  exercise  of  mind,  he 
had  obtained  clear  and  distinct  views  of  the  gospel ;  and  what  was 
especially  necessary  to  his  success,  he  well  understood  the  order 
observable  in  the  gradations  of  christian  experience,  from  the  first 
commencement  of  a  work  of  grace  on  the  mind,  to  its  consummation. 
He  had  long  been  inured  to  fatigue  and  hardship;  a  qualification 
highly  necessary  for  the  success  of  his  present  plan  of  proceedings. 
He  had  experienced  great  opposition,  contempt,  reproach,  and  even 
persecution,  both  in  England  and  America ;  which  made  them  appear 
in  the  prospect  of  his  new  undertaking  less  formidable  to  him,  than 
they  would  have  done  to  others.  Most  of  the  churches  in  London 
had  been  shut  against  him,  so  that  his  opportunities  of  preaching 
became  very  limited,  and  as  he  durst  not  be  silent,  he  was  reduced  to 
a  sort  of  necessity  to  preach  in  the  open  air,  in  opposition  to  his  former 
notions  and  habits.    But  he  observes,    I  have  since  seen  abundant 


64 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


reason  to  adore  the  wise  providence  of  God  herein,  making  a  way  for 
myriads  of  people,  who  never  troubled  any  church,  or  were  likely  so 
to  do,  to  hear  that  word  which  they  soon  found  to  be  the  power  of 
God  unto  salvation." 

April  1.  Mr.  Whitefield  having  left  Bristol,  Mr.  Wesley  began  to 
expound  to  a  little  society,  accustomed  to  meet  in  Nicholas-Street,  our 
Lord's  sermon  on  the  mount;  "One  pretty  remarkable  precedent," 
says  he,  "of  field-preaching,  though  I  suppose  iheie  were  churches  at 
that  time  also.  Monday  the  second,  I  submitted  to  be  more  vile^  and 
proclaimed  in  the  highways  the  glad-tidings  of  salvation,  speaking 
from  a  little  eminence  in  a  ground  adjoining  to  the  city,  to  about  three 
thousand  people." — His  preaching  was  attended  with  surprising  suc- 
cess, so  that  in  a  very  short  time,  a  few,  and  afterwards  a  greater 
number,  agreed  to  meet  together,  to  edify  and  strengthen  one  another, 
as  the  people  already  did  in  London. 

Mr.  Wesley  continued  in  Bristol  and  the  neighboring  places  till 
June.  He  thus  describes  his  public  labors  through  the  week.  "My 
ordinary  employment  in  public,  was  now  as  follows :  every  morning  I 
read  prayers  and  preached  at  Newgate.  Every  evening  I  expounded 
a  portion  of  Scripture,  at  one  or  more  of  the  societies.  On  Monday  in 
the  afternoon  I  preached  abroad  near  Bristol ;  on  Tuesday  at  Batli 
and  Two-mile  Hill,  alternately.  On  Wednesday,  at  Baptist-Mills. 
Every  other  Thursday,  near  Pensford.  Every  other  Friday,  in  another 
part  of  Kingswood.  On  Saturday  in  the  afternoon,  and  Sunday  morning, 
in  the  Bowling-Green.  On  Sunday  at  eleven,  near  Hannam-Mount ; 
at  two  at  Clifton  ;  at  five,  at  Rose- Green.  And  hitherto,  as  my  day  is, 
so  is  my  strength." — He  tells  us,  he  could  scarcely  reconcile  himself 
at  first,  to  this  strange  way  of  preaching  in  the  fields,  of  which  Mr. 
Whitefield  had  set  him  the  example;  "  Having  been,"  says  he,  "till 
very  lately  so  tenacious  of  every  point  relating  to  decency  and  order, 
that  I  should  have  thought  the  saving  of  souls  almost  a  sin,  if  it  had 
not  been  done  m  a  church.^^ 

During  this  summer,  his  preaching  at  Bristol  was  attended  with 
some  extraordinary  circumstances,  which  made  much  noise,  and  gave 
great  offence.  Under  the  sermon,  some  persons  trembled  from  head 
to  foot :  others,  fell  down  and  cried  out  with  a  loud  and  bitter  cry  : 
whilst  others  became  speechless,  and  seemed  convulsed  as  if  in  the 
agonies  of  death.  After  prayer  for  them,  many  rose  up  rejoicing  in 
God,  and  testifying,  they  had  redemption  through  the  blood  of  Christ, 
even  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  according  to  the  riches  of  his  grace. — 
Some  afterwards  said,  they  had  so  strong  a  representation  of  Christ 
to  their  mind  at  that  time,  that  it  seemed  like  a  vision  of  him,  evidently 
set  forth  crucified  among  them  :  and  in  that  moment  they  were  ena- 
bled to  believe  on  him.  Others  pretended  they  had  a  similar  repre- 
sentation of  him  in  a  dream,  and  through  faith  received  the  remission 
of  sins.  No  regard  ought  to  be  had  to  these  declarations,  as  evidences 
of  conversion ;  because  the  judgment  of  these  persons  must  be  greatly 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


66 


confused,  while  their  passions  were  so  much  agitated.  Mr.  Wesley 
himself,  at  first  knew  not  how  he  ought  to  judge  of  these  extraordin- 
ary things ;  but  when  he  found  that  most  of  the  persons  so  affected, 
held  fast  their  confidence,  and  walked  worthy  of  their  christian  calling, 
adorning  the  doctrine  of  God  our  Saviour  in  all  things,  he  could  not 
deny  that  there  was  a  real  genuine  work  of  grace  upon  their  minds. 
He  did  not  however  consider  agitations,  visions,  or  dreams,  as  any 
evidence  of  a  true  conversion  to  God ;  but  as  adventitious  or  accidental 
circumstances,  which  from  various  causes  might,  or  might  not,  attend 
it :  and  this  view  of  them,  he  thought  perfectly  consistent  with  Scrip- 
ture. The  gentle  manner  in  which,  under  these  views,  he  spake  of 
them  was  generally  misunderstood,  raised  up  several  adversaries,  and 
made  the  good  that  was  really  done,  be  evil  spoken  of  He  gave  a 
particular  account  from  time  to  time  of  the  things  that  happened,  to 
such  ministers  as  he  thought  sincerely  desired  the  increase  of  God's 
kingdom,  and  had  some  experience  of  it.  Mr.  Ralph  Erskine  was 
very  favorable  in  his  judgment  of  these  adventitious  circumstances ; 
and  says,  "I  desire  to  bless  my  Lord,  for  the  great  and  good  news 
your  letter  bears,  about  the  Lord's  turning  many  souls  'from  darkness 
to  light,  and  from  the  power  of  satan  unto  God ; '  and  that  such  a 
great  and  effectual  door  is  opened  among  you  as  the  many  adversaries 
cannot  shut. — As  to  the  outward  manner  you  speak  of,  wherein  most 
of  them  were  aflfected  who  were  cut  to  the  heart  by  the  sword  of  the 
spirit,  no  wonder  this  was  at  first  surprising  to  you,  since  they  are 
indeed  so  very  rare,  that  have  been  thus  pricked  and  wounded.  Yet 
some  of  the  instances  you  give,  seem  to  be  exemplified  in  the  outward 
manner  wherein  Paul,  and  the  jailor,  were  at  first  affected ;  as  also 
Peter's  hearers,  Acts  ii. — What  influence  sudden  and  sharp  awaken- 
ings may  have  on  the  body,  I  pretend  not  to  explain  :  but  I  make  no 
question  satan,  so  far  as  he  gets  power,  may  exert  himself  on  such 
occasions,  partly  to  hinder  the  good  work  in  the  persons  thus  touched 
with  the  sharp  arrows  of  conviction,  and  partly  to  disparage  the  work 
of  God,  as  if  it  tended  to  lead  people  to  distraction. — However,  the 
merciful  issue  of  the  conflicts  in  the  conversion  of  the  persons  thus 
affected,  is  the  main  thing. 

"All  the  outward  appearances  of  people's  being  affected  among  us, 
may  be  reduced  to  these  two  sorts ;  one  is,  hearing  with  a  close,  silent 
attention,  with  gravity  and  greediness,  discovered  by  fixed  looks, 
weeping  eyes,  and  sorrowful  or  joyful  countenances ;  another  sort  is, 
when  they  lift  up  their  voice  aloud,  some  more  depressedly,  and  others 
more  highly  ;  and  at  times  the  whole  multitude  in  a  flood  of  tears,  all 
as  it  were  crying  out  at  once,  till  their  voices  be  ready  to  drown  the 
minister's,  that  he  can  scarce  be  heard  for  the  weeping  noise  that 
surrounds  him. — The  influence  on  some  of  these,  like  a  land  flood, 
dries  up ;  we  hear  of  no  change  wrought.  But  on  others  it  appears 
in  the  fruits  of  righteousness,  and  the  tract  of  a  holy  conversation." 

VOL.  n.  6*  9 


rflll  THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 

It  seems  from  this  letter,  that  Mr.  Wesley  was  not  the  only  gospel 
minister,  whose  discourses  were,  at  certain  times,  attended  with 
uncommon  effects  on  the  minds  of  the  hearers. 

Mr.  Samuel  Wesley  judged  much  more  unfavorably  of  the  outward 
circumstances  attending  his  brother's  preaching ;  and  in  some  respects 
denied  the  assurance  of  the  pardon  of  sins,  which  the  people  professed 
to  experience.  A  correspondence  took  place  on  these  subjects,  between 
him  and  Mr.  John  Wesley,  a  part  of  which  has  already  been  published 
by  Dr.  Priestley,  in  his  collection  of  Original  Letters  by  the  Rev.  John 
Wesley,^^  &c.  But  as  this  correspondence  stands  there  in  a  mutilated 
state,  it  may  mislead  the  judgment  of  some  persons,  not  much  acquainted 
with  the  history  of  Methodism:  I  therefore  think  it  necessary,  that 
the  reader  may  do  justice  to  Mr.  Wesley's  character,,  to  give  a  more 
complete  view  of  it,  and  occasionally  to  add  a  remark  for  further  illus- 
tration of  the  subject. 

This  correspondence  commenced  in  the  latter  end  of  the  year  1738; 
but  I  have  referred  the  account  of  it  to  this  place,  that  I  might  give 
the  whole  of  it  together.  The  first  letter  on  this  controversy,  which 
has  been  preserved,  was  written  by  Mr.  John  Wesley,  and  dated  the 
30th  of  October.  He  observes  to  his  brother  Samuel,  "  That  you  will 
always  receive  kindly,  what  is  so  intended,  I  doubt  not. — With  regard 
to  my  own  character,  and  my  doctrine  likewise,  I  shall  answer  you 
very  plainly.  By  a  Christian,  I  mean  one  who  so  believes  in  Christy 
as  that  sin  hath  no  more  dominion  over  him  ;  and  in  this  obvious  sense 
of  the  word,  I  was  not  a  Christian  till  May  the  24th,  last  past.  For 
till  then  sin  had  the  dominion  over  me,  although  I  fought  with  it  con- 
tinually;  but  surely  then,  from  that  time  to  this,  it  hath  not;  such  is 
the  free  grace  of  God  in  Christ.  What  sins  they  were,  which  till 
then  reigned  over  me,  and  from  which,  by  the  grace  of  God,  I  am 
now  free,  I  am  ready  to  declare  on  the  house-top,  if  it  may  be  for  the 
glory  of  God. 

If  you  ask  by  what  means  I  am  made  free  (though  not  perfect, 
neither  infallibly  sure  of  my  perseverance)  I  answer,  by  faith  in 
Christ;  by  such  a  sort  or  degree  of  faith,  as  I  had  not  till  that  day. 
Some  measure  of  this  faith,  which  bringeth  salvation  or  victory  over 
sin,  and  which  implies  peace  and  trust  in  God  through  Christ,  I  do 
now  enjoy  by  his  free  mercy :  though  in  very  deed,  it  is  in  me  but  as 
a  grain  of  mustard  seed :  for  the  7iXj]QO(poQia  nigsMg,  the  seal  of  the 
spirit,  the  love  of  God  shed  abroad  in  my  heart,  and  producing 
joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost ;  joy  which  no  man  taketh  away  ;  joy 
unspeakable  and  full  of  glory ;  this  witness  of  the  spirit  I  have  not, 
but  I  patiently  wait  for  it,  I  know  many  who  have  already  received 
it;  more  than  one  or  two,  in  the  very  hour  we  were  praying  for  it. 
And  having  seen  and  spoken  with  a  cloud  of  witnesses  abroad,  as 
well  as  in  my  own  country,  I  cannot  doubt  but  that  believers  who 
wait  and  pray  for  it,  will  find  these  Scriptures  fulfilled  in  themselves. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


My  hope  is  that  they  will  be  fulfilled  in  me ;  I  build  on  Christ  the 
rock  of  ages :  on  his  sure  mercies  described  in  his  word ;  and  on  hi« 
promises,  all  which  I  know  are  yea,  and  Amen.  Those  who  have 
not  yet  received  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  love  of  God,  and  the 
plerophory  of  faith  (any,  or  all  of  which  I  take  to  be  the  witness  of 
the  Spirit  with  our  spirit,  that  we  are  the  sons  of  God)  I  believe 
to  be  Christians  in  that  imperfect  sense  wherein  I  call  myself 
such  ;  and  I  exhort  them  to  pray,  that  God  would  give  them  also, 
'to  rejoice  in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God,'  and  to  feel  his  'love  shed 
abroad  in  their  hearts,  by  the  Holy  Ghost  which  is  given  unto  them.'  • 

"  On  men  I  build  not,  neither  on  Matilda  Chipman's  word,  whom  I 
have  not  talked  with  five  minutes  in  my  life;  nor  anything  peculiar 
in  the  weak,  well-meant  relation  of  William  Hervey,  who  yet  is  a 
serious  humble  acting  Christian.  But  have  you  built  nothing  on 
these  1  Yes ;  I  find  them  more  or  less,  in  almost  every  letter  you  / 
have  written  on  the  subject.  Yet  were  all  that  has  been  said  on 
visions^  dreams^  and  balls  of  Jire^  to  be  fairly  proposed  in  syllogisms, 
I  believe  it  would  not  prove  a  jot  more  on  one,  than  on  the  other  side 
of  the  question. 

"O  brother,  would  to  God  you  would  leave  disputing  concerning 
the  things  which  you  know  not,  if  indeed  you  know  them  not,  and 
beg  of  God  to  fill  up  what  is  wanting  in  you.  Why  should  not  you 
also  seek  till  you  receive,  '  that  peace  of  God  which  passeth  under- 
standing?' Who  shall  hinder  you,  notwithstanding  the  manifold 
temptations,  from  rejoicing  with  joy  unspeakable,  by  reason  of  glory  1 
Amen  !  Lord  Jesus  !  May  you  and  all  who  are  near  of  kin  to  you, 
if  you  have  it  not  already,  feel  his  love  shed  abroad  in  your  hearts, 
by  his  spirit  which  dwelleth  in  you,  and  be  sealed  with  the  Holy 
Spirit  of  Promise,  which  is  the  earnest  of  your  inheritance." 

November  15.  Mr.  Samuel  Wesley,  answered,  "I  have  many 
remarks  to  make  on  your  letter,  but  do  not  care  to  fight  in  the  dark, 
or  run  my  head  against  a  stone  wall.  You  need  fear  no  controversy 
with  me,  unless  you  hold  it  worth  while  to  remove  these  three  doubts. 
— 1.  Whether  you  will  own,  or  disown  in  terms,  the  necessity  of  a 
sensible  information  from  God  of  pardon?  If  you  disown  it,  the 
matter  is  over  as  to  you :  if  you  own  it,  then,  2.  Whether  you  will 
not  think  me  distracted,  to  oppose  you  with  the  most  infallible  of  all 
proofs,  inward  feeling  in  yourself,  and  positive  evidence  in  your 
friends,  while  I  myself  produce  neither.  3.  Whether  you  will  release 
me  from  the  horns  of  your  dilemma,  that  I  must  either  talk  without 
knowledge  like  a  fool,  or  against  it  like  a  knave?  I  conceive  neither 
part  strikes — for  a  man  may  reasonably  argue  against  what  he  never 
felt,  and  may  honestly  deny  what  he  has  felt,  to  be  necessary  to 
<Jthers. 

*'  You  build  nothing  on  tales,  but  I  do.  I  see  what  is  manifestly 
built  upon  them ;  if  you  disclaim  it,  and  warn  poor  shallow  pates  of 


68 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


their  folly  and  danger,  so  much  the  better.  They  are  counted  signs 
or  tokens,  means  or  conveyances,  proofs  or  evidences,  of  the  sensible 
information,  &c.  calculated  to  turn  fools  into  madmen,  and  put  them 
without  a  jest,  into  the  condition  of  Oliver's  porter. — When  I  hear 
visions,  &c.  reproved,  discouraged,  and  ceased  among  the  new  broth- 
erhood, I  shall  then  say  no  more  of  them ;  but  till  then,  I  will  use  my 
utmost  strength  which  God  shall  give  me,  to  expose  these  bad  branches 
of  a  bad  root. 

"Such  doctrine  as  encourages,  and  abets,  spiritual  fire-balls,  appa- 
ritions of  the  Father,  &c.,  <fcc.,  is  delusive  and  dangerous :  but  the 
sensible  information,  &c.  is  such ;  ergo. — I  mention  not  this  to  enter 
into  any  dispute  with  you,  for  you  seem  to  disapprove,  though  not 
expressly  disclaim  them ;  but  to  convince  you  I  am  not  out  of  my 
way,  though  encountering  of  wind-mills." 

This  letter  appears  to  be  full  of  fallacy.  To  give  one  instance. 
Mr.  J.  Wesley  had  said,  the  witness  of  the  spirit  was  the  common 
privilege  of  believers :  that  he  considered  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  the 
love  of  God,  and  the  plerophory  of  faith,  as  the  witness  of  the  Spirit 
with  our  spirit,  that  we  are  the  sons  of  God :  that  the  whole  of  what 
had  been  said  on  "visions,  dreams,  and  balls  of  fire,"  could  not,  in 
his  opinion,  either  prove  or  disprove  the  point  in  question  between 
them ;  that  is,  visions,  dreams,  and  balls  of  fire,  were  totally  foreign 
to  the  witness  of  the  Spirit,  for  which  he  was  contending.  But  his 
brother  Samuel  changes  the  term  witness^  and  substitutes  for  it, 
sensible  infoi^mation ;  by  which  he  means,  something  visible  to 
the  sight,  or  existing  in  the  fancy,  and  then  indeed  visions,  &c.  were 
connected  with  the  question;  and  he  reasons  on  this  supposition. 
But  this  was  a  mere  sophism,  of  which  Mr.  J.  Wesley  would  proba- 
bly have  taken  notice  had  he  been  writing  to  a  stranger,  or  had  he 
foreseen  that  any  one  would  print  the  letters  after  his  death.  No- 
vember 30.  He  replied  to  his  brother  Samuel,  and  tells  him,  "I 
believe  every  Christian  who  has  not  yet  received  it,  ought  to  pray  for, 
'  the  witness  of  God's  Spirit  with  his  spirit,  that  he  is  a  child  of 
God  ! '  In  being  a  child  of  God,  the  pardon  of  his  sins  is  included  : 
therefore  I  believe  the  Spirit  of  God  will  witness  this  also.  That  this 
witness  is  from  God,  the  very  terms  imply  ;  and  this  witness  I  believe 
is  necessary  for  my  salvation.  How  far  invincible  ignorance  may 
excuse  others,  I  know  not. 

"  But  this  you  say,  is  delusive  and  dangerous,  '  Because  it  encour- 
ages and  abets,  idle  visions  and  dreams.'  It  'encourages' — True; 
accidentally,  but  not  essentially.  And  that  it  does  this  accidentally, 
or  that  weak  minds  may  pervert  it  to  an  ill  use,  is  no  reasonable 
objection  against  it :  for  so  they  may  pervert  every  truth  in  the  ora- 
cles of  God;  more  especially  that  dangerous  doctrine  of  Joel,  cited 
by  St.  Peter :  '  It  shall  come  to  pass  in  the  last  days,  saith  God,  I 
will  pour  out  of  my  spirit  upon  all  flesh :  and  your  sons  and  your 


I^HE  LSFE  OF  TH£  iREV.  JOHN  W£S^EY.  09 

daughters  shall  prophesy,  and  your  young  men  shall  see  visions,  and 
your  old  men  shall  dream  dreams.' — Such  visions  indeed,  as  you 
mention  are  given  up :  does  it  follow  that  visions  and  dreams  in  gen- 
eral, are  bad  branches  of  a  bad  root?  God  forbid.  This  would 
prove  more  than  you  desire." 

December  13.  Mr.  Samuel  Wesley  again  wrote  to  his  brother. 
He  now  discussed  the  matter  a  little  more  soberly,  and  kept  closer  to 
the  point  in  debate.  He  says,  "  That  you  were  not  a  Christian 
before  May,  in  your  sense,  any  one  may  allow :  but  have  you  ever 
since  continued  sinless  ? — '  Sin  has  not  the  dominion  ! '  Do  you  never 
then  fall  7  Or,  do  you  mean  no  more,  than  that  you  are  free  from  pre- 
sumptuous sins  7  If  the  former,  I  deny  it :  if  the  latter,  who  dis- 
putes 7  Your  misapplication  of  the  witness  of  the  spirit  is  so  tho- 
roughly cleared  by  Bishop  Bull,  that  I  shall  not  hold  a  candle  to  the 
sun.  What  portion  of  love,  joy,  &c.  God  may  please  to  bestow  on 
Christians,  is  in  his  hand,  not  ours.  Those  texts  you  quote  no  more 
prove  them  generally  necessary,  in  what  you  call  your  imperfect 
state,  than,  'rejoice  in  the  Lord  always,' contradicts — '  Blessed  are 
they  that  mourn' — I  had  much  more  to  say,  but  it  will  keep,  if  ever 
it  should  be  proper." 

In  the  beginning  of  the  present  year,  1739,  Mr.  J.  Wesley  replied  to 
his  brother.  A  part  of  this  letter  I  have  not  been  able  to  find.*  In 
what  remains,  he  tells  him,  "  I  think  Bishop  Bull's  sermon  on  the 
witness  of  the  Spirit  (against  the  witness  of  the  Spirit  it  should  rather 
be  entitled)  is  full  of  gross  perversions  of  Scripture ;  and  manifest 
contradictions  both  to  Scripture  and  experience.  I  find  more  persons, 
day  by  day,  who  experience  a  clear  evidence  of  their  being  in  a  state 
of  salvation.  But  I  never  said  this  continues  equally  clear  in  all,  as 
long  as  they  continue  in  a  state  of  salvation.  Some  indeed  have  tes- 
tified, and  the  whole  tenor  of  their  life  made  their  testimony  unex- 
ceptionable, that,  from  that  hour  they  have  felt  no  agonies  at  all,  no 
anxious  fears,  no  sense  of  dereliction.    Others  have. 

But  I  much  fear,  we  begin  our  dispute  at  the  wrong  end.  I  fear 
you  dissent  from  the  fundamental  Articles  of  the  Church  of  England. 
I  know  Bishop  Bull  does — I  doubt  you  do  not  hold  justification  by 
faith  alone :  if  not,  neither  do  you  hold,  what  our  Articles  teach  con- 
cerning the  extent  and  guilt  of  original  sin :  neither  do  you  feel  your- 
self a  lost  sinner ;  and  if  we  begin  not  here,  we  are  building  on  the 
sand.  O  may  the  God  of  love,  if  my  sister  or  you  are  otherwise 
minded,  reveal  even  this  unto  you." 

*  Mr.  Wesley's  papers  have  been  separated,  and  parts  of  them  selected  several  times,  I 
believe  for  the  Magazines,  and  for  his  other  publications  :  for  some  years  also,  they  have 
been  so  much  exposed  to  various  persons,  that  probably  some  have  been  lost.  On  these 
accounts  they  are,  as  might  be  expected,  much  mangled,  and  on  many  subjects  rendered 
verj'  defective. 


90 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  EEV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


Tiverton^  March  26. 

"  Dear  Jack, 

"  I  might  as  well  have  wrote  immediately  after  your  last,  as  now, 
for  any  new  information  that  I  expected  from  my  mother :  and  I 
might  as  well  let  it  alone  at  present,  for  any  effect  it  will  have, 
farther  than  showing  you,  I  neither  despise  you  on  the  one  hand,  nor 
am  angry  with  you  on  the  other.  I  am  persuaded  you  will  hardly 
see  me  face  to  face  in  this  world,  though  somewhat  nearer  than  Count 
Zinzendorf  Charles  has  at  last  told  me  in  terms — he  believes  no 
more  of  dreams  and  visions  than  I  do.  Had  you  said  so,  I  believe  I 
should  hardly  have  spent  any  time  upon  them;  though  I  find  others 
credit  them,  whatever  you  may  do.  You  make  two  degrees  or  kinds 
of  assurance ;  that  neither  of  them  are  necessary  to  a  state  of  salva- 
tion, I  prove  thus ; 

1.  Because  multitudes  are  saved  without  either.  These  are  of 
three  sorts,  1.  All  infants  baptised,  who  die  before  actual  sin.  2.  All 
persons  of  a  melancholy  and  gloomy  constitution;  who,  without  a 
miracle,  cannot  be  changed.  3.  All  penitents,  who  live  a  good  life 
after  their  recovery,  and  yet  never  attain  to  their  first  state. 

"  2.  The  lowest  assurance  is  an  impression  from  God  who  is  infal- 
lible, that  heaven  shall  be  actually  enjoyed  by  the  person  to  whom  it 
is  made.  How  is  this  consistent  with  fears  of  miscarriage:  with 
deep  sorrow,  and  going  on  the  way  weeping  ?  How  can  any  doubt, 
after  such  certificate  ?  If  they  can,  then  here  is  an  assurance  whereby 
the  person  who  has  it  is  not  sure. 

"3.  If  this  be  essential  to  a  state  of  salvation,  it  is  utterly  im- 
possible any  should  fall  from  that  state  finally :  since,  how  can  any 
thing  be  more  fixed,  than  what  Truth  and  Power  has  said  he  will  per- 
form? Unless  you  will  say  of  the  matter  here,  as  I  observed  of  the 
person,  that  there  may  be  assurance  wherein  the  thing  itself  is  not 
certain.    We  join  in  love.    I  am  your  affectionate  friend  and  brother, 

"S.  Wesley." 

April  4.  Mr.  John  Wesley  replied  from  Bristol.  "  I  rejoice  greatly," 
says  he,  "  at  the  temper  with  which  you  now  write,  and  trust  there 
is  not  only  mildness,  but  love  in  your  heart.  If  so,  you  shall  know 
of  this  doctrine,  whether  it  be  of  God ;  though  perhaps  not  by  my 
ministry. 

"  To  this  hour  you  have  pursued  an  ignoratio  elenchi.  Your  assur- 
ance and  mine  are  as  different  as  light  from  darkness.  I  mean,  an 
assurance  that  I  am  now  in  a  state  of  salvation ;  you,  an  assurance 
that  I  shall  persevere  therein.  The  very  definition  of  the  term  cuts 
oflf  your  second  and  third  observation.  As  to  the  first  I  would  take 
notice;  1.  No  kind  of  assurance,  that  I  know,  or  of  faith,  or  repent- 
ance, is  essential  to  their  salvation  who  die  infants.  2.  I  believe  God 
is  ready  to  give  all  true  penitents,  who  fly  to  his  grace  in  Christ,  a 
fuller  sense  of  pardon  than  they  had  before  they  fell.    I  know  this  to 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


71 


be  true  of  several ;  whether  these  are  exempt  cases  I  know  not. 
3.  Persons  that  were  of  a  melancholy  and  gloomy  constitution,  even 
to  some  degree  of  madness,  I  have  known  brought  in  a  moment  (let 
it  be  called  a  miracle,  I  quarrel  not)  into  a  state  of  firm  lasting  peace 
and  joy. 

"  My  dear  brother,  the  whole  question  turns  chiefly,  if  not  wholly 
on  matter  of  fact.  You  deny,  that  God  does  now  work  these  eflects : 
at  least,  that  he  works  them  in  such  a  manner.  I  afiirm  both  because 
I  have  heard  those  facts  with  my  ears,  and  seen  them  with  my  eyes. 
I  have  seen,  as  far  as  it  can  be  seen,  very  many  persons  changed  in  a 
moment,  from  the  spirit  of  horror,  fear,  and  despair,  to  the  spirit  of 
hope,  joy,  peace ;  and  from  sinful  desires,  till  then  reigning  over  them, 
to  a  pure  desire  of  doing  the  will  of  God.  These  are  matters  of  fact^ 
whereof  I  have  been,  and  almost  daily  am,  eye  or  ear  witness.  This 
I  know,  several  persons  in  whom  this  great  change  from  the  power 
of  satan  unto  God,  was  wrought  either  in  sleep,  or  during  a  strong 
representation  to  the  eye  of  their  minds  of  Christ,  either  on  the  cross, 
or  in  glory.  This  is  the  fact.  Let  any  judge  of  it  as  they  please. 
But  that  such  a  change  was  then  wrought,  appears  not  from  their 
shedding  tears  only,  or  sighing,  or  singing  psalms,  but  from  the  whole 
tenor  of  their  life,  till  then  many  ways  wicked ;  from  that  time  holy, 
just,  and  good. 

"  I  will  show  you  him  that  was  a  lion  till  then,  and  is  now  a  lamb ; 
he  that  was  a  drunkard,  but  now  exemplarily  sober :  the  whore- 
monger that  was,  who  now  abhors  the  very  lusts  of  the  flesh.  These 
are  my  living  arguments  for  what  I  assert,  that  God  now,  as  aforetime, 
gives  remission  of  sins  and  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  which  may 
be  called  visions." 

April  16.  Mr.  Samuel  Wesley  rejoined.  "I  find  brevity  has  made 
me  obscure.  I  argue  against  assurance  in  your,  or  any  sense,  as  part 
of  the  gospel  covenant ;  because  many  are  saved  without  it — you  own 
you  cannot  deny  exempt  cases,  which  is  giving  up  the  dispute. 
Your  assurance,  being  a  clear  impression  of  God  upon  the  soul,  I  say 
must  be  perpetual — must  be  irreversible.  Else  it  is  not  assurance 
from  God,  infallible  and  omnipotent.  You  say  the  cross  is  strongly 
represented  to  the  eye  of  the  mind. — Do  these  words  signify  in  plain 
English,  the  fancy  ?  Inward  eyes,  ears,  and  feelings,  are  nothing  to 
other  people.  I  am  heartily  sorry  such  alloy  should  be  found  among 
so  much  piety." 

We  now  see  this  controversy  reduced  to  two  points :  assurance 
itself,  and  the  manner  of  receiving  it.  Mr.  John  Wesley  still  main- 
tained his  former  positions,  and.  May  10,  tells  his  brother,  "  The 
gospel  promises  to  you  and  me,  and  to  our  children,  and  to  all  that 
are  afar  off*,  even  as  many  of  those  whom  the  Lord  our  God  shall 
call,  as  are  not  disobedient  to  the  heavenly  vision,  '  the  witness  of 
God's  Spirit  with  their  spirit,  that  they  are  the  children  of  God  that 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


they  are  now,  at  this  hour,  all  accepted  in  the  beloved :  but  it  wit- 
nesses not,  that  they  always  shall  be.'  It  is  an  assurance  of  present 
salvation  only ;  therefore  not  necessarily  perpetual,  neither  irrever- 
sible. 

"  I  am  one  of  many  witnesses  of  this  matter  of  fact,  that  God  does 
now  make  good  this  his  promise  daily,  very  frequently  during  a 
representation  (how  made  I  know  not.  but  not  to  the  outward  eye) 
of  Christ,  either  hanging  on  the  cross,  or  standing  on  the  right  hand 
of  God.  This  I  know  to  be  of  God,  because  from  that  hour  the  per- 
son so  affected  is  a  new  creature,  both  as  to  his  inward  tempers  and 
outward  life.  Old  things  are  passed  away ;  and  all  things  become 
new." 

Mr.  Wesley  did  not  remember,  that  after  this  time  he  received  any 
letter  from  his  brother.  But  there  is  one  in  Dr.  Priestley's  collection, 
signed  Samuel  Wesley,  and  addressed  to  his  brother  John  ;  in  which 
he  tells  him,  "  you  yourself  doubted  at  first,  and  inquired,  and 
examined  about  the  extacies ;  the  matter  therefore,  is  not  so  plain  as 
motion  to  a  man  walking.  But  I  have  my  own  reason,  as  Avell  as 
your  own  authority,  against  the  exceeding  clearness  of  divine  inter- 
position there.  Your  followers  fall  into  agonies.  I  confess  it.  They 
are  freed  from  them  after  you  have  prayed  over  them.  Granted. 
They  say  it  is  God's  doing.  I  own  they  say  so.  Dear  brother,  where 
is  your  ocular  demonstration?  Where,  indeed,  the  rational  proof? 
Their  living  well  afterwards  may  be  a  probable  and  sufficient  argu- 
ment, that  they  believe  themselves;  but  it  goes  no  further."' 

Upon  a  review  of  the  whole  of  this  controversy,  we  may  safely  pro- 
nounce that  the  doctrine  of  assurance  is  in  no  respect  invalidated,  or 
rendered  doubtful  by  any  thing  Mr.  Samuel  Wesley  has  said  against 
it.  But  the  subject  will  be  further  considered  in  reviewing  Mr.  Wes- 
ley's doctrines.  Mr.  John  Wesley  affirmed,  that  he  had  knoAvn  sev- 
eral persons,  who  had  received  this  assurance  of  the  pardon  of  sins, 
in  a  kind  of  vision  or  dream :  but  his  brother's  objections  against  the 
possibility  of  his  knowing  this,  are  in  general  convincing  and  satis- 
factory. Indeed  there  could  be  no  evidence  of  this,  but  their  own 
testimony;  which,  if  convinced  of  their  sincerity,  Mr.  Wesley  was 
always  too  much  disposed  to  believe.  It  is  true,  he  built  no  funda- 
mental doctrine  of  the  gospel,  on  the  testimony  persons  gave  of  their 
own  experience  ;  but  some  of  his  opinions  in  matters  of  less  import- 
ance, and  in  which  he  appeared  most  singular,  were  chiefly  sup- 
ported by  such  kind  of  evidence,  which  the  goodness  of  his  own  mind 
disposed  him  to  receive  as  a  sufficient  proof 

It  is  observable  in  the  course  of  this  dispute,  that  Mr.  Samuel  Wes- 
ley's mind  was  much  softened  towards  his  brother ;  and  the  oppo- 
sition he  at  first  made  against  his  brother's  doctrine,  and  manner  of 
proceeding,  became  less  violent.  In  the  last  letter  he  wrote,  he  says 
not  a  word  against  assurance,  though  he  does  against  the  manner  in 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


73 


which  it  was  said  persons  had  received  it.  This  seems  to  imply,  that 
he  no  longer  opposed  the  thing  itself,  Avhen  properly  explained  and 
guarded.    At  the  bottom  of  the  last  letter  but  one,  he  addressed  his 

brother    in    these   words,    To   Xomov,   adeX(pi;>,   nQonevxeadov  Ttegl  'fi/u3v. 

X.  T.  l.^  "  Finally,  brethren,  pray  ye  both  for  us,  that  the  word  of  the 
Lord  may  have  free  course,  and  be  glorified,  even  as  it  is  with  you." 
See  Thess.  iii.  1,  A  strange  address  this,  if  he  believed  his  two 
brothers  were  preaching  false  and  dangerous  doctrines !  The  truth 
seems  to  be,  that  he  thought  more  favorably  of  their  doctrines  and 
methods  of  proceeding,  when  he  wrote  these  words,  than  he  did  when 
they  first  set  out. — After  persevering  fifty  years,  through  all  kinds  of 
difficulty,  the  two  brothers  extorted  from  the  public  the  same  favor- 
able opinion. 

Some  years  after  this  period,  Mr.  Wesley  expressed  his  opinion 
more  fully  concerning  those  agitations,  &c.  which  attended  the  con- 
viction of  sin  under  his  sermons  this  summer  at  Bristol.  He  sup- 
poses, it  is  easy  to  account  for  them  either  on  principles  of  reason  or 
Scripture.  "  First,"  says  he,  "  on  principles  of  reason.  For  how 
easy  is  it  to  suppose  that  a  strong,  lively,  and  sudden  apprehension 
of  the  heinousness  of  sin,  the  wrath  of  God,  and  the  bitter  pains  of 
eternal  death  should  affect  the  body  as  well  as  the  soul,  during  the 
present  laws  of  vital  union;  should  interrupt  or  disturb  the  ordinary 
circulations,  and  put  nature  out  of  its  course.  Yea,  we  may  question 
whether,  while  this  union  subsists,  it  be  possible  for  the  mind  to  be 
affected  in  so  violent  a  degree,  without  some  or  other  of  those  bodily 
symptoms  following. 

"It  is  likewise  easy  to  account  for  these  things  on  principles  of 
Scripture.  For  when  we  take  a  view  of  them  in  this  light,  we  are  to 
add  to  the  consideration  of  natural  causes,  the  agency  of  those  spirits 
who  still  excel  in  strength,  and  as  far  as  they  have  leave  from  God. 
will  not  fail  to  torment  whom  they  cannot  destroy;  to  tear  those  that 
are  coming  to  Christ.  It  is  also  remarkable,  that  there  is  plain  Scrip- 
ture precedent  of  every  symptom  which  has  lately  appeared.  So  that 
we  cannot  allow  even  the  conviction  attended  with  these  to  be  mad- 
ness, without  giving  up  both  reason  and  Scripture."  f 

After  eight  or  nine  days'  absence,  in  which  he  came  to  London, 
Mr.  Wesley  returned  to  Bristol,  and  continued  his  labors  with 
increasing  success.  He  was  now  attacked  by  finends  as  well  as  ene- 
mies, for  his  irregularity.  To  a  friend  J  who  had  expostulated  with 
him  on  this  subject,  he  wrote  his  thoughts  in  a  letter,  of  which  the 
following  is  an  extract.    "As  to  your  advice  that  I  should  settle  in 

*  I  suppose  he  refers  to  his  two  brothers,  John  and  Charles,  as  he  has  put  the  verb  and 
noun  in  the  dual  number, 
t  Wesley's  Works,  vol.  xiv.  page  323. 

X  I  believe,  the  late  Rev.  James  Harvey,  who  had  been  his  pupil  j  and  was  the  author  of 
Theron  and  Aspasio  ;  Meditations,  &c.  &c. 

VOL.  II.  7  10 


74- 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


college,  I  have  no  business  there,  having  now  no  office,  and  no  pupils. 
And  whether  the  other  branch  of  your  proposal  be  expedient,  viz.  to 
accept  of  a  cure  of  souls,  it  will  be  time  enough  to  consider  when 
one  is  offered  to  me.  But  in  the  mean  time,  you  think,  I  ought  to  be 
still ;  because  otherwise  I  should  invade  another's  office. — You  accord- 
ingly ask,  how  it  is  that  I  assemble  Christians  who  are  none  of  my 
charge,  to  sing  psalms,  and  pray,  and  hear  the  Scriptures  expounded : 
and  think  it  hard  to  justify  doing  this,  in  other  men's  parishes,  upon 
catholic  principles  ? 

"  Permit  me  to  speak  plainly.  If  by  catholic  principles,  you  mean 
any  other  than  spiritual,  they  weigh  nothing  with  me :  I  allow  no 
other  rule,  whether  of  faith  or  practice,  than  the  holy  Scriptures. 
But  on  scriptural  principles,  I  do  not  think  it  hard  to  justify  whatever 
I  do.  God  in  Scripture  commands  me,  according  to  my  power,  to 
instruct  the  ignorant,  reform  the  wicked,  confirm  the  virtuous.  Man 
forbids  me  to  do  this,  in  another's  parish ;  that  is,  in  effect,  not  to  do 
it  at  all ;  seeing  I  have  now  no  parish  of  my  own,  nor  probably  ever 
shall.  Whom  then  shall  I  hear  1  God,  or  man  7  If  it  be  just  to  obey 
man  rather  than  God,  judge  you.  A  dispensation  of  the  gospel  is 
committed  to  me,  and  woe  is  me  if  I  preach  not  the  gospel.  But 
where  shall  I  preach  it  upon  the  principles  you  mention? — Not  in 
any  of  the  christian  parts,  at  least,  of  the  habitable  earth.  For  all 
these  are,  after  a  sort,  divided  into  parishes. — Suffer  me  to  tell  you 
my  principles  in  this  matter.  I  look  upon  all  the  world  as  my  parish ; 
thus  far  I  mean,  that  in  whatever  part  of  it  I  am,  I  judge  it  meet, 
right,  and  my  bounden  duty,  to  declare  unto  all  that  are  willing  to 
hear,  the  glad-tidings  of  salvation.  This  is  the  work  which  I  know 
God  has  called  me  to  :  and  sure  I  am,  that  his  blessing  attends  it. 
Great  encouragement  have  I  therefore,  to  be  faithful  in  fulfilling  the 
work  he  hath  given  me  to  do.  His  servant  I  am,  and  as  such  am 
employed  according  to  the  plain  direction  of  his  word,  as  I  have  oppor- 
tunity, doing  good  to  all  men.  And  his  providence  clearly  concurs 
with  his  word;  which  has  disengaged  me  from  all  things  else,  that  I 
might  singly  attend  on  this  very  thing,  and  go  about  doing  good." — 
We  have  here  a  specimen  of  the  manner  in  which  Mr.  Wesley  reason- 
ed, to  satisfy  himself  that  his  conduct  was  justifiable  before  God  and 
man.  His  arguments  are  taken  from  the  obligation  laid  upon  him  to 
preach  the  gospel,  the  necessity  of  his  situation,  and  the  success  of 
his  labors.  It  is  evident  through  the  whole  of  his  history,  that,  in 
addition  to  the  two  first  considerations,  the  success  of  his  labors  in 
diffusing  knowledge  among  the  people,  and  in  reforming  their  man- 
ners, bore  down  all  objections  in  his  own  mind,  against  the  irregular- 
ity of  his  proceedings. 

About  the  middle  of  August,  Mr.  Wesley  had  a  conversation  with 
the  Bishop  of  Bristol,  on  justification  by  faith  alone;  a  part  of  which 
has  been  preserved. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY.  7ft 

i 

Bishop.  Why,  sir,  our  faith  itself  is  a  good  work,  it  is  a  virtu- 
ous temper  of  mind.'' 

Wesley.  My  lord,  whatever  faith  is,  our  church  asserts,  we  are 
justified  by  faith  alone.  But  how  it  can  be  called  a  good  work,  I  see 
not:  it  is  the  gift  of  God;  and  a  gift  that  presupposes  nothing  in  us, 
but  sin  and  misery." 

B.  "  How,  sir !  Then  you  make  God  a  tyrannical  Being,  if  he 
justifies  some  without  any  goodness  in  them  preceding,  and  does  not 
justify  all.  If  these  are  not  justified  oti  account  of  some  moral  good- 
ness in  them,  why  are  not  those  justified  too?  " 

W.  "Because,  my  lord,  they  resist  his  Spirit;  because  they 
will  not  come  to  him  that  they  may  have  life;  because  they  suffer 
him  not,  to  work  in  them  both  to  will  and  to  do.  They  cannot  be 
saved,  because  they  will  not  believe." 

B.    "  Sir,  what  do  you  mean  by  faith  7" 

W.  "My  lord;  by  justifying  faith  I  mean,  a  conviction  wrought 
in  a  man  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  that  Christ  hath  loved  /?^m,  and  given 
himself  for  him^  and  that  through  Christ,  his  sins  are  forgiven." 

B.  "I  believe  some  good  men  have  this,  but  not  all.  But  how 
do  you  prove  this  to  be  the  justifying  faith  taught  by  our  church  7" 

W.  "  My  lord,  from  her  Homily  on  Salvation,  where  she 
describes  it  thus;  'A  sure  trust  and  confidence  which  a  man  hath  in 
God,  that  through  the  merits  of  Christ  his  sins  are  forgiven,  and  he 
reconciled  to  the  favor  of  God.' " 

B.    "  Why,  sir,  this  is  quite  another  thing." 

W.    "  My  lord,  I  conceive  it  to  be  the  very  same." 

B.  "  Mr.  Wesley,  I  will  deal  plainly  with  you.  I  once  thought 
you,  and  Mr.  Whitefield,  well-meaning  men ;  but  I  cannot  think  so 
now.  For  I  have  heard  more  of  you :  matters  of  fact,  sir.  And 
Mr.  Whitefield  says  in  his  Journal,  '  There  are  promises  still  to  be 
fulfilled  in  me.'  Sir,  the  pretending  to  extraordinary  revelations 
and  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  is  a  horrid  thing,  a  very  horrid  thing ! " 

W.  "My  lord,  for  what  Mr.  Whitefield  says,  Mr.  Whitefield, 
and  not  I,  is  accountable.  I  pretend  to  no  extraordinary  revelations, 
or  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost:  none  but  what  every  Christian  may 
receive,  and  ought  to  expect  and  pray  for.  But  I  do  not  wonder  your 
lordship  has  heard  facts  asserted,  which  if  true,  would  prove  the  con- 
trary ;  nor  do  I  wonder,  that  your  lordship,  believing  them  true, 
should  alter  the  opinion  you  once  had  of  me.  A  quarter  of  an  hour 
I  spent  with  your  lordship  before,  and  about  an  hour  now :  and 
perhaps  you  have  never  conversed  one  other  hour  with  any  one  who 
spake  in  my  favor.  But  how  many  with  those  who  spake  on  the 
other  side !  so  that  your  lordship  could  not  but  think  as  you  do. — 
But  pray,  my  lord,  what  are  those  facts  you  have  heard  7" 

B.    "  I  hear  you  administer  the  sacrament  in  your  societies." 

W.    "  My  lord,  I  never  did  yet,  and  I  believe  never  shall." 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


B.  "I  hear  too,  many  people  fall  into  fits  in  your  societies,  and 
that  you  pray  over  them." 

W.  "I  do  so,  my  lord,  when  any  show  by  strong  cries  and  tears, 
that  their  soul  is  in  deep  anguish ;  I  frequently  pray  to  God,  to  deliver 
them  from  it,  and  our  prayer  is  often  heard  in  that  hour." 

B.  '-Very  extraordinary  indeed!  Well,  sir,  since  you  ask  my 
advice,  I  will  give  it  you  very  freely.  You  have  no  business  here. 
You  are  not  commissioned  to  preach  in  this  diocese.  Therefore,  I 
advise  you  to  go  hence." 

W.  "My  lord,  my  business  on  earth  is  to  do  what  good  I  can. 
Wherever  therefore,  I  think  I  can  do  most  good,  there  must  I  stay, 
so  long  as  I  think  so.  At  present  I  think  I  can  do  most  good  here ; 
therefore,  here  I  stay. 

"As  to  my  preaching  here,  a  dispensation  of  the  gospel  is  com- 
mitted to  me,  and  woe  is  me  if  I  preach  not  the  gospel,  wherever  I 
am  in  the  habitable  world.  Your  lordship  knows,  being  ordained  a 
priest,  by  the  commission  I  then  received,  I  am  a  priest  of  the  church 
universal :  and  being  ordained  as  Fellow  of  a  college,  I  was  not  lim- 
ited to  any  particular  cure,  but  have  an  indeterminate  commission  to 
preach  the  word  of  God,  in  any  part  of  the  Church  of  England.  I 
do  not  therefore  conceive,  that  in  preaching  here  by  this  commission, 
I  break  any  human  law.  When  1  am  convinced  I  do,  then  it  will  be 
time  to  ask,  '  Shall  I  obey  God  or  man  ? '  But  if  I  should  be  con- 
vinced in  the  mean  while,  that  I  could  advance  the  glory  of  God,  and 
the  salvation  of  souls  in  any  other  place  more  than  in  Bristol ;  in  that 
hour,  by  God's  help,  I  will  go  hence;  which  till  then  I  may  not  do." 

Methodism  now  began  to  make  a  rapid  progress:  societies  were 
formed,  not  only  in  London  and  Bristol,  but  in  many  adjacent  places; 
and  some  even  at  a  considerable  distance.  The  laborers  as  yet  were 
few,  but  believing  they  were  engaged  in  the  cause  of  God  against 
ignorance  and  profaneness  which  overspread  the  land,  they  were 
indefatigable,  scarcely  giving  themselves  any  rest  day  or  night.  The 
eifects  of  their  preaching  made  much  noise,  which  at  length  roused 
some  of  the  sleeping  watchmen  of  Israel ;  not  indeed  to  inquire  after 
the  truth,  and  amend  their  ways,  but  to  crush  these  irregular  pro- 
ceedings, that  they  might  quietly  sleep  again.  These  opponents, 
however,  had  more  zeal  against  Methodism,  than  knowledge  of  it. 
They  attacked  it  with  nothing  but  idle  stories,  misrepresentations  of 
facts,  and  gross  falsehoods.  They  retailed  these  from  the  pulpits, 
and  published  them  from  the  press,  with  little  regard  to  moderation, 
charity,  or  even  decency.  This  brought  more  disgrace  upon  them- 
selves, than  on  the  Methodists ;  who  finding  they  were  assailed  only 
with  such  kind  of  weapons,  conceived  a  higher  opinion  of  the  cause 
in  which  they  were  engaged,  and  profited  by  the  attack.  A  pious 
and  moderate  clergyman,  perceiving  that  such  attacks  could  do  no 
good  to  their  cause,  published  a  few  rules  to  direct  the  assailants  in 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


77 


their  future  attempts  to  stop  the  increasing  innovations,  in  a  discourse 
concerning  enthusiasm,  or  rehgious  dekision.  "A  minister  of  our 
church,"  says  he,  "who  may  look  upon  it  as  his  duty  to  warn  his 
parishioners,  or  an  author  who  may  think  it  necessary  to  caution  his 
readers,  against  such  preachers,  or  their  doctrine  (that  is,  enthusiastic 
preachers,  such  as  he  took  the  Methodist  preachers  to  be)  ought  to  be 
very  careful  to  act  with  a  christian  spirit,  and  to  advance  nothing  but 
with  temper,  charity,  and  truth. — Perhaps  the  following  rules  may  be 
proper  to  be  observed  by  them. 

"I.  Not  to  blame  persons  for  doing  that  now,  which  Scripture 
records  holy  men  of  old  to  have  practised;  lest  had  they  lived  in  those 
times  they  should  have  condemned  them  also. 

"2.  Not  to  censure  men  in  holy  o?'ders,  for  teaching  the  same  doc- 
trines which  are  taught  in  the  Scriptures,  and  by  our  church ;  lest 
they  should  ignorantly  censure,  what  they  profess  to  defend. 

"3.  Not  to  censure  any  professed  members  of  our  church,  who  live 
good  lives,  for  resorting  to  religious  assemblies  in  private  houses,  to 
perform  in  society  acts  of  divine  worship ;  when  the  same  seems  to 
have  been  practised  by  the  primitive  Christians ;  and  when  alas  I  there 
are  so  many  parishes,  where  a  person  piously  disposed,  has  no  oppor- 
tunity of  joining  in  the  public  service  of  our  church,  more  than  one 
hour  and  half  in  a  week. 

"  4.  Not  to  condemn  those  who  are  constant  attendants  on  the  com- 
munion and  service  of  our  church,  if  they  sometimes  use  other  pray- 
ers in  private  assemblies;  since  the  best  divines  of  our  church  have 
composed  and  published  many  prayers,  that  have  not  the  sanction 
of  public  authority;  which  implies  a  general  consent,  that  our  church 
has  not  made  provision  for  every  private  occasion. 

5.  Not  to  establish  the  power  of  working  miracles,  as  the  great 
criterion  of  a  divine  mission ;  when  Scripture  teaches  us,  that  the 
agreement  of  doctrines  with  truth,  as  taught  in  those  Scriptures,  is  the 
only  infallible  rule. 

"  6.  Not  to  drive  any  away  from  our  church,  by  opprobriously  call- 
ing them  dissenters,  or  treating  them  as  such,  so  long  as  they  keep  to 
her  communion. 

"  7.  Not  lightly  to  take  up  with  silly  stories  that  may  be  propagated, 
to  the  discredit  of  persons  of  a  general  good  character. 

"I  do  not  lay  down,"  says  he,  "these  negative  rules  so  much  for 
the  sake  of  any  persons  whom  the  unobservance  of  them  would  imme- 
diately injure,  as  for  our  church  and  her  professed  defenders.  For 
churchmen,  however  well-meaning,  would  lay  themselves  open  to 
censure,  and  might  do  her  irretrievable  damage,  by  a  behavior  con- 
trary to  them." 

Mr.  Wesley  often  wished  that  they,  who  either  preached  or  wrote 
against  him,  would  seriously  attend  to  these  rules ;  but  these  rules 
were  too  candid  and  liberal  for  the  common  herd  of  opposers.  Some 
7# 


78  THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 

attacked  him  with  arguments,  wretchedly  misappHed :  others  with 
ridicule,  as  the  more  easy  method.  Among  the  latter  were  some  even 
of  his  own  family.  His  eldest  sister  Emelia,  had  always  been  accus- 
tomed to  correspond  with  him,  and  being  some  years  older  than  he, 
and  of  a  strong  understanding,  had  taken  great  liberty  in  expressing 
approbation  or  disapprobation  of  any  part  of  his  conduct.  She  wrote 
to  him  about  this  time  in  very  ill  temper,  abused  the  Methodists  as 
bad  people,  and  told  him  she  understood  he  could  work  miracles,  cast 
out  devils,  &x.  that  she  had  the  devil  of  poverty  in  her  pocket,  and 
should  be  much  obliged  if  he  would  cast  him  out. — Mr.  Wesley  knew 
in  whom  he  had  believed,  and  in  the  midst  of  abuse  poured  out  upon 
him  by  friends  and  enemies,  went  on  his  way  as  if  he  heard  not. 

After  a  short  visit  to  London  he  again  returned  to  Bristol.  October 
15.  Upon  a  pressing  invitation  he  set  out  for  Wales.  The  churches 
were  here  also  shut  against  him,  as  in  England,  and  he  preached  in 
private  houses,  or  in  the  open  air  to  a  willing  people. — "  I  have  seen,'*' 
says  he,  no  part  of  England  so  pleasant  for  sixty  or  seventy  miles 
together,  as  those  parts  of  Wales  I  have  been  in :  and  most  of  the 
inhabitants  are  indeed  ripe  for  the  gospel.  I  mean,  if  the  expression 
seems  strange,  they  are  earnestly  desirous  of  being  instructed  in  it; 
and  as  utterly  ignorant  of  it  they  are,  as  any  Creek  or  Cherokee 
Indians.  I  do  not  mean,  they  are  ignorant  of  the  name  of  Christ: 
many  of  them  can  say  both  the  Lord's-prayer,  and  the  Belief.  Nay 
and  some,  all  the  catechism  :  but  take  them  out  of  the  road  of  what 
they  have  learned  by  rote,  and  they  know  no  more  (nine  in  ten  of 
those  with  whom  I  conversed)  either  of  gospel  salvation,  or  of  that 
faith  whereby  alone  we  can  be  saved,  than  Chicall  or  Tomo  Chachi. 
Now  what  spirit  is  he  of,  Avho  had  rather  these  poor  creatures  should 
perish  for  lack  of  knowledge,  than  that  they  should  be  saved,  even  by 
the  exhortations  of  Howell  Harris,  or  an  itinerant  preacher.  The 
word  did  not  fall  to  the  ground.  Many  repented  and  believed  the  gos- 
pel.— And  some  joined  together,  to  strengthen  each  other's  hands  in 
God,  and  to  provoke  one  another  to  love  and  to  good  works." 

November  3.  Mr.  Wesley  came  to  London,  where  the  society  was 
greatly  divided,  by  means  of  some  new  notions  the  Moravian  preach- 
ers had  introduced  among  them,  concerning  degrees  of  faith,  and  the 
use  of  the  ordinances,  as  means  of  grace.  On  the  9th,  he  tells  us, 
"All  this  week  I  endeavored  by  private  conversation,  to  comfort  the 
feeble-minded,  and  to  bring  back  the  lame  which  had  been  turned  out 
of  the  way,  that  at  length  they  might  be  healed. — Sunday,  November 
IL  I  preached  at  eight,  to  five  or  six  thousand,  on  the  spirit  of  bond- 
age and  the  spirit  of  adoption  :  and  at  five  in  the  evening  to  seven 
or  eight  thousand,  in  the  place  which  had  been  the  King's  Foundery 
for  cannon.  O  hasten  thou  the  time,  when  nation  shall  not  rise  up 
against  nation,  neither  shall  they  know  war  any  more." — This  is  the 
.first  time  I  find  any  mention  of  the  Foundery,  and  several  months 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


79 


before  Mr.  Wesley  has  mentioned  it,  in  his  printed  Journal.  It  seems 
as  if  he  had  taken  it  without  consulting  the  society  in  Fetter-Lane, 
the  majority  of  which  were  now  alienated  from  him ;  and  as  a  pre- 
paratory step  to  a  final  separation  from  the  Moravian  brethren. 

Monday  the  12th,  he  left  London,  without  putting  an  end  to  the 
disputes  among  the  people,  over  whom  the  rules  of  the  society  gave 
him  no  authority,  and  he  had,  at  present,  but  little  influence.  In  the 
evening  became  to  Wycombe,  where  there  was  a  little  society ;  to 
whom  he  explained  the  parable  of  the  pharisee  and  publican.  "  Here,'^ 
says  he,  "we  unexpectedly  found  Mr.  Robson  and  Gambold :  with 
whom,  after  much  prayer  and  consultation,  we  agreed,  1.  To  meet 
yearly  at  London,  if  God  permit,  on  the  eve  of  Ascension-day.  2. 
To  fix  then,  the  business  to  be  done  the  ensuing  year :  where,  when, 
and  by  whom  ?  3.  To  meet  quarterly  there,  as  many  as  can ;  viz.  on 
the  second  Tuesday  in  July,  October,  and  January.  4.  To  send  a 
monthly  account  to  one  another,  of  what  God  hath  done  in  each  of 
our  stations.  5.  To  inquire  whether  Mr.  Hall,  Sympson,  Rogers, 
Ingham,  Hutchins,  Kinchin,  Stonehouse,  Cenick,  Oxlee,  and  Brown, 
will  join  with  us  herein.  6.  To  consider,  whether  there  be  any  others 
of  our  spiritual  friends,  who  are  able  and  willing  so  to  do." — Here  we 
have  the  first  outlines  of  a  plan  to  unite  the  ministers  together,  and  to 
extend  their  labors  to  different  parts  of  the  kingdom,  under  such  reg- 
ulations as  might  give  them  a  mutual  dependence  on  one  another.  In 
this  sketch,  no  one  assumes  an  authority  over  the  rest  of  his  brethren: 
all  appear  equal.  But  this  plan  was  never  put  into  execution.  When 
Mr.  Wesley  separated  from  the  Moravian  brethren,  Mr.  Gambold,  and 
some  others,  gradually  withdrew  themselves  from  him. 

November  6.  Mr.  Samuel  Wesley  died  at  Tiverton,  and  on  the  15th, 
John  and  Charles  Wesley  set  out  on  a  visit  to  their  sister,  in  her 
distress.  They  came  to  Tiverton  on  the  21st,  and  the  Saturday  fol- 
lowing accepted  an  invitation  to  Exeter,  where  a  Mr.  D —  the  next  day 
desired  the  use  of  the  pulpit  in  St.  Mary's  church ;  which  was  readily 
granted  both  for  the  morning  and  afternoon.  Mr.  John  Wesley 
preached  on,  "The  Kindom  of  God  is  not  meat  and  drink,  but  right- 
eousness, and  peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost."  After  sermon,  Dr. 
W —  told  him,  "Sir,  you  must  not  preach  in  the  afternoon.  Not," 
said  he,  "that  you  preach  any  false  doctrine.  I  allow,  all  that  you 
have  said  is  true.  And  it  is  the  doctrine  of  the  Church  of  England. 
But  it  is  not  guarded.  It  is  dangerous.  It  may  lead  people  into 
enthusiasm,^  or  despair.'' — How  is  this  !  So  far  as  I  can  understand 
it,  I  think  it  is  more  inconsistent  with  reason,  than  any  thing  Mr. 
Wesley  ever  said  in  his  life.  Is  it  possible,  that  a  knowledge  of  the 
truth,  especially  of  the  truths  of  the  gospel,  and  of  the  doctrines  of 
the  Church  of  England,  can  have  a  tendency,  without  some  special 
guard,  to  lead  people  into  enthusiasm,  or  despair  ?  And  is  it  possible, 
that  one  who  is  set  for  the  defence  of  the  gospel  and  of  the  church,  can 


80 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


assert  this?  Enthusias7n^  as  the  word  is  commonly  used,  is  so  vagne 
a  term,  that  I  will  not  inquire  what  idea  the  doctor  affixed  to  it;  or 
whether  he  introduced  it  merely  for  the  sound  7  By  despair,  I  sup- 
pose he  meant  a  state  of  mind  consequent  on  repentance  of  past  trans- 
gressions of  the  law  of  God.  But  can  the  truths  of  the  gospel,  or  the 
doctrines  of  the  church,  have  any  moral  influence  on  the  minds  of 
men,  without  producing  in  the  first  instance  this  sort  of  repentance? 
Or,  do  they  leave  men  to  despair,  when  brought  to  repent  of  their 
sins?  Certainly,  he  who  maintains  this,  is  ignorant  of  the  gospel; 
and  instead  of  propagating  it,  or  defending  the  church,  is,  in  flat  oppo- 
sition to  both,  defending  the  reign  of  ignorance  and  sin  over  the  minds 
of  the  people. 

Mr.  D — having  requested  a  short  account  of  what  had  been  done 
in  Kingswood,  and  of  the  building  intended  for  a  school;  Mr.  Wesley, 
on  his  return  from  Exeter,  wrote  to  him  as  follows : 

Few  persons  have  lived  long  in  the  West  of  England,  who  have 
not  heard  of  the  Colliers  of  Kingswood,  a  people  famous  from  the 
beginning  hitherto,  for  neither  fearing  God  nor  regarding  man :  so 
ignorant  of  the  things  of  God,  that  they  seemed  but  one  remove  from 
beasts  that  perish;  and  therefore  utterly  without  the  desire  of  instruc- 
tion, as  well  as  without  the  means  of  it. 

"Many  last  winter  used  tauntingly  to  say  of  Mr.  Whitefield,  If  he 
will  convert  heathens,  why  does  not  he  go  to  the  Colliers  of  Kings- 
wood  7  In  the  spring  he  did  so.  And  as  there  were  thousands  who 
resorted  to  no  place  of  public  worship,  he  went  after  them  into  their 
own  wilderness,  to  seek  and  save  that  which  was  lost.  When  he  was 
called  away,  others  went  into  the  highways  and  hedges,  to  compel 
them  to  come  in.  And  by  the  grace  of  God,  their  labor  was  not  in 
vain.  The  scene  is  already  changed.  Kingswood  does  not  now,  as 
a  year  ago,  resound  with  cursing  and  blasphemy.  It  is  no  more 
filled  with  drunkenness  and  uncleanness,  and  the  idle  diversions  that 
naturally  lead  thereto.  It  is  no  longer  full  of  wars  and  fightings,  of 
clamor  and  bitterness,  of  wrath  and*  envyings.  Peace  and  love  are 
there.  Great  numbers  of  the  people  are  mild,  gentle,  and  easy  to  be 
entreated.  They  do  not  cry,  neither  strive,  and  hardly  is  their  voice 
heard  in  the  streets,  or  indeed  in  their  own  wood;  unless  when  they 
are  at  their  usual  evening  diversion,  singing  praise  unto  God  their 
Saviour. 

"  That  their  children  too  might  know  the  things  which  make  for 
their  peace,  it  was  some  time  since  proposed  to  build  a  house  in  Kings- 
wood  ;  and  after  many  foreseen  and  unforeseen  difficulties,  in  June 
last,  the  foundation  was  laid.  The  ground  made  choice  of  was  in 
the  middle  of  the  wood,  between  the  London  and  Bath  roads,  not  far 
from  that  called  Two-mile  Hill,  about  three  measured  miles  from 
Bristol. 

Here  a  large  room  was  begun  for  the  school,  having  four  small 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


81 


rooms  at  either  end,  for  the  school-masters  (and  perhaps,  if  it  should 
please  God,  some  poor  children)  to  lodge  in.  Two  persons  are  ready 
to  teach,  as  soon  as  the  house  is  ready  to  receive  them,  the  shell  of 
which  is  nearly  finished ;  so  that  it  is  hoped  the  whole  will  be  com- 
pleted in  spring,  or  early  in  the  summer. 

"It  is  true,  although  the  masters  require  no  pay,  yet  this  undertak- 
ing is  attended  with  great  expense.  But  let  him  that  feedeth  the 
young  ravens  see  to  that.  He  hath  the  hearts  of  all  men  in  his  hand. 
If  he  put  it  into  your  heart,  or  into  that  of  any  of  your  friends,  to 
assist  in  bringing  this  work  to  perfection,  in  this  world  look  for  no 
recompense  ;  but  it  shall  be  remembered  in  that  day  when  our  Lord 
shall  say,  '  Inasmuch  as  ye  did  it  unto  the  least  of  these  my  breth- 
ren, ye  did  it  unto  me.'  " 

Before  the  Methodists  began  to  preach  in  Kingswood,  the  Colliers 
were  a  terror  to  the  whole  country  round.  But  the  change  produced 
by  their  preaching,  was  so  great  and  sudden,  as  to  excite  universal 
attention  and  admiration.  And  such  Avas  the  state  of  religion  and 
morality  at  this  time  throughout  the  nation,  that,  among  a  vast  ma- 
jority of  the  people,  a  similar  change  in  their  tempers  and  principles 
of  action,  was  not  less  necessary  to  make  them  Christians,  though 
the  necessity  of  it  might  be  less  apparent.  And  what  was  done  in 
Kingswood  shows  what  might  have  been  done  every  where,  had  the 
ministers  of  the  gospel  been  such  men  as  their  office  required  them 
to  be,  and  applied  themselves  to  the  duties  of  it  with  the  same  dili- 
gence, that  men  are  obliged  to  use  in  following  their  temporal  affairs; 
which  certainly  is  the  least  that  is  required  of  a  minister  of  the  gos- 
pel. How  will  they  meet  Jesus  Christ  without  shame,  confusion, 
and  conscious  guilt,  who  have  filled  the  sacred  office  of  instructing 
the  people  in  the  way  of  salvation,  and  have  suffered  them  to  perish 
for  lack  of  knowledge  ?  The  time  will  come  when  such  men,  of 
whatever  denomination  among  Christians,  will  be  fully  convinced,  it 
had  been  better  for  them  to  have  been  common  porters,  than  to  have 
occupied  the  highest  pastoral  offices  in  the  church  of  God  ! 

April,  1740.  The  rioters  in  Bristol,  who  had  long  disturbed  the 
Methodists,  being  emboldened  by  impunity,  were  so  increased  as  to 
fill,  not  only  the  court,  but  a  considerable  part  of  the  street.  The 
mayor  sent  them  an  order  to  disperse :  but  they  set  him  at  defiance. 
At  length  he  sent  several  of  his  officers,  who  took  the  ringleaders 
into  custody.  The  next  day  they  were  brought  into  court,  it  being 
the  time  of  the  quarter-sessions.  There  they  received  a  severe  repri- 
mand, and  the  Methodists  were  molested  no  more. 

Disputes  still  continued  in  the  society  at  Fetter-Lane.  Mr.  Wesley 
had  been  in  London  several  times  without  being  able  to  put  an  end 
to  them  :  and  a  great  majority  of  the  society  were  more  and  more 
estranged  from  him.  He  again  came  to  London  in  the  beginning  of 
June,  and  labored  with  them  till  the  20th  of  July ;  when,  finding  it 

VOL.  II.  11 


82 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


was  to  no  purpose,  he  read  a  paper,  the  substance  of  which  was  as 
follows : 

"  About  nine  months  ago,  certain  of  you  began  to  speak  contrary 
to  the  doctrine  we  had  till  then  received.  The  sum  of  what  you 
asserted  is  this  :  1.  That  there  is  no  such  thing  as  weak  faith:  that 
there  is  no  justifying  faith,  where  there  is  ever  any  doubt  or  fear;  or 
where  there  is  not,  in  the  full  sense,  a  new,  a  clean  heart.  2.  That  a 
man  ought  not  to  use  those  ordinances  of  God,  which  our  church 
terms  means  of  grace ^  before  he  has  such  a  faith  as  excludes  all  doubt 
and  fear,  and  implies  a  new,  a  clean  heart.  3.  You  have  often 
affirmed,  that  to  search  the  Scriptures^  to  pray^  or  to  communicate^ 
before  we  have  this  faith,  is  to  seek  salvation  by  works  ;  and  till  these 
works  are  laid  aside,  no  man  can  receive  faith. 

"I  believe  these  assertions  to  be  flatly  contrary  to  the  word  of 
God.  I  have  warned  you  hereof  again  and  again,  and  besought  you 
to  turn  back  to  the  law  and  to  the  testimony.  I  have  borne  with  you 
long,  hoping  you  would  turn.  But  as  I  find  you  more  and  more  con- 
firmed in  the  error  of  your  ways,  nothing  now  remains,  but  that  I 
should  give  you  up  to  God.  You  that  are  of  the  same  judgment  fol- 
low me." — "I  then,"  adds  Mr.  Wesley,  "without  saying  anything 
more,  withdrew,  as  did  eighteen  or  nineteen  of  the  society." 

July  23.  "  Our  little  company  met  at  the  Foundery,  instead  of 
Fetter-Lane.  About  twenty-five  of  our  brethren  God  hath  given  us 
already,  all  of  whom  think  and  speak  the  same  thing ;  seven  or  eight 
and  forty  likewise,  of  the  fifty  women  that  were  in  band,  desired  to 
cast  in  their  lot  with  us." 

We  here  see  Mr.  Wesley  separating  himself  from  the  Moravian 
brethren,  by  whom  he  had  been  instructed  in  the  gospel  method  of 
attaining  present  salvation.  The  controversy  was  about  the  ordinan- 
ces, as  means  of  grace,  &c.  He  thought  the  majority  in  an  error, 
saw  they  were  daily  making  proselytes,  and  that  the  dispute  itself 
was  eating  out  the  good  which  had  been  done  among  them.  He 
therefore  thought  it  no  schism,  or  breach  of  charity  to  depart  from 
them,  and  divide  the  society,  as  a  means  of  preserving  the  rest. — But 
Mr.  Wesley  did  not  charge  the  whole  body  of  the  Moravians,  with 
the  notions  above  mentioned,  but  Molther  in  particular,  who  had 
occasioned  the  disputes.  Peter  Bohler,  however,  many  years  after, 
in  a  private  letter,  denied  that  Molther  ever  held  the  opinions  Mr. 
Wesley  attributed  to  him,  and  insisted  that  he  must  either  have  mis- 
understood, or  misrepresented  him.  But  it  is  not  probable  that  Mr. 
Wesley  either  misunderstood  or  misrepresented  him,  as  Mr.  Charles 
Wesley  mentions  the  same  things  in  his  private  Journal.  It  is  more 
likely  that  Molther  was  convinced  of  his  error  before  he  returned  to 
Germany. 

Mr.  Wesley  still  retained  a  love  for  the  brethren,  which  he 
expressed  in  an  address  to  the  Moravian  church,  prefixed  to  the  Jour- 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


83 


nal,  in  which  the  difference  mentioned  above  is  detailed  at  length. 
In  this  address  he  tells  them,  "What  unites  my  heart  to  you  is,  the 
excellency,  in  many  respects,  of  the  doctrine  taught  among  you : 
your  laying  the  true  foundation,  '  God  was  in  Christ,  reconciling  the 
world  to  himself:'  your  declaring  the  free  grace  of  God,  the  cause, 
and  faith  the  condition  of  justification :  your  bearing  witness  to  those 
great  fruits  of  faith,  '  righteousness,  peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy 
Ghost ; '  and  that  sure  mark  thereof,  '  He  that  is  born  of  God  doth 
not  commit  sin.' 

"  I  magnify  the  grace  of  God  which  is  in  many  among  you,  ena- 
bling you  to  love  him  who  hath  first  loved  us ;  teaching  you,  in 
whatsoever  state  you  are,  therewith  to  be  content :  causing  you  to 
trample  under  foot  the  lust  of  the  flesh,  the  lust  of  the  eye,  and  the 
pride  of  life :  and  above  all,  giving  you  to  lov^  one  another,  in  a 
manner  the  world  knoweth  not  of 

"I  love  and  esteem  you  for  your  excellent  discipline,  scarce  infe- 
rior to  that  of  the  apostolic  age :  for  your  due  subordination  of  offi- 
cers, every  one  knowing  and  keeping  his  proper  rank;  for  the  exact 
division  of  the  people  under  your  charge,  so  that  each  may  be  fed 
with  food  convenient  for  them;  for  your  care  that  all  who  are 
employed  in  the  service  of  the  church,  should  frequently  and  freely 
confer  together ;  and,  in  consequence  thereof,  your  exact  and  season- 
able knowledge  of  the  state  of  every  member,  and  your  ready  distri- 
bution either  of  spiritual  or  temporal  relief,  as  every  man  hath  need." 

Hitherto  Mr.  Whitefield  had  labored  in  union  and  harmony  with 
Mr.  Wesley,  and  his  brother.  They  preached  in  the  same  pulpits, 
and  had  only  one  common  design,  to  promote  Christian  knowledge, 
and  a  holy  conversation  among  the  people,  without  entering  into  the 
discussion  of  particular  opinions.  But  about  this  time  Mr.  Wesley 
printed  a  sermon  against  the  Calvinistic  notion  of  predestination,  and 
sent  a  copy  to  Commissary  Garden,  at  Charlestown,  where  Mr. 
Whitefield  met  with  it.  He  had  already  embraced  that  opinion ;  and 
though  the  subject  was  treated  in  that  sermon,  in  a  general  way, 
without  naming  or  pointing  at  any  individual,  yet  he  found  him- 
self hurt,  that  Mr.  AVesley  should  bring  forward  the  controversy, 
and  publicly  oppose  an  opinion  which  he  believed  to  be  agree- 
able to  the  word  of  God.  On  his  passage  to  England,  he  wrote  to 
Mr.  Charles  Wesley,  February  1,  1741,  expostulating  with  him 
and  his  brother  on  the  subject.  He  says,  "  My  dear,  dear  brethren, 
why  did  you  throw  out  the  bone  of  contention?  Why  did  you  print 
that  sermon  against  predestination  7  Why  did  you  in  particular,  my 
dear  brother  Charles,  affix  your  hymn,  and  join  in  putting  out  your 
late  hymn-book?  How  can  you  say,  you  will  not  dispute  with  me 
about  election,  and  yet  print  such  hymns,  and  your  brother  send  his 
sermon  over  against  election,  to  Mr.  Garden,  and  others  in  America  ? 
— Do  not  you  think,  my  dear  brethren,  I  must  be  as  much  concerned 


84 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  PvEV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


for  truth,  or  what  I  think  truth,  as  you?  God  is  my  judge,  I  always 
was,  and  hope  I  always  shall  be  desirous  that  you  may  be  preferred 
before  me.  But  I  must  preach  the  gospel  of  Christ,  and  that  I  can- 
not noiD  do,  without  speaking  of  election." — He  then  tells  Mr.  Charles, 
that  in  Christmas- week  he  had  written  an  answer  to  his  brother's 
sermon,  "Which,"  says  he,  "is  now  printing  at  Charlestown: 
another  copy  I  have  sent  to  Boston,  and  another  I  now  bring  with  me, 
to  print  in  London.  If  it  occasion  a  strangeness  between  us,  it  shall 
not  be  my  fault.  There  is  nothing  in  my  answer  exciting  to  it,  that 
I  know  of.  O  my  dear  brethren,  my  heart  almost  bleeds  within  me  ! 
JNIethinks  I  could  be  willing  to  tarry  here  on  the  waters  forever, 
rather  than  come  to  England  to  oppose  you." 

Controversy  between  good  men  is  commonly  on  some  speculative 
opinion,  while  they  are  perfectly  at  unison  on  the  essential  points  of 
religion,  and  the  duties  of  morality.  And  the  controversy  almost 
always  injures  the  Christian  temper,  much  more  than  it  promotes  the 
interests  of  speculative  truth.  On  this  occasion  a  separation  took 
place  between  Mr.  Wesley  and  Mr.  Whitefield,  so  far  as  to  have  dif- 
ferent places  of  worship :  and  some  warm  and  tart  expressions  drop- 
ped from  each.  But  their  good  opinion  of  each  other's  integrity  and 
usefulness,  founded  on  long  and  intimate  acquaintance,  could  not  be 
injured  by  such  a  difference  of  sentiment:  and  their  mutual  affection 
was  only  obscured  by  a  cloud,  for  a  season. 

Mr.  Whitefield  was  the  first  who  visited  the  Colliers  of  Kings- 
wood,  and  formed  the  design  of  building  the  school  there ;  and  began 
to  make  collections  for  the  purpose.  But  his  calls  to  America,  would 
not  permit  him  to  prosecute  the  design,  which  he  therefore  transferred  to 
Mr.  Wesley.  Being  now  less  friendly  than  before,  he  was  more  dis- 
posed to  find  fault  with  little  things,  and  to  misconstrue  the  bare 
appearances  of  others.  He  wrote  a  list  of  things  he  thought  improp- 
erly managed.  In  April  Mr.  Wesley  returned  him  a  long  answer, 
part  of  which  is  as  follows : 

"Would  you  have  me  deal  plainly  with  you,  my  brother?  I 
believe  you  would :  then  by  the  grace  of  God  I  will. 

"Of  many  things  I  find  you  are  not  rightly  informed:  of  others 
you  speak  what  you  have  not  well  weighed. 

"The  society-room  at  Bristol,  you  say  is  adorned.  How?  Why 
with  a  piece  of  green  cloth  nailed  to  the  desk ;  two  sconces  for  eight 
candles  each  in  the  middle ;  and — nay  I  know  no  more.  Now  which 
of  these  can  be  spared,  I  know  not :  nor  would  I  desire  either  more 
adorning  or  less. 

"  But  lodgings  are  made  for  me  or  my  brother.  That  is,  in  plain 
English,  there  is  a  little  room  by  the  school,  where  I  speak  to  the 
persons  who  come  to  me ;  and  a  garret,  in  which  a  bed  is  placed  for 
me.  And  do  you  grudge  me  this  ?  Is  this  the  voice  of  my  brother, 
my  son  Whitefield  ! 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  KEV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


85 


"  You  say  further,  that  the  children  at  Bristol,  are  clothed  as  well 
as  taught.  I  am  sorry  for  it ;  for  the  cloth  is  not  paid  for  yet,  and 
was  bought  without  my  consent  or  knowledge. 

"  But  those  of  Kingswood  have  been  neglected.  This  is  not  so,  not- 
withstanding the  heavy  debt  which  lay  upon  it.  One  master  and 
one  mistress  have  been  in  the  house,  ever  since  it  was  capable  of 
receiving  them.  A  second  master  has  been  placed  there  some  months 
since :  and  I  have  long  been  seeking  for  two  proper  mistresses ;  so 
that  as  much  has  been  done,  as  matters  stand,  if  not  more,  than  I  can 
answer  to  God  or  man. 

"  Hitherto  then,  there  is  no  ground  for  the  heavy  charge  of  pervert- 
ing your  design  for  the  poor  colliers.  Two  years  since  your  design 
was  to  build  them  a  school,  that  their  children  also  might  be  taught 
to  fear  the  Lord.  To  this  end  you  collected  some  money,  more  than 
once:  how  much  I  cannot  say,  till  I  have  my  papers.  But  this  I  know; 
it  was  not  near  one-half  of  what  has  been  expended  on  the  work. 
This  design  you  then  recommended  to  me,  and  I  pursued  it  with  all 
my  might,  through  such  a  train  of  difficulties  as,  I  will  be  bold  to  say, 
you  have  not  yet  met  with  in  your  life.  For  many  months  I  collected 
money  wherever  I  was — and  began  building,  though  I  had  not  then 
a  quarter  of  the  money  requisite  to  finish.  However,  taking  all  the 
debt  upon  myself,  the  creditors  were  willing  to  stay  :  and  then  it  was 
that  I  took  possession  of  it  in  my  own  name  ;  that  is  when  the  foun- 
dation was  laid ;  and  I  immediately  made  my  will,  fixing  my  brother 
and  you  to  succeed  me  therein. 

"  But  it  is  a  poor  case,  that  you  and  I  should  be  talking  thus. 
Indeed  these  things  ought  not  to  be.  It  lay  in  your  power  to  have 
prevented  all,  and  yet  to  have  borne  testimony  to  what  you  call  the 
truth.  If  you  had  disliked  my  sermon,  you  might  have  printed 
another  on  the  same  text,  and  have  answered  my  proofs,  without 
mentioning  my  name  :  this  had  been  fair  and  friendly. 

"  You  rank  all  the  maintainers  of  universal  redemption,  with 
Socinians  themselves.  Alas,  my  brother,  do  you  not  know  even  this, 
that  the  Socinians  allow  no  redemption  at  all  ?  That  Socinus  him- 
self speaks  thus,  Tola  redemptio  nostra  per  Christum,  metaphora  ? 
And  says  expressly,  '  Christ  did  not  die  as  a  ransom  for  any,  but  only 
as  an  example  for  all  mankind  ! '  How  easy  were  it  for  me  to  hit 
many  other  palpable  blots,  in  that  which  you  call  an  answer  to  my 
sermon?  And  how  above  measure  contemptible  would  you  then- 
appear  to  all  impartial  men.  either  of  sense  or  learning  ?  But  I  spare 
you,  mine  hand  shall  not  be  upon  you  ;  the  Lord  be  judge  between  me 
and  thee  !  The  general  tenor  both  of  my  public  and  private  exhort- 
ations, when  I  touch  thereon  at  all,  as  even  my  enemies  know  if  they 
would  testify,  is,  spare  the  young  man,  even  Absalom,  for  my  sake." 

Perhaps  Mr.  Wesley,  in  consequence  of  his  age  and  learning, 
assumed  in  this  letter,  a  greater  superiority  over  Mr.  Whitefield,  than. 

VOL.  n.  8 


8^ 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


was  prudent  or  becoming.  It  was  not  possible,  however,  that  the 
dust  of  controversy  could  long  smother  the  ardent  affection  which 
each  had  for  the  other.  In  the  latter  end  of  the  following  year,  Mr. 
Whitefield  wrote  to  him  as  follows:  "  I  long  to  hear  from  you,  and 
write  this  hoping  to  have  an  answer.  I  rejoice  to  hear  the  Lord 
blesses  your  labors. — May  you  be  blessed  in  bringing  souls  to  Christ, 
more  and  more.  I  believe  we  shall  go  on  best  when  we  only  preach 
the  simple  gospel,  and  do  not  interfere  with  each  other's  plan. — Our 
Lord  exceedingly  blesses  us  at  the  Tabernacle. — I  doubt  not  but  he 
deals  in  the  same  bountiful  manner  with  you.  I  was  at  your  letter- 
day  on  Monday.  Brother  Charles  has  been  pleased  to  come  and  see 
me  twice.  Behold  what  a  happy  thing  it  is  for  brethren  to  dwell 
together  in  unity !  That  the  whole  christian  world  may  all  become 
of  one  heart  and  one  mind;  and  that  we  in  particular,  though  differ- 
ing in  judgment,  may  be  examples  of  mutual,  fervent,  undissembled 
affection,  is  the  hearty  prayer  of,  Rev.  and  dear  sir,  your  most  affec- 
tionate, though  most  unworthy  younger  brother  in  the  kingdom  and 
patience  of  Jesus." 

I  have  not  found  Mr.  Wesley's  answer  to  this  letter;  but  it  appears 
from  one  Mr.  Whitefield  wrote  to  him  about  a  fortnight  after,  that  he 
had  answered  it,  in  the  same  spirit  of  peace  and  brotherly  love.  "  I 
thank  you,"  says  Mr.  Whitefield,  "  for  your  kind  answer  to  my  last. 
Had  it  . come  a  few  hours  sooner  I  should  have  read  some  part  of  it 
amongst  our  other  letters.  Dear  sir,  who  would  be  troubled  with  a  party 
spirit  7    May  our  Lord  make  all  his  children  free  from  it  indeed  !  " 

From  this  time,  their  mutual  regard  and  friendly  intercourse  suf- 
fered no  interruption  till  Mr.  Whitefield's  death;  who  says,  in  his 
last  Will,  written  with  his  own  hand  about  six  months  before  he  died, 
"  I  leave  a  mourning-ring  to  my  honored  and  dear  friends,  and  dis- 
interested fellow-laborers,  the  Rev.  Messrs.  John  and  Charles  Wes- 
ley, in  token  of  my  indissoluble  union  with  them,  in  heart  and  chris- 
tian affection,  notwithstanding  our  difference  in  judgment  about  some 
particular  points  of  doctrine."*  When  the  news  of  Mr.  Whitefield's 
death  reached  London,  Mr.  Keen,  one  of  his  executors,  recollecting  he 
had  often  said  to  him,  "If  you  should  die  abroad  whom  shall  we  get 
to  preach  your  funeral  sermon?  Must  it  be  your  old  friend,  the  Rev. 
Mr.  John  Wesley?"  And  having  constantly  received  for  answer, 
"  He  is  the  man;"  Mr.  Keen  accordingly  waited  on  Mr.  Wesley,  and 
engaged  him  to  preach  it ;  which  he  did.  and  bore  ample  testimony  to 
the  undissembled  piety,  the  ardent  zeal,  and  the  extensive  usefulness 
of  his  much  loved  and  honored  friend.f 

After  Mr.  Wesley  had  separated  from  the  Moravians,  Mr.  Gambold 
and  some  others  left  him,  and  became  more  closely  united  to  the 
brethren :  and  even  his  brother  Charles  was  at  this  time  wavering. 
On  this  occasion  Mr.  Wesley  sent  him  the  following  letter,  dated 

*  See  Robert's  Life  of  Whitefield,  page  256. 

t  Ibid,  page  230.   Mr.  Whitefield  died  in  September,  1770. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


87 


I  London,  April  21.  "  I  am  settling,"  says  he,  ^'  the  regular  method  of 
visiting  the  sick  here ;  eight  or  ten  have  offered  themselves  for  the 
work ;  who  are  likely  to  have  full  employment ;  for  more  and  more  are 
t^ken  ill  every  day.    Our  Lord  will  thoroughly  purge  his  floor, 

I  rejoice  in  your  speaking  your  mind  freely.  O  let  our  love  be 
without  dissimulation.  I  am  not  clear,  that  brother  Maxfield  should 
not  expound  at  Greyhound-lane ;  nor  can  I  as  yet  do  without  him. 
Our  clergymen  have  increased  full  as  much  as  the  laymen ;  and  that 
the  Moravians  are  other  than  laymen,  I  know  not. 

"As  yet  I  dare  in  no  wise  join  with  the  Moravians  :  1.  Because 
their  whole  scheme  is  mystical,  not  scriptural,  refined  in  every  point 
above  what  is  written,  immeasurably  beyond  the  plain  doctrines  of 
the  gospel.  2.  Because  there  is  darkness  and  closeness  in  all  their 
behavior,  and  guile  in  almost  all  their  words.  3.  Because  they  not 
only  do  not  practise,  but  utterly  despise  and  deny  self-denial  and  the 
daily  cross.  4.  Because  they,  upon  principle,  conform  to  the  world, 
in  wearing  gold  or  costly  apparel.  5.  Because  they  extend  christian 
liberty  in  this  and  many  other  respects,  beyond  what  is  warranted  by 
holy  writ.  6.  Because  they  are  by  no  means  zealous  of  good  works ; 
or  at  least,  only  to  their  own  people.  And  lastly,  because  they  make 
inward  religion  swallow  up  outward  in  general.  For  these  reasons 
chiefly  I  will  rather,  God  being  my  helper,  stand  quite  alone  than  join 
with  them.  I  mean,  till  I  have  full  assurance  that  they  will  spread 
none  of  these  errors  among  the  little  flock  committed  to  my  charge. 

"O  !  my  brother,  my  soul  is  grieved  for  you :  the  poison  is  in  you  : 
fair  words  have  stolen  away  your  heart. — No  English  man  or  woman, 
is  like  the  Moravians !  So  the  matter  is  come  to  a  fair  issue.  Five 
of  us  did  still  stand  together  a  few  months  since :  but  two  are  gone 
to  the  right  hand  (Hutchins  and  Cennick)  and  two  more  to  the  left 
(Mr.  Hall,  and  you  ;)  Lord,  if  it  be  thy  gospel  which  I  preach,  arise  and 
maintain  thine  own  cause  !" 

Mr.  Maxfield  was  a  layman,  and  hence  we  see  laymen  were  already 
employed  by  Mr.  Wesley  in  the  work.  He  was  remarkably  useful, 
and  excited  the  astonishment  of  those  who  heard  him.  The  late 
Countess  Dowager  of  Huntingdon,  was  at  this  time,  and  for  many 
years  after,  exceedingly  attached  to  Mr.  Wesley,  and  very  frequently 
wrote  to  him.  She  heard  Mr.  Maxfield  expound  and  in  a  letter  to  Mr. 
Wesley  speaks  thus  of  him.  "  I  never  mentioned  to  you,  that  I  have 
seen  Maxfield.  He  is  one  of  the  greatest  instances  of  God's  peculiar 
favor,  that  I  know.  He  has  raised  from  the  stones,  one  to  sit  among 
the  princes  of  his  people.  He  is  my  astonishment.  How  is  God's 
power  shown  in  weakness.  You  can  have  no  idea,  what  an  attach- 
ment I  have  to  him.  He  is  highly  favored  of  the  Lord.  The  first 
time  I  made  him  expound,  expecting  little  from  him,  I  sat  over  against 
him,  and  thought,  what  a  power  of  God  must  be  with  him,  to  make 
me  give  any  attention  to  him.    But  before  he  had  gone  over  one  fifth 


88 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY 


part,  any  one  that  had  seen  me  would  have  thought  I  had  been  made 
of  wood  or  stone,  so  quite  immovable  I  both  felt  and  looked.  His 
power  in  prayer  is  very  extraordinary. — To  deal  plainly,  I  could 
either  talk  or  write  for  an  hour  about  him. — The  society  goes  on  well 
here. — Live  assured  of  the  most  faithful  and  sincere  friendship  of  your 
unworthy  sister  in  Christ  Jesus." 

From  this  time  the  number  of  laymen  employed,  gradually  increased, 
in  proportion  to  the  increase  of  the  societies  and  the  want  of  preach- 
ers ;  the  clergy  generally  standing  at  a  distance  from  a  plan  of  such 
irregularity,  and  so  much  labor.  The  objections  that  have  been  made 
against  employing  lay-preachers,  and  what  maybe  fairly  said  in  their 
defence,  will  be  considered  in  another  part  of  this  work. 

In  June,  Mr.  Wesley  took  a  journey  as  far  as  Nottingham,  where  he 
preached,  at  the  market-place,  to  an  immense  multitude  of  people. — 
He  set  out  for  London,  and  read  over  in  the  way  Luther's  Comment 
on  the  Epistle  to  the  Galatians.  He  passes  a  most  severe  sentence  on 
Luther,  for  decrying  Reason,  right  or  wrong,  as  an  enemy  to  the  gos- 
pel of  Christ ;  and  for  speaking  blasphemously  of  good  works,  and  the 
law  of  God.  The  severity  of  this  sentence  perhaps  arose  from  a 
misconception  of  the  scope  and  design  of  Luther's  words.  That 
Luther  sometimes  spake  incautiously,  and  even  rashly,  we  may  read- 
ily admit,  and  that  his  words,  on  such  occasions  may  be  easily  under- 
stood in  a  sense  he  did  not  intend ;  which  was  probably  the  case  in 
the  passages  to  which  Mr.  Wesley  refers.  But  some  allowance  is  to 
be  made  for  Luther's*  situation,  the  errors  he  had  to  oppose,  and  the 

*  Martin  Luther,  the  celebrated  German  reformer,  was  born  in  Saxony,  in  1483.  He 
studied  at  Erford,  being  designed  for  a  civilian.  But  an  awful  catastrophe  made  such  an 
impression  on  his  mind,  that  he  resolved  to  retire  from  the  world.  As  he  was  walking  in 
the  fields  with  a  fellow  student,  they  were  struck  by  lightning,  Luther  to  the  ground,  and 
his  companion  dead  by  his  side.  He  then  entered  into  the  order  of  Augustine  hermits  at 
Erford.  From  this  place  he  removed  to  Wirtemburg,  being  appointed  by  the  Elector  of 
Saxony,  professor  of  Theology  and  Philosophy  in  the  university  just  founded  there  by  that 
^prince.  In  1512,  he  was  sent  to  Rome,  to  plead  the  cause  of  some  convents  of  his  order, 
who  had  quarrelled  with  their  vicar-general :  this  gave  him  an  opportunity  of  observ- 
ing the  corruptions  of  the  pontifical  court,  and  the  debauched  lives  of  the  dignitaries 
of  the  church ;  and  probably  gave  him  the  first  disgust  of  the  Komish  ecclesiasti- 
cal government ;  especially  as  he  had  engaged  in  the  monastic  life  from  motives  of 
genuine  piety.  Upon  his  return  to  Wirtemburg,  it  was  remarked  that  he  grew  unusually 
pensive,  and  more  austere  in  his  life  and  conversation  :  he  likewise  read  and  expounded 
the  sacred  writings  in  lectures  and  sermons ;  and  threw  new  lights  on  obscure  passages. 
The  minds  of  his  auditors  being  thus  prepared,  a  favorable  occasion  soon  offered  for  car- 
rying into  execution  his  grand  plan  of  reform.  In  1517,  Pope  Leo  X.  published  hisindul- 
gencies.  Albert,  archbishop  of  Mentz,  and  Magdeburgh,  was  commissioner  for  Germany, 
and  was  to  have  half  the  sum  raised  in  that  country :  Tetzel,  a  Dominican  friar,  was 
deputed  to  collect,  with  others  of  his  order,  for  Saxony ;  and  he  carried  his  zeal  so  far,  as 
to  declare  his  commission  was  so  extensive,  that  by  purchasing  indulgencies,  not  only  all 
past  sins,  but  those  intended  in  future,  were  to  be  forgiven.  Luther  beheld  his  success 
with  great  concern,  and  began  to  preach  openly  against  such  vile  practices.  And  thus 
began  the  Reformation  in  Germany,  which  Luther  carried  on  with  astonishing  success, 
through  a  train  of  difficuhies  and  dangers,  that,  to  human  reason  appeared  insuperable. 
He  died  in  1546,  aged  63.    Luther's  friends  and  adherents  were  first  called  Protestants,  in 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


89 


provocations  he  received.  He  must  be  more  than  human,  who  can 
walk  steadily  in  the  middle  path  of  moderation,  while  a  host  of  ene- 
mies are  pushing  and  goading  him  on  every  side. 

June  18.  Being  at  Oxford,  Mr.  Wesley  inquired  concerning  the 
exercises  previous  to  the  degree  of  Batchelor  in  Divinity.  And  though 
he  certainly  was  well  qualified  to  pass  through  the  various  gradations 
of  academical  honors,  yet  he  laid  aside  the  thought  of  proceeding  fur- 
ther in  them. — Having  visited  London,  he  was  again  at  Oxford  in  the 
beginning  of  July;  and  on  the  sixth  being  in  the  college- library,  "I 
took  down,"  says  he,  "  by  mistake,  the  works  of  Episcopiusf^  which, 
opening  on  an  account  of  the  Synod  of  Dort,  I  believed  it  might  be 
useful  to  read  it  through.  But  what  a  scene  is  here  disclosed  !  What 
a  pity  it  is  that  the  holy  Synod  of  Trent,  and  that  of  Dort,  did  not 
sit  at  the  same  time !  Nearly  allied  as  they  were,  not  only  as  to  the 
purity  of  doctrine^  which  each  of  them  established,  but  also  as  to  the 
spirit  wherewith  they  acted !    If  the  latter  did  not  exceed." 

July  15.  Mr.  Wesley  reached  Bristol,  and  tells  us  he  came  just  in 

1529,  at  a  Diet  held  at  Spires,  in  which  several  Princes  of  the  Empire,  and  some  Imperial 
cities  protested  against  the  attempts  of  the  Romanists  to  obtain  a  decree,  that  no  change 
should  be  made  in  their  religion.  The  Calvinists  have  commonly  been  called  the 
Reformed  churches. 

*  Simon  Episcopius,  was  born  at  Amsterdam,  in  1583.  He  was  one  of  the  most  learned 
men  of  the  17th  century,  and  chief  supporter  of  the  Arminian  doctrine.  In  1612,  he  was 
chosen  divinity  professor  at  Leyden,  in  the  midst  of  the  Arminian  controversy ;  which, 
though  it  had  begun  in  the  Universities,  soon  flew  to  the  pulpits,  from  whence  it  spread 
and  inflamed  the  people.  In  1610,  the  year  after  Arminius  died,  his  friends,  who  had 
espoused  his  doctrine,  presented  a  Remonstrance  to  the  States  of  Holland,  against  the  vio- 
lent proceedings  of  the  Calvinists  to  injure  or  suppress  them.  And  from  this  circum- 
stance, they  have  since  been  called  in  Holland,  Remonstrants.  In  1617,  the  King  of  Great 
Britain  exhorted  the  States  General  of  the  United  Provinces  to  call  a  Synod  to  put  an  end 
to  their  differences.  This  advice  was  seconded  by  several  of  the  States  ;  and  accordingly  a 
Synod  was  appointed  to  be  held  the  next  year  at  Dort.  The  States  of  Holland  having 
invited  Episcopius  to  take  his  place  in  it,  he  went  thither  accompanied  by  some  Remon- 
strant ministers ;  but  the  Synod  would  not  allow  them  to  sit  as  judges,  nor  to  appear  in 
any  other  capacity  than  as  persons  accused,  and  summoned  before  them.  The  Remon- 
strants were  condemned,  deposed  from  their  functions,  and  banished  their  country  !  But 
the  times  growing  more  favorable,  Episcopius  returned  to  Holland,  and  at  length  was 
chosen  Rector  of  the  college  founded  by  the  Arminians,  at  Amsterdam ;  where  he  died  in 
1643. 

Some  of  the  foreign  divines  present  at  the  Synod,  afterwards  complained,  that  the 
Remonstrants  had  been  wronged ;  that  they  had  been  imposed  upon,  by  the  Moderator 
and  his  cabal,  who  formed  a  Synod  among  themselves,  and  concerted  in  private  those 

things  they  had  a  mind  to  bring  to  a  good  issue.  It  is  evident  that  the  Dutch  divines 

were  parties  concerned,  and  judges  on  the  trial.  What  justice  or  candor  could  their  oppo- 
nents expect?  Synods,  Assemblies,  or  Conferences,  call  them  what  you  please,  that  are 
conducted  on  such  principles  as  these,  are  hateful  to  God,  and  odious  to  candid  and  good 
men,  who  fully  understand  their  proceedings. — What  is  the  cause,  that  men  of  most 
denominations,  who  have  been  set  apart  to  instruct  others  in  our  most  holy  religion,  which 
teaches  us  humility,  the  love  of  God  and  man,  and  a  forgiving  spirit,  should  be  so  much 
alike,  and  so  much  rvorse  than  other  people,  when  they  have  the  power  of  persecuting  and 
distressing  those  who  oppose  them,  or  differ  from  them  in  opinion  ?  How  highly  ought 
we  to  esteem  the  true  ministers  of  Christ,  who  shew  a  more  Christian  temper ! 
VOL.  II.  8*  12 


:%0  THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 

season  ;  For,"  says  he,  "a  spirit  of  enthusiasm  was  breaking  in 
upon  many,  who  charged  their  own  imaginations  on  the  will  of  God, 
and  that,  not  written,  but  impressed  on  their  hearts.  If  these  impres- 
sions be  received  as  the  rule  of  action,  instead  of  the  written  word,  I 
know  nothing  so  wicked  or  absurd,  but  we  may  fall  into,  and  that 
without  remedy." — We  have  here  full  and  satisfactory  evidence,  that 
Mr.  Wesley  paid  no  regard  to  impressions  or  inward  feelings,  if  they 
did  not  accord  with  the  written  word,  by  which  alone  we  must  judge 
of  them.  His  belief  on  this  subject  was  plainly  this;  1.  Without 
experience  of  present  salvation  from  our  sins,  the  gospel  has  no  saving 
influence  on  our  hearts  :  2.  Such  experience  can  have  no  existence 
without  inward  feeling,  that  is  a  consciousness  of  it :  3.  That  we 
must  judge  of  the  reality  of  our  experience  by  the  word  of  God,  to 
which  it  will  answer  as  face  answers  to  face  in  a  glass,  if  it  be  of 
God ;  otherwise  it  is  mere  imagination,  a  creature  of  our  own  that 
will  deceive  us. 

The  following  queries  concerning  the  Methodists  were  sent,  I  appre- 
hend, from  Holland  or  Germany  to  some  person  in  England.  The 
answer  to  each  is  in  Mr.  Wesley's  hand- writing ;  and  the  date  pre- 
fixed is  1741.  But  if  this  be  the  true  date,  I  conjecture,  from  the 
answer  to  the  fourth  and  fifth  query,  that  it  must  have  been  very  early 
in  this  year,  before  Mr.  Wesley  and  Mr.  Whitefield  separated  on  the 
doctrine  of  predestination.  However,  not  being  able  to  ascertain  the 
date  exactly,  I  have  referred  them  to  this  place. 

Quest.  1.  Whether  the  number  of  the  ]Methodists  is  considerable, 
among  the  students  and  learned  men? 

Answ.  "  The  number  of  the  Methodists  is  not  considerable,  among 
the  students  and  learned  men." 

2.  Whether  at  Oxford,  where  the  Methodists  first  sprung  up,  there 
be  still  many  of  them  among  the  scholars? 

"There  are  very  few  of  them  now  left,  among  the  scholars  at 
Oxford." 

3.  Whether  they  are  all  of  one  mind,  and  whether  they  have  the 
same  principles  ?  Especially,  4.  Whether  those  Methodists  that  are 
still  at  Oxford,  approve  of  the  sentiments  and  actions  of  Mr.  White- 
field  and  Messrs.  Wesley s? 

'•They  are  all  of  the  same  principles  with  the  Church  of  England, 
as  laid  down  in  her  Articles  and  Homilies:  and,  4.  Do  accordingly 
approve  of  the  sentiments  of  Mr.  Whitefield,  and  Mr.  Wesley,  and 
of  their  publishing  them  elsewhere,  since  they  have  been  shut  out  of 
-the  churches." 

5.  How  they  came  to  revive  those  doctrines,  hitherto  neglected  by 
■the  clergy  of  the  Church  of  England,  of  predestination,  the  new  birth, 
and  justification  by  faith  alone  ?  And  6.  Whether  they  have  the  same 
from  the  Moravian  brethren  ? 

"Predestination  is  not  a  doctrine  taught  by  the  Methodists.  But 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


91 


they  do  teach  that  men  must  be  born  again,  and  that  we  are  saved 
through  faith :  and  6.  "  The  latter  of  these  they  learned  from  some  of 
the  Moravian  brethren  ;  the  former  by  reading  the  New  Testament." 

7.  Whether  they  be  orthodox  =^  in  other  doctrinal  points;  and 
whether  they  lead  an  unblameable  Christian  life ; 

"  They  openly  challenge  all  that  hear  them  to  answer  those  ques- 
tions, 'Which  of  you  convinceth  me  of  sin?'  Or,  of  teaching  any 
doctrine  contrary  to  the  scripture?  And  the  general  accusation 
against  them  is,  that  they  are  righteous  overmuch." 

8.  Whether  they  strictly  regulate  themselves  according  to  the  rule 
and  discipline  of  the  Moravian  brethren;  except  that  they  still  keep 
and  observe  the  outward  worship  according  to  the  Church  of  England? 

"  They  do  not  regulate  themselves  according  to  the  discipline  of  the 
Moravians  but  of  the  Enghsh  Church." 

9.  Whether  they  do  any  real  good  among  the  common  people  7 
"Very  many  of  the  common  people  among  whom  they  preach, 

were  profane  swearers,  and  now  fear  an  oath ;  were  gluttons,  or 
drunkards,  and  are  now  temperate  ;  were  whoremongers,  and  are  now 
chaste;  were  servants  of  the  devil,  and  are  now  servants  of  God." 

10.  Why  the  bishops  do  not  effectually  inhibit  them,  and  hinder  ' 
their  field  aAd  street  preaching? 

"The  bishops  do  not  inhibit  their  field  and  street  preaching;  1. 
Because  there  is  no  law  in  England  against  it :  2.  Because  God 
does  not  yet  suflTer  them  to  do  it  without  law." 

11.  Whether  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  is  satisfied  with  them; 
as  we  are  told  ? 

"  The  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  is  not  satisfied  with  them ;  espe- 
cially since  Mr.  Molther,  in  the  name  of  the  Moravian  Church,  told  his 
Grace  their  disapprobation  of  them ;  and  in  particular  of  their  field 
preaching." 

12.  Whether  their  private  assemblies  or  societies  are  orderly  and 
edifying  ? 

"  Their  private  assemblies,  and  societies  are  orderly,  and  many  say 
they  find  them  edifying." 

13.  What  opinion  the  Presbyterians,  and  particularly  Dr.  Watts, 
has  of  them  ? 

"  Most  of  the  Presbyterians,  and  most  all  other  denominations,  are 
of  opinion,  much  religion  hath  made  them  mad." 

14.  Whether  there  are  any  Methodists  among  the  episcopal  clergy 
of  the  Church  of  England  ? 

"Mr.  Whitefield,  Hutchins,  Robson,  and  the  two  Messrs.  Wesleys, 
and  several  others,  are  priests  of  the  Episcopal  Church  of  England." 

*  Some  persons  have  thought  this  word  very  equivocal,  and  difficult  to  be  explained.  A 
late  celebrated  public  speaker  among  the  Friends,  once  told  his  audience  at  Warrington, 
that  he  knew  not  how  to  explain  the  word  orthodox,  except  by  another  little  word  of  three 
syllables,  uppermost !  In  this  sense  the  Methodists  have  never  yet  been  orthodox ;  and  it 
is  generally  supposed  there  are  but  few  among  them  who  earnestly  desire  to  be  so. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


The  modesty  and  openness  with  which  Mr.  Wesley  answered  the 
queries,  is  striking  and  pleasing.  His  mind  seems  to  have  been 
wholly  free  from  any  desire  to  exaggerate  or  magnify  the  things  of 
which  he  spake. 

The  laborers  as  yet  being  few,  Mr.  Wesley  staid  but  a  short  time 
in  any  one  place,  being  almost  continually  travelling  between  Lon- 
don, Bristol,  and  Wales ;  the  last  of  which  he  visited  twice  in  the 
autumn.  In  London,  they  had  long  been  disturbed  in  their  places  of 
worship  by  a  riotous  mob ;  but  on  the  last  day  of  this  year.  Sir  John 
Ganson  called  upon  him,  and  said,  "  Sir,  you  have  no  need  to  suffer 
these  riotous  mobs  to  molest  you,  as  they  have  done  long.  I,  and  all 
the  other  Middlesex  magistrates  have  orders  from  above,  to  do  you 
justice  whenever  you  apply  to  us."  Two  or  three  weeks  after  they 
did  apply.  Justice  was  done,  though  not  with  rigor :  and  from  that 
time  the  Methodists  had  peace  in  London. 

Feb.  15,  1742.  Many  met  together  at  Bristol,  to  consult  with  Mr. 
Wesley  concerning  a  proper  method  of  paying  the  public  debt,  con- 
tracted by  building.  Nearly  three  years  before  this  period,  a  house 
had  been  built  here,  called  the  New  Room ;  and  notwithstanding  the 
subscriptions  and  public  collections  made  at  the  time  to  defray  the 
expense,  a  large  debt  remained  upon  it.  And  it  was  now  agreed, 
1.  That  every  member  of  the  society  who  was  able,  should  con- 
tribute a  penny  a  week.  2.  That  the  whole  society  should  be  divi- 
ded into  little  companies  or  classes,  about  twelve  in  each  class :  and, 
3.  That  one  person  in  each  class,  should  receive  the  contribution  of 
the  rest,  and  bring  it  to  the  stewards  weekly.  In  March,  the  same 
thing  was  done  in  London,  though  for  a  different  purpose.  "I  ap- 
pointed," says  Mr.  Wesley,  "  several  earnest  and  sensible  men  to  meet 
me,  to  whom  I  showed  the  great  difficulty  I  had  long  found,  of  know- 
ing the  people  who  desired  to  be  under  my  care.  After  much  dis- 
course, they  all  agreed,  there  could  be  no  better  way  to  come  to  a 
sure,  thorough  knowledge  of  each  person,  than  to  divide  them  into 
classes  like  those  at  Bristol,  under  the  inspection  of  those  in  whom  I 
could  most  confide.  This  was  the  origin  of  our  classes  in  London, 
for  which  I  can  never  sufficiently  praise  God :  the  unspeakable  use- 
fulness of  the  institution,  having  ever  since  been  more  and  more 
manifest." 

The  person  appointed  to  visit  and  watch  over  these  little  companies, 
or  classes,  was  called  the  leader  of  that  class  to  which  he  received 
his  appointment.  Mr.  Wesley  called  the  leaders  together,  and  desired 
that  each  would  make  a  particular  inquiry  into  the  behavior  of  those 
he  saw  weekly.  They  did  so ;  and  many  disorderly  walkers  were 
detected.  Some  were  turned  from  the  evil  of  their  Vv^ays,  and  some 
put  away  from  the  society.  The  rest  saw  it  with  fear,  and  rejoiced 
unto  God  with  reverence. — At  first  the  leaders  visited  each  person  at 
his  own  house :  but  this  was  soon  found  inexpedient.    It  required 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


9a 


more  time  than  the  leaders  had  to  spare ;  many  persons  Hved  with 
masters,  mistresses,  or  relations,  where  they  could  not  be  so  visited ; 
and  where  misunderstandings  had  arisen  between  persons  in  the  same 
class,  it  was  more  convenient  to  see  them  face  to  face.  On  these,  and 
some  other  considerations,  ii  was  agreed  that  each  leader  should  meet 
his  class  all  together,  once  a  week,  at  a  time  and  place  most  conveni- 
ent for  the  whole.  He  began  and  ended  the  meeting  with  singing 
and  prayer ;  and  spent  about  an  hour  in  conversing  with  those  pres- 
ent, one  by  one.  By  this  means,  a  more  full  inquiry  was  made  into 
the  behavior  of  every  person ;  advice  or  reproof  was  given  as  need 
required ;  misunderstandings  were  removed,  and  brotherly-love  pro- 
moted. "  It  can  scarce  be  conceived,"  says  Mr.  Wesley,  "  what  advan- 
tages have  been  reaped  from  this  little  prudential  regulation.  Many 
now  experienced  that  christian  fellowship,  of  Avhich  they  had  not  so 
much  as  an  idea  before.  They  began  to  bear  one  another's  burdens, 
and  naturally  to  care  for  each  other's  welfare.  And  as  they  had 
daily  a  more  intimate  acquaintance  with,  so  they  had  a  more  endeared 
affection  for  each  other."  Mr.  Wesley  further  adds,  "  Upon  reflec- 
tion, I  could  not  but  observe,  this  is  the  very  thing  which  was  from 
the  beginning  of  Christianity.  In  the  earliest  times,  those  whom 
God  had  sent  forth,  preached  the  gospel  to  every  creature.  And  the 
oi  dxQoaTa),  the  body  of  hearers,  were  mostly  either  Jews  or  Heathens. 
But  as  soon  as  any  of  these  were  so  convinced  of  the  truth,  as  to 
forsake  sin,  and  seek  the  gospel  of  salvation,  they  immediately  joined 
them  together,  took  an  account  of  their  names,  advised  them  to  watch 
over  each  other,  and  met  these  xaTr,xsfxsvov,  catechumens^  as  they  were 
then  called,  apart  from  the  great  congregation,  that  they  might 
instruct,  rebuke,  exhort,  and  pray  with  them,  and  for  them,  accord- 
ing to  their  several  necessities." 

As  the  people  increased,  and  societies  were  multiplied,  Mr.  Wesley 
found  it  necessary  to  add  some  further  regulations,  to  ascertain  who 
belonged  to  the  society,  and  to  prevent  improper  persons  from  impos- 
ing upon  him.  To  every  person  therefore,  of  whose  seriousness,  and 
good  conversation  he  had  no  doubt,  he  gave  a  ticket^  on  which  was 
printed  a  short  portion  of  Scripture,  and  on  which  he  wrote  the  date 
and  the  person's  name.  He  who  received  a  ticket  was  by  that  made 
a  member  of  the  society,  and  immediately  appointed  to  meet  in  some 
one  of  the  classes;  and  this  method  of  admitting  members  was  adop- 
ted throughout  the  whole  Methodist  connection.  These  tickets,  there- 
fore, or  TessercB,  as  the  ancients  called  them,  being  of  the  same  force 
with  the  enigoXal  (TvgaTixal,  commendatory  letters,  mentioned  by  the 
Apostle,  introduced  those  who  bore  them,  into  the  fellowship  one  with 
another,  not  only  in  one  place,  but  in  every  place  where  any  might 
happen  to  come.  As  they  were  common  to  all  the  members  of  the 
societies  every  where,  so  a  stranger  in  any  place,  who  held  one,  was 
immediately  received  as  a  brother,  and  admitted  to  their  private 


^  THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 

assemblies.  But  lest  any  improper  person  should  be  suffered  to  con- 
tinue in  the  society,  and  bring  disgrace  on  the  whole  body  by  bad 
conduct,  it  was  agreed  that  these  tickets  should  have  no  force  for  a 
longer  time  than  three  months.  Mr.  Wesley  determined,  that,  where 
he  could  stay  a  few  days,  he  would  speak  with  every  member  of  the 
society  once  a  quarter,  and  change  the  tickets  ;  and  that  the  preachers 
appointed  to  act  as  his  assistants,  should  every  where  do  the  same. 
By  this  means  the  tickets  were  changed  four  times  in  a  year ;  and 
this  was  called  visiting  the  classes.  Mr.  Wesley  observes,  "  By  these 
(tickets)  it  was  easily  distinguished,  when  the  society  were  to  meet 
apart,  who  were  members  of  it,  and  who  not.  These  also  supplied 
us  with  a  quiet  and  inoffensive  method  of  removing  any  disorderly 
member,  he  has  no  new  ticket  at  the  next  quarterly  visitation,  and 
hereby  it  is  immediately  known,  that  he  is  no  longer  of  the  commu- 
nity." 

April  9.  They  had  the  first  watch-night  in  London.  "  We  com- 
monly choose,"  says  Mr.  Wesley,  "  for  this  solemn  service,  the  Friday 
night  nearest  the  full  moon,  either  before  or  after,  that  those  of  the 
congregation  who  live  at  a  distance  may  have  light  to  their  several 
homes.  The  service  begins  at  half  an  hour  past  eight,  and  continues 
till  a  little  after  midnight.  We  have  often  found  a  peculiar  blessing 
at  these  seasons.  There  is  generally  a  deep  awe  upon  the  congrega- 
tion, perhaps  in  some  measure  owing  to  the  silence  of  the  night :  par- 
ticularly in  singing  the  hymn,  with  which  we  commonly  conclude : 

Hearken  to  the  solemn  voice ! 

The  awful  midnight  cry, 
"Waiting  souls  rejoice,  rejoice. 

And  feel  the  Bridegroom  nigh." 

Having  received  a  letter  pressing  him  to  go  without  delay  into 
Leicestershire,  he  set  out.  '-The  next  afternoon,"  says  Mr.  Wesley, 
''I  stopt  a  little  at  Newport-Pagnell,  and  then  rode  on  till  I  overtook  a 
serious  man,  with  whom  I  immediately  fell  into  conversation.  He 
presently  gave  me  to  know  what  his  opinions  were :  therefore  I  said 
nothing  to  contradict  them.  But  that  did  not  content  him :  he  was 
quite  uneasy  to  know  '  Whether  I  held  the  doctrine  of  the  decrees,  as 
he  did.'  But  I  told  him  ov^r  and  over,  we  had  better  keep  to  prac- 
tical things,  lest  we  should  be  angry  at  one  another.  And  so  we  did 
for  two  miles,  till  he  caught  me  unawares,  and  dragged  me  into  the 
dispute  before  I  knew  where  I  was.  He  then  grew  warmer  and 
warmer :  told  me,  I  was  rotten  at  heart,  and  supposed  I  was  one  of 
John  Wesley's  followers.  I  told  him,  no,  I  am  John  Wesley  himself. 
Upon  which  he  appeared, 

'  Improvisum  aspris  veluti  qui  sentibtis  anguem 
Pressit?  " 

As  one  who  had  unawares  trodden  on  a  snake :  "  and  would  gladly 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


95 


have  run  away  outright.  But  being  tlie  better  mounted  of  the  two, 
I  kept  close  to  his  side,  and  endeavored  to  show  him  his  heart,  till  we 
came  into  the  street  of  Northampton." 

Mr.  Wesley  had  now  a  call  to  extend  his  labors  further  north  than 
he  had  hitherto  done.  John  Nelson,  a  mason  of  Birstal,  in  Yorkshire, 
had  been  in  London  some  time,  and  heard  the  gospel  at  the  Foundery. 
His  understanding  was  informed,  his  conscience  awakened,  and  feel- 
ing the  whole  energy  of  the  truths  he  heard  delivered,  he  received 
that  peace,  which  the  Apostle  speaks  of,  as  the  fruit  of  justifying 
faith.  He  received  '  the  knowledge  of  salvation  by  the  remission  of 
his  sins.'  He  had  full  employment  and  large  wages  in  London,  but 
he  found  a  constant  inclination  to  return  to  his  native  place.  He  did 
so;  and  his  relations  and  acquaintance  soon  began  to  inquire  what 
he  thought  of  this  new  faith,  which,  by  means  of  Mr.  Ingham,  had 
occasioned  much  noise  and  talk  in  Yorkshire.  John  told  them  point 
blank,  this  new  faith,  as  they  called  it,  wixs  the  old  faith  of  the  gos- 
pel :  and  related  to  them  his  own  experience.  This  was  soon  noised 
abroad :  and  more  and  more  came  to  inquire  concerning  these  strange 
things.  Some  put  him  upon  the  proof  of  the  great  truths  such 
inquiries  naturally  led  him  to  mention.  And  thus  he  was  brought 
unawares  to  quote,  explain,  compare,  and  enforce  several  parts  of 
Scripture.  This  he  did  at  first,  sitting  in  his  house,  till  the  company 
increased  so  that  the  house  could  not  contain,  them.  Then  he  stood 
at  the  door,  which  he  was  commonly  obliged  to  do,  in  the  evening, 
as  soon  as  he  came  from  work.  His  word  was  soon  made  a  blessing 
to  the  people :  many  believed  his  report,  and  were  turned  from  dark- 
ness to  light,  and  from  the  power  of  sin  and  satan  unto  the  living 
God.  Mr.  Ingham  hearing  of  this  came  to  Birstal,  inquired  into  the 
facts,  talked  with  John  himself  in  the  closest  manner,  both  touching 
his  knowledge  and  experience.  The  result  was,  he  encouraged  him 
to  proceed,  and  invited  him  to  come,  as  often  as  convenient,  to  any 
of  those  places  where  he  himself  had  been,  and  speak  to  the  people 
as  God  should  enable  him.  Things  being  in  this  state,  John  Nelson 
invited  Mr.  Wesley  to  come  down  amongst  them;  and  May  26,  he 
arrived  at  Birstal.  Here  he  found  a  lay-preacher  who  undeniably, 
had  done  much  good.  Many  of  the  greatest  profligates  in  all  the 
country  were  now  changed.  Their  blasphemies  were  turned  to  praise. 
Tiie  whole  town  wore  a  new  face :  such  a  change  did  God  work  by 
the  artless  testimony  of  one  plain  man !  Mr.  Wesley  was  so  fully 
convinced  of  the  great  design  of  a  preached  gospel,  that  if  sinners 
were  truly  converted  to  God,  and  a  decent  order  preserved  in  hearing 
the  word,  he  thought  it  a  matter  of  less  consequence,  whether  the 
instrument  of  the  good  done,  was  a  layman,  or  regularly  ordained. 
And  if  a  regularly  ordained  preacher  did  no  good,  and  a  layman  by 
preaching  did ;  it  was  easy  to  judge  which  was  acting  most  agree- 
ably to  the  design  of  the  gospel,  and  most  for  the  benefit  of  society. 


96 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


It  is  probable  that  such  reflections  as  these  had  arisen  in  his  mind  on 
the  fact  before  him :  and  his  judgment  was  confirmed  by  repeated 
facts  of  the  same  kind  which  occurred.  And  thus  he  was  induced  to 
make  use  of  the  labors  of  laymen,  on  a  more  extensive  scale  than  had 
hitherto  been  allowed. 

After  preaching  at  Birstal,  he  went  forward  to  Newcastle-upon- 
Tyne.  Having  witnessed  the  success  of  the  gospel  among  the  col- 
liers at  Kingswood,  he  had  long  had  a  desire  to  visit  those  about 
Newcastle,  and  now  accomplished  his  wish  ;  at  least  in  part,  and 
made  way  for  future  visits.  He  was  not  known  to  any  person  in 
Newcastle ;  and  therefore  he,  and  John  Ta^'^lor,  who  travelled  with 
him,  put  up  at  an  inn.  On  walking  through  the  town,  after  taking 
some  refreshment,  he  observes,  I  was  surprised :  so  much  drunken- 
ness, cursing  and  swearing,  even  from  the  mouths  of  little  children, 
do  I  never  remember  to  have  seen  and  heard  before  in  so  short  a  time. 
Sunday,  May  30.  At  seven  in  the  morning,  he  walked  down  to  Sand- 
gate,  the  poorest  and  most  contemptible  part  of  the  town,  and  stand- 
ing at  the  end  of  the  street  with  John  Taylor,  began  to  sing  the  hun- 
dredth psalm.  "Three  or  four  people."  says  he,  "came  out  to  see 
what  was  the  matter,  who  soon  increased  to  four  or  five  himdred.  I 
suppose  there  might  be  twelve  or  fifteen  hundred  before  I  had  done 
preaching :  to  whom  I  applied  those  solemn  words,  '  He  was  wounded 
for  our  transgressions,  he  was  bruised  for  our  iniquities  ;  the  chastise- 
ment of  our  peace  was  upon  him.  and  by  his  stripes  Ave  are  healed.' 

"Observing  the  people  when  I  had  done,  to  stand  gaping  and 
staring  upon  me  with  the  most  profound  astonishment,  I  told  them, 
if  you  desire  to  know  who  1  am,  my  name  is  John  Wesley.  At  five  in 
the  evening,  with  God's  help,  I  design  to  preach  here  again.  At  five, 
the  hill  on  which  I  designed  to  preach,  was  covered  from  top  to  bot- 
tom. I  never  saw  so  large  a  number  of  people  together,  either  in 
Moorfields,  or  at  Kennington-common.  I  knew  it  was  not  possible 
for  the  one  half  to  hear,  although  my  voice  was  then  strong  and  clear; 
and  I  stood  so  as  to  have  them  all  in  view,  as  they  v/ere  ranged  on 
the  side  of  the  hill.  The  word  of  God  which  I  set  before  them  was, 
•I  will  heal  their  backsliding,  I  will  love  them  freely.'  After  preach- 
ing, the  poor  people  were  ready  to  tread  me  under  foot,  out  of  pure 
love  and  kindness.  I  was  sometime  before  I  could  possibly  get  out 
of  the  press.  I  then  went  back  another  way  than  I  came.  But  sev- 
eral were  got  to  our  inn  before  me  :  by  whom  I  was  vehemently 
importuned  to  stay  with  them,  at  least  a  few  days :  or  however,  one 
day  more.  But  I  could  not  consent;  having  given  my  word  to  be  at 
Birstal,  with  God's  leave,  on  Tuesday  night.'"' 

Monday,  31.  Mr.  Wesley  left  Newcastle,  and  preached  at  various 
places  as  he  returned  through  Yorkshire.  June  5.  He  rode  for 
Ep worth,  in  Lincolnshire,  the  place  of  his  nativity.  "  It  being  many 
years,"  says  he,  "  since  I  had  been  in  Ep  worth  before,  I  went  to  an 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


inn,  in  the  middle  of  the  town,  not  knowing  whether  there  were  any- 
left  in  it  now,  who  would  not  be  ashamed  of  my  acquaintance.  But 
an  old  servant  of  my  father,  with  two  or  three  poor  women,  presently 
found  me  out.  I  asked  her,  '  Do  you  know  any  in  Epworth  who  are  in 
earnest  to  be  saved  ?'  She  answered,  '  I  am  by  the  grace  of  God  ;  and 
I  know  I  am  saved  through  faith.'  I  asked,  '  have  you  then  peace 
with  God?  Do  you  know  that  he  has  forgiven  your  sins?'  She 
replied,  '  I  thank  God,  I  know  it  well,  and  many  here  can  say  the 
same  thing.' " 

Sunday,  6.  A  little  before  the  service  began,  he  offered  his  assist- 
ance to  Mr,  Roniley,  the  curate,  either  by  preaching  or  reading 
prayers.  But  this  was  not  accepted.  In  the  afternoon,  the  church 
was  exceedingly  full,  a  report  being  spread,  that  Mr.  Wesley  was  to 
preach.  After  sermon,  John  Taylor  stood  in  the  church-yard,  and 
gave  notice,  as  the  people  came  out,  that  Mr.  Wesley,  not  being  per- 
mitted to  preach  in  the  church,  designed  to  preach  there  at  six  o'clock. 
^•Accordingly  at  six,"  says  he,  "I  came,  and  found  such  a  congre- 
gation as,  I  believe,  Epworth  never  saw  before.  I  stood  near  the  east 
end  of  the  church,  upon  my  father's  tombstone,  and  cried,  '  The  king- 
dom of  heaven  is  not  meats  and  drinks :  but  righteousness,  and  peace, 
and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost.'  " 

On  the  9th,  he  tells  us,  "  I  rode  over  to  a  neighboring  town,  to  wait 
upon  a  justice  of  peace,  a  man  of  candor  and  understanding ;  before 
whom,  I  was  informed,  their  angry  neighbors  had  carried  a  whole 
waggon-load  of  these  new  heretics.  But  when  he  asked  '  what  they 
had  done  ?  '  There  was  a  deep  silence ;  for  that  was  a  point  their 
conductors  had  forgot.  At  length  one  said,  '  Why  they  pretend  to  be 
better  than  other  people  :  and  besides  they  pray  from  morning  to 
night.'  Mr.  S.  asked,  '  But  have  they  done  nothing  besides  ?'  '  Yes, 
sir,'  said  an  old  man:  'an't  please  your  worship,  they  have  con- 
varted  my  wife.  Till  she  went  among  them,  she  had  such  a  tongue  ! 
And  now  she  is  as  quiet  as  a  lamb.'  '  Carry  them  back,  carry  them 
back,'  replied  the  justice,  '  and  let  them  convert  all  the  scolds  in  the 
town.'  " 

On  the  13th,  Mr.  Wesley  preached  for  the  last  time  at  Epworth, 
during  his  present  visit,  and  from  thence  went  to  Sheffield.  Here  he 
staid  and  preached  a  few  days,  and  then  went  on  to  Donnington 
Park,  and  found  Miss  Cowper,  whom  he  had  called  to  see  in  his  way 
to  Yorkshire,  was  gone  to  rest.  Here  he  conversed  with  Mr.  Simp- 
son, who  had  gone  among  the  brethren.  "  And  of  this  I  am  fully 
persuaded,"  says  Mr.  Wesley,  "  that  whatever  he  does,  is  in  the 
uprightness  of  his  heart.  But  he  is  led  into  a  thousand  mistakes  by 
one  wrong  principle ;  the  making  inward  impressions  his  rule  of 
action,  and  not  the  written  word :  which  many  ignorantly  or  wickedly 
ascribe  to  the  body  of  the  people  called  Methodists."  Here  we  may- 
observe,  as  in  an  instance  before  mentioned,  Mr.  Wesley  wholly  con- 

voL.  n.  9  13 


r 


99  THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 

demiis  the  principle  of  making  mivard  impressions  the  rule  of  conduct, 
independent  of,  or  separate  from,  the  written  word  of  God. 

Mr.  Wesley  left  Donnington  Park,  and  preaching  at  various  places 
in  the  way,  on  the  28th,  came  to  Bristol.  From  hence  he  visited 
Wales,  and  afterwards  divided  his  labors  chiefly  between  London  and 
Bristol,  and  some  adjacent  societies,  till  the  beginning  of  November, 
when  he  set  out  for  the  North.  On  the  13th,  he  came  to  Newcastle. 
Here  his  brother  Charles  had  been  preaching  some  weeks  before,  with 
great  success,  and  a  society  was  already  formed.  The  next  morning 
Mr.  Wesley  began  to  preach  at  five  o'clock,  a  thing  unheard  of  in 
these  parts,  till  he  introduced  the  practice  :  wliich  he  did  every 
where,  if  there  was  any  probability  that  a  few  persons  could  be  gath- 
ered to  hear  him.  On  the  18th,  he  says,  *'I  could  not  but  observe, 
the  different  manner  wherein  God  is  pleased  to  work  in  different  places. 
The  grace  of  God  flows  here,  with  a  wider  stream  than  it  did  at  first 
either  at  Bristol  or  Kingswood.  But  it  does  not  sink  so  deep  as  it  did 
there.  Few  are  thoroughly  convinced  of  sin,  and  scarce  any  can  wit- 
ness that  the  Lamb  of  God  has  taken  away  their  sins."  I  fear  this 
judgment  of  the  state  of  the  people,  was  not  founded  on  the  most  satis- 
factory evidence.  His  brother  had  been  here,  who  did  not  encourage 
agitations :  and  he  had  hitherto  seen  less  of  them  under  his  preaching, 
than  he  had  been  accustomed  to  see  in  other  places.  But  however 
this  may  be,  for  I  do  not  determine,  he  formed  a  different  opinion 
some  days  after.  "  I  never  saw,"  says  he,  "a  work  of  God  in  any 
other  place,  so  evenly  and  gradually  carried  on.  It  continually  rises 
step  by  step.  Not  so  much  seems  to  be  done  at  any  one  time,  as  hath 
frequently  been  done  at  Bristol  or  London  :  but  something  at  every 
time.  It  is  the  same  with  particular  souls.  I  saw  none  in  the  tri- 
umph of  faith,  which  has  been  so  common  in  other  places.  But  the 
believers  go  on  calm  and  steady.    Let  God  do  as  seemeth  him  good.'' 

Dec.  20.  Having  obtained  a  piece  of  ground,  forty  yards  in  length, 
to  build  a  house  for  their  meetings  and  public  worship,  they  laid  the 
flirst  stone  of  the  building.  It  being  computed,  that  such  a  house  as 
was  proposed,  could  not  be  finished  under  seven  hundred  pounds, 
many  were  positive  it  would  never  be  finished  at  all.  "  I  was  of 
another  mind,"  says  Mr.  Wesley,  nothing  doubting,  but  as  it  was 
begun  for  God's  sake,  he  would  provide  what  was  needful  for  the 
finishing  of  it."  December  30.  He  took  his  leave  for  the  present  of 
Newcastle,  and  the  towns  where  he  preached  in  the  neighborhood, 
and  came  as  far  as  Darlington  that  night.  "  What  encouragement," 
says  he,  "  have  we  to  speak  for  God !  At  our  inn  we  met  an  ancient 
man,  who  seemed  by  his  conversation,  never  to  have  thought  whether 
he  had  a  soul  or  not.  Before  we  set  out,  I  spoke  a  few  words  con- 
cerning his  cursing  and  idle  conversation.  The  man  appeared  quite 
broken  in  pieces.    The  tears  started  into  his  eyes  j  and  he  acknowl- 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY.  ft 

edged,  with  abundance  of  thanks,  his  own  guilt,  and  the  goodness 
of  God." 

In  this  year,  many  societies  were  formed  in  Somersetshire,  Wilt- 
shire, Gloucestershire,  Leicestershire,  Warwickshire,  and  Nottingham- 
shire, as  well  as  the  southern  parts  of  Yorkshire.  And  those  in 
London,  Bristol,  and  Kingswood,  were  much  increased. 

January  1,  1743.  He  reached  Epworth;  and  the  next  day  being 
Sunday,  he  preached  at  five  in  the  morning ;  and  again  at  eight,  from 
his  father's  tomb-stone.  ^' Many,"  says  he,  "from  the  neighboring 
towns,  asked,  if  it  would  not  be  well,  as  it  was  sacrament-Sunday, 
for  them  to  receive  it  ?  I  told  them,  by  all  means;  but  it  would  be 
more  respectful  first  to  ask  Mr.  Romley,  the  curate's  leave.  One  did 
so,  in  the  name  of  the  rest.  To  whom  he  said,  'Pray  tell  Mr.  Wes- 
ley, I  shall  not  give  him  the  sacrament ;  for  he  is  not  Jit.''  " — It  is  no 
wonder,  that  a  mind  so  wholly  divested  of  christian  charity,  should 
be  totally  destitute  of  gratitude.  This  Mr.  Romley  owed  his  all  in 
this  world,  to  the  tender  love  which  Mr.  Wesley's  father  had  shown 
to  his  father,  as  well  as  personally  to  himself 

January  8.  He  came  to  Wednesbury,  in  Staffordshire,  which  his 
brother  had  already  visited.  At  seven  in  the  evening  he  preached  in 
the  town-hall.  It  was  crowded  with  deeply  attentive  hearers.  Mr. 
Egginton,  the  minister,  seemed  friendly  disposed ;  and  the  prospect 
of  doing  much  good,  was  fair  and  promising. — From  hence  Mr.  Wes- 
ley went  on  to  Bristol,  and  then  to  London.  His  stay  was  not  long 
in  either  of  these  places.  For  February  14,  notwithstanding  the 
season  of  the  year,  and  the  badness  of  the  roads  at  this  time  in  rnany 
parts  of  England,  he  again  set  out  on  horseback  for  the  North.  On 
the  19th,  he  reached  Newcastle:  and  here,  and  in  the  neighboring 
towns  and  villages  he  spent  near  six  weeks,  in  preaching  and  exhort- 
ing, in  praying  and  conversing  with  the  people,  and  in  regulating  the 
societies.  A  great  number  of  these  societies  were  already  formed 
exactly  on  the  same  principles,  in  various  parts  of  the  kingdom, 
though  at  a  considerable  distance  one  from  another.  But  hitherto  no 
general  rules  had  been  made  to  govern  the  whole.  The  two  brothers, 
therefore,  now  drew  up  a  set  of  rules  which  should  be  observed  by 
the  members  of  all  their  societies,  and,  as  it  were,  unite  them  all  into 
one  body ;  so  that  a  member  at  Newcastle,  knew  the  rules  of  the 
society  in  London,  as  well  as  at  the  place  where  he  resided.  They 
were  printed  under  the  title  of,  "The  Nature,  Design,  and  General 
Rules  of  the  United  Societies,  in  London,  Bristol,  Newcastle  upon 
Tyne,"  &c.,  and  here  it  will  be  proper  to  insert  them. 

I.  They  state  the  nature  and  design  of  a  Methodist  society  in  the 
following  words,  "Such  a  society  is  no  other  than,  a  company  of 
men,  having  the  form,  and  seeking  the  power  of  godliness;  united  in 
order  to  pray  together,  to  receive  the  word  of  exhortation,  and  to 


100 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   JOHN  WESLEY. 


watch  over  one  another  in  love,  that  they  may  help  each  other  to 
work  out  their  salvation." 

"That  it  may  the  more  easily  be  discerned,  whether  they  are 
indeed  working  out  their  own  salvation,  each  society  is  divided  into 
smaller  companies,  called  classes,  according  to  their  respective  places 
of  abode.  There  are  about  twelve  persons  in  every  class ;  one  of 
whom  is  styled  the  leader.  It  is  his  business,  1.  To  see  each  person 
in  his  class  once  a  week  at  least,  in  order  to  inquire,  how  their  souls 
prosper.  To  advise,  reprove,  comfort  or  exhort,  as  occasions  require: 
to  receive  what  they  are  willing  to  give  toward  the  relief  of  the  poor. 
2.  To  meet  the  minister  and  the  stewards  of  the  society  once  a  week, 
in  order  to  inform  the  minister  of  any  that  are  sick ;  or  of  any  that 
walk  disorderly,  and  will  not  be  reproved :  to  pay  to  the  stewards 
what  they  have  received  of  their  several  classes,  the  week  preced- 
ing; and,  to  show  their  account  of  what  each  person  has  contributed. 

II.  "  There  is  one  only  condition  previously  required  in  those  who 
desire  admission  into  these  societies,  a  desire  '  to  flee  from  the  wrath 
to  come,'  to  be  saved  from  their  sins.  But  wherever  this  is  really 
fixed  in  the  soul,  it  will  be  shown  by  its  fruits.  It  is  therefore 
expected  of  all  who  continue  therein,  that  they  should  continue  to 
evidence  their  desire  of  salvation, 

1.  "  By  doing  no  harm,  by  avoiding  evil  in  every  kind;  especially 
that  which  is  most  generally  practised,  such  is 

"  The  taking  the  name  of  God  in  vain  :  the  profaning  the  day  of 
-the  Lord,  either  by  doing  ordinary  work  thereon,  or  by  buying  or 
selling:  drunkenness:  buying  or  selling  spirituous  liquors,  or  drink- 
ing them,  unless  in  cases  of  extreme  necessity:  fighting,  quarrelling, 
brawling;  brother  going  to  law  with  brother;  returning  evil  for  evil, 
or  railing  for  railing:  the  using  many  words  in  buying  or  selling : 
the  buying  or  selling  uncustomed  goods :  the  giving  or  taking  things 
on  usury;  i.e.,  unlawful  interest:  uncharitable  or  unprofitable  con- 
versation ;  particularly  speaking  evil  of  magistrates,  or  ministers : 
doing  to  others  as  we  would  not  they  should  do  unto  us :  doing  what 
we  know  is  not  for  the  glory  of  God  :  as 

"  The  putting  on  gold,  or  costly  apparel :  the  taking  such  diver- 
sions as  cannot  be  used  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus :  the  singing 
those  songs,  or  reading  those  books,  which  do  not  tend  to  the  knowl- 
edge or  love  of  God  :  softness,  or  needless  self-indulgence:  laying  up 
treasures  upon  earth  :  borrowing  without  a  probability  of  paying;  or 
taking  up  goods  without  a  probabiUty  of  paying  for  them. 

"It  is  expected  of  all  who  continue  in  these  societies,  that  they 
should  continue  to  evidence  their  desire  of  salvation. 

2.  "By  doing  good,  by  being  in  every  kind  merciful  after  their 
power ;  as  they  have  opportunity,  doing  good  of  every  possible  sort, 
and  as  far  as  is  possible  to  all  men :  to  their  bodies,  of  the  ability 
which  God  giveth ;  by  giving  food  to  the  hungry,  by  clothing  the 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


m 


naked,  by  visiting  or  helping  them  that  are  sick,  or  in  prison.  To 
their  souls,  by  instructing,  reproving,  or  exhorting  all  they  have  inter- 
course with ;  trampling  under  foot  that  enthusiastic  doctrine  of  devils, 
that,  '  we  are  not  to  do  good  unless  our  hearts  be  free  to  it.' 

"By  doing  good,  especially  to  them  that  are  of  the  household  of 
faith,  or  groaning  so  to  be;  employing  them  preferably  to  others; 
buying  one  of  another;  helping  each  other  in  business;  and  so  much 
the  more,  because  the  world  will  love  its  own,  and  them  only. 

"  By  all  possible  diligence  and  frugality,  that  the  gospel  be  not 
blamed :  by  running  with  patience  the  race  that  is  set  before  them, 
'denying  themselves,  and  taking  up  their  cross  daily;'  submitting  to 
bear  the  reproach  of  Christ,  to  be  as  the  filth  and  ofF-scouring  of  the 
world ;  and  looking  that  men  should  '  say  all  manner  of  evil  of  them 
falsely  for  the  Lord's  sake.' 

"It  is  expected  of  all  who  desire  to  continue  in  these  societies,  that 
they  should  continue  to  evidence  their  desire  of  salvation. 

3.  "By  attending  upon  all  the  ordinances  of  God.  Such  are,  the 
public  worship  of  God :  the  ministry  of  the  word,  either  read  or 
expounded:  the  supper  of  the  Lord:  family  and  private  prayer: 
searching  the  Scriptures ;  and  fasting  and  abstinence. 

"These  are  the  general  rules  of  our  societies;  all  which  we  are 
taught  of  God  to  observe,  even  in  his  written  word,  the  only  rule, 
and  the  sufficient  rule,  both  of  our  faith  and  practice.  And  all  these 
we  know  his  Spirit  writes  on  every  truly  awakened  heart.  If  there 
be  any  among  us  who  observe  them  not,  who  habitually  break  any 
of  them,  let  it  be  made  known  unto  them  who  watch  over  that  soul, 
as  they  that  must  give  an  account.  We  will  admonish  him  of  the 
error  of  his  ways :  we  will  bear  with  him  for  a  season.  But  if  he 
repent  not,  he  hath  no  more  place  with  us.  We  have  delivered  our 
own  soul.  "John  Wesley, 

May  1,1743.  "  Charles  Wesley." 

The  reader  will  take  notice,  L  That  the  account  here  given  of  the 
nature  and  design  of  a  Methodist  society,  differs  essentially  from  the 
definitions  hitherto  given  of  a  church.  There  is  no  mention  of  sac- 
rament of  the  Lord's  Supper,  which  was  never  administered  except 
in  a  few  of  the  larger  societies,  and  then  by  a  regular  clergyman. 
The  members  were  desired  to  attend  this  ordinance  at  the  respective 
places  of  worship  to  which  they  belonged,  and  thereby  continue  their 
former  church  fellowship.  Mr.  Wesley,  and  the  preachers  with  him, 
disclaimed  every  thought  of  making  proselytes,  and  only  sought  to 
make  Christians,  among  people  of  all  denominations.  2.  That,  by 
the  minister  here  mentioned,  is  meant  a  clergyman,  the  laymen  who 
assisted  being  never  called  ministers,  but  simply  preachers,  or  help- 
ers of  the  ministers.  One  of  these  preachers,  was  afterwards  called 
the  assistant,  because  he  was  appointed  to  assist  Mr.  Wesley  in  the 
9* 


102 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


government  of  the  societies,  and  in  his  absence  to  enforce  the  rules, 
and  direct  every  part  of  the  discipline  in  the  same  manner  Mr.  Wes- 
ley  would  have  done,  had  he  been  present. 

Every  member  of  the  society  was  obliged  to  meet  in  class.  But 
those,  who,  being  justified  by  faith,  had  peace  with  God,  and  the 
love  of  God  shed  abroad  in  their  hearts,  were  again  divided  into 
smaller  companies,  called  bands ;  the  men  and  women  apart.  Each 
band  had  a  person  called  the  leader,  who  met  the  little  company  once 
a  week,  and  also  received  a  small  contribution  for  the  poor.  At  the  quar- 
terly visitation,  when  the  tickets  were  changed,  these  persons  received 
a  ticket  with  a  B.  printed  upon  it,  signifying  that  they  met  in  band. 
These  are  called  band-tickets,  and  admit  those  who  hold  them  into 
the  meetings  where  the  bands  alone  are  assembled.  The  following 
are  the 

DIRECTIONS  GIVEN  TO  THE  BAND  SOCIETIES. 

"  You  are  supposed  to  have  the  '  faith  that  overcometh  the  world.* 
To  you,  therefore,  it  is  not  grievous, 

I.  "Carefully  to  abstain  from  doing  evil :  in  particular,  1.  Neither 
to  buy  or  sell  anything  at  all  on  the  Lord's  day.  2.  To  taste  no  spir- 
ituous liquor,  no  dram  of  any  kind,  unless  prescribed  by  a  physician. 
3.  To  be  at  a  word  both  in  buying  and  selling.  4.  To  pawn  nothing, 
no  not  to  save  life.  5.  Not  to  mention  the  fault  of  any  behind  his  back. 
6.  To  wear  no  needless  ornaments,  such  as  rings,  ear-rings,  necklaces, 
lace,  ruffles.  7.  To  use  no  needless  self-indulgence,  such  as  taking 
snuff,  or  tobacco,  unless  prescribed  by  a  physician. 

II.  "Zealously  to  maintain  good  works:  in  particular,  1.  To  give 
alms  of  such  things  as  you  possess,  and  that  to  the  uttermost  of  your 
power.  2.  To  reprove  all  that  sin  in  your  sight,  and  that  in  love,  and 
meekness  of  wisdom.  3.  To  be  patterns  of  diligence  and  frugality, 
of  self-denial,  and  taking  up  the  cross  daily. 

III.  "Constantly  to  attend  on  all  the  ordinances  of  God:  in  par- 
ticular, 1.  To  be  at  church,  and  at  the  Lord's  table  every  week ;  and 
at  every  public  meeting  of  the  bands.  2.  To  attend  the  public  minis- 
try of  the  word  every  morning,^  unless  distance,  business,  or  sick- 
ness prevent.  3.  To  use  private  prayer  every  day:  and  family  prayer, 
if  you  are  the  head  of  a  family.  4.  To  read  the  Scriptures,  and  med- 
itate therein,  at  every  vacant  hour.  And,  5.  To  observe,  as  days  of 
fasting  and  abstinence,  all  Fridays  in  the  year." 

On  his  return  from  Newcastle,  Mr.  Wesley  again  visited  Wednes- 
bury,  where  he  found  the  society  already  increased  to  several  hun- 
dreds.   But  a  cloud  was  gathering  over  them  which  threatened  a 

dreadful  storm.    The  extreme  folly  of  Mr.  W  s,  a  preacher,  I 

suppose,  had  so  exasperated  Mr.  Egginton  the  minister,  that  his  for- 
mer love  was  turned  into  hatred.  But  he  had  not  yet  had  time  to 
work  up  the  poor  people  into  the  rage  and  madness  which  afterwards 

*  This  was  always  at  five  o'clock,  winter  and  summer,  in  all  kinds  of  weather. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


103 


appeared. — The  Sunday  following  the  scene  began  to  open.  ''I 
think,"  says  Mr.  Wesley,  "I  never  heard  so  wicked  a  sermon,  and 
delivered  with  such  bitterness  of  voice  and  manner,  as  that  which 
Mr.  Egginton  preached  in  the  afternoon.  I  knew  what  effect  this 
must  have  in  a  little  time,  and  therefore  judged  it  expedient  to  pre- 
pare the  poor  people  for  what  was  to  follow,  that  when  it  came,  they 
might  not  be  offended.  Accordingly,  I  strongly  enforced  those  words 
of  our  Lord,  '  If  any  man  come  after  me,  and  hate  not  his  father  and 
mother — yea,  and  his  own  life,  he  cannot  be  my  disciple.  And 
Avhosoever  doth  not  bear  his  cross  and  come  after  me,  cannot  be  my 
disciple.'  " 

Having  visited  Bristol,  and  Wales,  he  returned  to  London ;  and 
May  29,  began  to  officiate  at  the  chapel  in  West-Street,  near  the 
Seven- Dials;  built  about  sixty  years  before,  by  the  French  Protes- 
tants. By  a  strange  chain  of  providences,  a  lease  was  obtained  of 
this  chapel,  and  the  Methodists  continue  to  hold  it  to  the  present 
time. 

At  this  period  Mr.  Wesley  staid  but  a  short  time  in  any  place ;  he 
was,  what  the  Reverend  Mr.  Lewis  of  Holt,  some  time  after  called 
him,  an  individuum  vagum^  a  mere  wanderer  ;  for  purposes  however, 
which  appeared  to  him  of  the  utmost  importance  to  the  happiness  of 
men.  After  having  visited  the  classes,  and  set  in  order  such  things  as 
required  his  care  and  attention,  he  set  out  for  the  North,  taking  the 
societies  in  Staffordshire,  and  various  other  places  in  his  way  to  New- 
castle, and  again  reached  London  in  the  latter  end  of  July.  In  Au- 
gust, he  observes,  "Having  found  for  some  time  a  strong  desire  to 
unite  with  Mr.  Whitefield  as  far  as  possible,  to  cut  off  needless  dispute, 
I  wrote  down  my  sentiments  as  plain  as  I  could  in  the  following  terms. 
There  are  three  points  in  debate,  1.  Unconditional  election;  2.  Irre- 
sistible grace ;  3.  Final  perseverance.  With  regard  to  the  first,  uncon- 
ditional election,  I  believe, 

"  That  God  before  the  foundation  of  the  world,  did  unconditionally 
elect  certain  persons  to  do  certain  works ;  as  Paul  to  preach  the  gospel: 
that  he  has  unconditionally  elected  some  nations  to  receive  peculiar 
privileges,  the  Jewish  nation  in  particular :  that  he  has  uncondition- 
ally elected  some  nations  to  hear  the  gospel,  as  England  and  Scotland 
now,  and  many  others  in  past  ages :  that  he  has  unconditionally  elected 
some  persons  to  many  peculiar  advantages,  both  with  regard  to  tem- 
poral and  spiritual  things  :  and  I  do  not  deny,  though  I  cannot  prove 
it  is  so,  that  he  has  unconditionally  elected  some  persons  to  eternal 
glory. 

"  But  I  cannot  believe.  That  all  those  who  are  not  thus  elected  to 
glory,  must  perish  everlastingly :  or,  that  there  is  one  soul  on  earth, 
who  has  never  had  a  possibility  of  escaping  eternal  damnation. 

"With  regard  to  the  second,  irresistible  grace;  I  believe,  That  the 
grace  which  brings  faith,  and  thereby  salvation  into  the  soul,  is  irre- 


SM  THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 

sistible  at  that  moment :  that  most  believers  may  remember  some  time 
when  God  irresistibly  convinced  them  of  sin  :  that  most  behevers  do 
at  some  other  times,  find  God  irresistibly  acting  upon  their  sonls  :  yet 
I  believe,  that  the  grace  of  God  both  before  and  after  those  moments, 
may  be,  and  hath  been  resisted  ;  and  that,  in  general,  it  does  not  act 
irresistibly,  but  we  may  comply  therewith,  or  may  not.  And  I  do  not 
deny,  that  in  some  souls  the  grace  of  God  is  so  far  irresistible,  that 
they  cannot  but  believe,  and  be  finally  saved. 

"  But  I  cannot  believe,  that  all  those  m^ist  be  damned,  in  whom  it 
does  not  thus  irresistibly  work :  or,  that  there  is  one  soul  on  earth, 
who  has  not,  and  never  had  any  other  grace,  than  such  as  does  in 
fact  increase  his  damnation,  and  was  designed  of  God  so  to  do. 

"  With  regard  to  the  third,  final  perseverance,  I  am  inclined  to 
believe,  that  there  is  a  state  attainable  in  this  life,  from  which  a  man 
cannot  finally  fall :  and  that  he  has  attained  this,  who  can  say,  Old 
things  are  passed  way  ;  all  things  in  me  are  become  new." 

August  26.  Mr.  Wesley  set  out  for  Cornwall,  where  his  brother  and 
two  of  the  preachers  had  already  labored  with  great  success  :  but  he 
made  no  considerable  stop,  till  he  came  to  St.  Ives.  Some  time  before, 
Captain  Turner,  of  Bristol,  connected  it  seems  with  the  Methodists, 
had  put  in  here,  and  was  agreeably  surprised  to  find  a  little  society 
formed  upon  Dr.  Woodward's  plan,  who  constantly  met  together. — 
They  were  greatly  refreshed  and  strengthened  by  him,  as  he  also  was 
by  them.  This  was  the  occasion  of  introducing  the  Methodists  to 
this  place.  Mr.  Wesley  spake  severally  with  those  of  the  society, 
now  increased  to  about  a  hundred  and  twenty ;  near  a  hundred  of 
whom  had  found  peace  with  God.  He  spent  three  weeks  in  preach- 
ing here,  and  in  Zennor,  Morva,  St.  Just,  Sennan,  St.  Mary's  (one  of 
the  Isles  of  Scilly)  Gwenap,  and  on  several  of  the  Downs  throughout 
the  west  of  Cornwall.  It  has  pleased  God,  to  give  increase  to  the 
seed  sown  by  his  servants,  so  that,  it  has  since  produced  an  abundant 
harvest.  There  is  hardly  any  part  of  the  three  kingdoms  where  a 
change  has  been  more  visible  and  general,  in  the  manners  of  the  peo- 
ple. Hurling,  their  favorite  diversion,  at  Avhich  limbs  were  often 
broken,  and  frequently  lives  lost,  is  now  hardly  heard  of:  and  that 
scandal  of  humanity,  so  constantly  practised  on  the  coasts  of  Corn- 
wall, the  plundering  vessels  that  struck  upon  the  rocks,  and  often 
murdering  those  who  escaped  out  of  the  wreck,  is  now  either  quite  at 
an  end,  or  the  gentlemen,  not  the  poor  tinners,  are  to  be  blamed.  And 
more  has  been  done  to  suppress  smuggling,  by  preaching  in  this 
county  and  enforcing  the  rules  of  the  society,  than  either  the  laws  of 
the  country,  or  the  officers  of  excise,  were  ever  able  to  effect.  But  it 
is  not  harmlessness,  or  outward  decency  alone,  which  has  so  increased, 
but  the  religion  of  the  heart ;  faith  working  by  love,  producing  all 
inward  as  well  as  outward  holiness. 

October  3.  Having  visited  Wales,  he  returned  to  Bristol^  and  now 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


105 


received  full  information  of  the  riots  at  Wednesbury.  Mr.  Egginton, 
assisted  by  two  neighboring  justices,  Mr.  Lane  of  Bentley-Hall,  and 
Mr.  Persehouse  of  Walsal,  having  stirred  up  the  basest  of  the  people, 
such  outrages  followed  as  were  a  scandal  to  the  christian  name.  Riot- 
ous mobs  were  summoned  together  by  sound  of  horn;  men,  women, 
and  children  abused  in  the  most  shocking  manner;  being  beaten, 
stoned,  covered  with  mud ;  some,  even  pregnant  women,  treated  in  a 
manner  that  cannot  be  mentioned.  Meantime  their  houses  were  broke 
open  by  any  that  pleased,  and  their  goods  spoiled  or  carried  away, 
at  Wednesbury,  Darlaston,  West-Bromwich,  &c.  some  of  the  owners 
standing  by,  but  not  daring  to  gainsay,  as  it  would  have  been  at  the 
peril  of  their  lives.  Mr.  Wesley  thought  it  was  his  duty  to  visit  this 
harassed  people  in  their  distress,  and  on  the  17th,  set  forward  towards 
this  scene  of  confusion  and  outrage.  On  the  20th,  having  preached 
at  Birmingham,  he  rode  over  to  Wednesbury,  and  preached  at  noon 
in  a  ground  near  the  middle  of  the  town,  on  Jesus  Christ  '  the  same 
yesterday,  to-day,  and  forever.' — "No  creature  offered  to  molest  us," 
says  Mr.  Wesley,  "either  going  or  coming :  but  the  Lord  fought  for  us, 
and  we  held  our  peace." 

Mr.  Wesley  proceeds.  "I  was  writing  at  Francis  Ward's  in  the 
afternoon,  when  the  cry  arose,  that  the  mob  had  beset  the  house. — 
We  prayed  that  God  would  disperse  them :  and  so  it  was ;  one  went 
this  way,  and  another  that,  so  that  in  a  half  an  hour  not  a  man  was 
left.  I  told  our  brethren  now  is  the  time  to  go :  but  they  pressed  me 
exceedingly  to  stay.  So,  that  I  might  not  offend  them,  I  sat  down, 
though  I  foresaw  what  would  follow.  Before  five  the  mob  sur- 
rounded the  house  again,  and  in  greater  numbers  than  ever.  The  cry 
of  one  and  all  was,  '  Bring  out  the  minister,  we  will  have  the  minis- 
ter.' I  desired  one  to  take  the  captain  by  the  hand  and  bring  him 
into  the  house.  After  a  few  sentences  interchanged  between  us,  the 
lion  was  become  a  lamb.  I  desired  him  to  go,  and  bring  one  or  two 
of  the  most  angry  of  his  companions.  He  brought  in  two,  who  were 
ready  to  swallow  the  ground  with  rage :  but  in  two  minutes  they 
were  as  calm  as  he.  I  then  bade  them  make  way,  that  I  might  go 
out  among  the  people.  As  soon  as  1  was  in  the  midst  of  them,  I  called 
for  a  chair,  and  asked,  '  What  do  any  of  you  want  with  me  ? '  Some 
said,  we  want  you  to  go  with  us  to  the  justice.  I  replied,  that  I  will 
with  all  my  heart.  I  then  spoke  a  few  words,  which  God  applied  ;  so 
that  they  cried  out  with  might  and  main,  '  The.  gentleman  is  an  hon- 
est gentleman,  and  we  will  spill  our  blood  in  his  defence.'  I  asked, 
^  Shall  we  go  to  the  justice  to-night  or  in  the  morning?'  Most  of  them 
cried,  '  To-night,  to-night : '  on  which  I  went  before,  and  two  or  three 
hundred  followed,  the  rest  returning  whence  they  came. 

"The  night  came  on  before  we  had  walked  a  mile,  together  with 
heavy  rain.  However,  on  we  went  to  Bentley-Hall,  two  miles  from 
Wednesbury.    One  or  two  ran  before,  to  tell  Mr.  Lane,  ^  They  had 

VOL.  II.  14 


106 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


brought  Mr.  Wesley  before  his  worship.'  Mr.  Lane  replied,  '  What 
have  I  to  do  with  Mr.  Wesley?  Go  and  carry  him  back  again.'  By 
this  time  the  main  body  came  up,  and  began  knocking  at  the  door.  A 
servant  told  them,  Mr.  Lane  was  in  bed.  His  son  followed,  and  asked, 
what  was  the  matter?  One  replied,  'Why,  an 't  please  you,  they 
sing  psalms  all  day;  nay,  and  make  folks  rise  at  five  in  the  morning. 
And  what  would  your  worship  advise  us  to  do  ?'  'To  go  home,'  said 
Mr.  Lane,  '  and  be  quiet.' 

"  Here  they  were  at  a  full  stop,  till  one  advised  to  go  to  Justice 
Persehouse,  at  WalsaL  All  agreed  to  this :  so  we  hastened  on,  and 
about  seven  came  to  his  house.  But  Mr.  Persehouse  likewise  sent 
word,  that  he  was  in  bed.  Now  they  were  at  a  stand  again :  but  at 
last  they  all  thought  it  the  wisest  course  to  make  the  best  of  their 
way  home.  About  fifty  of  them  undertook  to  convoy  me.  But  we 
had  not  gone  a  hundred  yards,  when  the  mob  of  Walsal  came  pour- 
ing in  like  a  flood,  and  bore  down  all  before  them.  The  Darlaston 
mob  made  what  defence  they  could  ;  but  they  were  weary,  as  well  as 
out-numbered :  so  that,  in  a  short  time,  many  being  knocked  down, 
the  rest  went  away,  and  left  me  in  their  hands. 

"  To  attempt  speaking  was  vain;  for  the  noise  on  every  side  was 
hke  the  roaring  of  the  sea.  So  they  dragged  me  along  till  we  came 
to  the  town  :  where  seeing  the  door  of  a  large  house  open,  I  attempted 
to  go  in ;  but  a  man  catching  me  by  the  hair,  pulled  me  back  into  the 
middle  of  the  mob.  They  made  no  more  stop  till  they  had  carried 
me  through  the  main  street,  from  one  end  of  the  town  to  the  other. — 
I  continued  speaking  all  the  time  to  those  within  hearing,  feeling  no 
pain  or  weariness.  At  the  west-end  of  the  town,  seeing  a  door  half 
open,  I  made  towards  it,  and  would  have  gone  in.  But  a  gentleman 
in  the  shop  would  not  suffer  me,  saying,  they  would  pull  the  house 
to  the  ground.  However,  I  stood  at  the  door  and  asked,  '  Are  you 
willing  to  hear  me  speak?'  Many  cried  out,  'No,  no!  knock  his 
brains  out :  down  with  him  :  kill  him  at  once.'  Others  said,  'Nay; 
but  we  will  hear  him  first.'  I  began  asking,  '  What  evil  have  I  done? 
Which  of  you  all  have  I  wronged  in  word  or  deed  ?'  And  continued 
speaking  for  above  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  till  my  voice  suddenly  failed. 
Then  the  floods  began  to  lift  up  their  voices  again ;  many  crying  out, 
*  Bring  him  away,  bring  him  away.' 

"  In  the  mean  time  my  strength  and  my  voice  returned,  and  I  broke 
out  aloud  into  prayer.  And  now  the  man  who  just  before  headed 
the  mob,  turned  and  said,  '  Sir,  I  will  spend  my  life  for  you.  Follow 
me,  and  not  one  soul  here  shall  touch  a  hair  of  your  head.'  Two  or 
three  of  his  fellows  confirmed  his  words,  and  got  close  to  me  imme- 
diately. At  the  same  time  the  gentleman  in  the  shop  cried  out,  'For 
shame,  for  shame,  let  him  go.'  An  honest  butcher,  who  was  a  little 
further  off,  said  it  was  a  shame  they  should  do  thus  :  and  pulled  back 
four  or  five,  one  after  another,  who  were  running  on  the  most  fiercely. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


107 


The  people  then,  as  if  it  had  been  by  common  consent,  fell  back  to 
the  right  and  left:  while  those  three  or  four  men  took  me  between 
them,  and  carried  me  through  them  all.  But  on  the  bridge  the  mob 
rallied  again ;  we  therefore  went  on  one  side,  over  the  mill-dam,  and 
thence  through  the  meadows :  till  a  little  before  ten,  God  brought  me 
safe  to  Wednesbury;  having  lost  only  one  flap  of  my  waistcoat,  and 
a  little  skin  from  one  of  my  hands. 

"  From  the  beginning  to  tlie  end,  I  found  the  same  presence  of  mind, 
as  if  I  had  been  sitting  in  my  own  study.  But  I  took  no  thought  for 
one  moment  before  another:  only  once  it  came  into  my  mind,  that  if 
they  should  throw  me  into  the  river,  it  would  spoil  the  papers  that 
were  in  my  pocket.  For  myself,  I  did  not  doubt  but  I  should  swim 
across,  having  but  a  thin  coat,  and  a  light  pair  of  boots. 

"  The  circumstances  that  follow,  1  thought  were  particularly 
remarkable.  1.  That  many  endeavored  to  throw  me  down  while  we 
were  going  down  hill,  on  a  slippery  path  to  the  town ;  as  well  judg- 
ing, that  if  I  was  once  on  the  ground,  I  should  hardly  rise  any  more. 
But  I  made  no  stumble  at  all,  nor  the  least  slip,  till  I  was  entirely  out 
of  their  hands.  2,  That  although  many  strove  to  lay  hold  on  my 
collar  or  clothes,  to  pull  me  down,  they  could  not  fasten  at  all :  only 
one  got  fast  hold  of  the  flap  of  my  v/aistcoat,  which  was  soon  left  in 
his  hand.  3.  That  a  lusty  man  just  behind,  struck  at  me  several 
times,  with  a  large  oaken  stick;  with  which  if  he  had  struck  me 
once  on  the  back  part  of  my  head,  it  would  have  saved  him  all  fur- 
ther trouble.  But  every  time  the  blow  was  turned  aside,  I  know  not 
how.  4.  That  another  came  rushing  through  the  press,  and  raising 
his  arm  to  strike,  on  a  sudden  let  it  drop,  and  only  stroked  my  head, 
saying,  'What  soft  hair  he  has!'  5.  That  I  stopped  exactly  at  the 
mayor's  door,  as  if  I  had  known  it,  which  the  mob  doubtless  thought 
I  did,  and  found  him  standing  in  the  shop;  which  gave  the  first 
check  to  the  madness  of  the  people.  6.  That  the  very  first  men 
whose  hearts  were  turned,  were  the  heroes  of  the  town,  the  captains 
of  the  rabble  on  all  occasions;  one  of  them  having  been  a  prize- 
fighter at  the  bear-gardens.  7.  That  from  first  to  last,  I  heard  none 
give  me  a  reviling  word,  or  call  me  by  any  opprobrious  name  what- 
ever. But  the  cry  of  one  and  all  was,  'The preacher !  the  preacher  ! 
the  parson  !  the  minister  ! '  8.  That  no  creature,  at  least  within  my 
hearing,  laid  anything  to  my  charge,  either  true  or  false ;  having  in 
the  hurry  quite  forgot  to  provide  themselves  with  an  accusation  of 
any  kind.  And  lastly,  they  were  utterly  at  a  loss,  what  they  should 
do  with  me;  none  proposing  any  determinate  thing;  only,  'Away 
with  him,  kill  him  at  once.' 

"When  I  came  back  to  Francis  Ward's,  I  found  many  of  our 
brethren  waiting  upon  God.  Many  also  whom  I  had  never  seen 
before,  came  to  rejoice  with  us.  And  the  next  morning  as  I  rode 
through  the  town,  in  my  way  to  Nottingham,  every  one  I  met 


108 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


expressed  such  a  cordial  affection,  that  I  could  scarce  beUeve  what  I 
saw  and  heard. 

"  I  cannot  close  this  head,  without  inserting  as  great  a  curiosity  in 
its  kind,  as,  I  beheve,  was  ever  yet  seen  in  England ;  which  had  its 
birth  within  a  very  few  days  of  this  remarkable  occurrence  at  Walsal. 

"  Staffordshire. 

"  To  all  High-Constables,  Petty-Constables,  and  other  of  his  Ma- 
jesty's Peace-officers  within  the  said  county,  <fcc. 

"Whereas  we  his  majesty's  justices  of  the  peace,  for  the  said  county 
of  Stafford,  have  received  information,  that  several  disorderly  per- 
sons, styling  themselves  Methodist  preachers,  go  about  raising  routs 
and  riots,  to  the  great  damage  of  his  majesty's  liege  people,  and 
against  the  peace  of  our  sovereign  lord  the  king : 

'•'These  are  in  his  majesty's  name,  to  command  you,  and  every 
one  of  you,  within  your  respective  districts,  to  make  dihgent  search 
after  the  said  Methodist  preachers,  and  to  bring  him  or  them  before 
some  of  us  his  said  majesty's  justices  of  the  peace,  to  be  examined 
concerning  their  unlawful  doings. 

''Given  under  our  hands  and  seals  this       day  of  October,  1743. 

J.  Lane, 

W.  Persehouse." 

It  appears  from  the  preceding  account,  that  these  were  the  two 
justices  to  whom  the  mob  carried  Mr.  Wesley,  and  who  severally 
refused  to  see  him.  What  is  it  a  mob  will  not  dare  to  do,  when 
encouraged  to  break  the  peace,  by  the  very  men  who  are  sworn  to 
maintain  it ! 

Mr.  Wesley  now  went  forwards  toward  the  north,  and  on  Sunday, 
Oct.  30,  being  at  Wensley,  he  preached  in  the  church,  on,  ''  What  must 
I  do  to  be  saved?"  He  showed  in  the  plainest  terms  he  could  devise, 
that  outward  religion  will  not  bring  us  to  heaven  :  that  none  can  go 
thither  without  inward  holiness,  which  is  only  to  be  attained  by  faith. 
As  he  went  back  through  the  church-yard,  many  of  the  parish  were 
in  high  debate,  what  religion  this  preacher  was  of  7  Some  said  he 
must  be  a  Quaker ;  others,  an  Anabaptist :  but  at  length  one  deeper 
learned  than  the  rest,  brought  them  all  clearly  over  to  his  opinion, 
that  he  was,  a  Presbyterian-Papist ! 

February  1.5,  1744.  A  report  prevailed  that  the  French  threatened 
an  invasion,  and  were  expected  to  land  every  hour,  in  support  of 
Charles  Stuart,  the  pretender  to  the  crown  of  England.  At  this  crit- 
ical time,  many  addresses  were  sent  up  to  the  throne,  expressing 
attachment  to  the  principles  of  the  revolution,  and  to  the  king's  person 
and  government.  The  alarm  was  general;  the  principles  of  the 
Methodists  were  but  imperfectly  known,  and  their  itinerancy  and 
private  societies  brought  them  under  general  suspicion.  Mr.  Wesley 
was  therefore  desired  to  write  an  address  to  the  king,  and  March  5, 
he  complied  with  the  request  and  wrote  as  follows : 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


109 


To  the  King's  Most  Excellent  Majesty : 

"  The  humble  Address  of  the  Societies  in  England  and  Wales,  in 
derision  called  Methodists. 

"Mos^  Gracious  Sovereign, 
"  So  inconsiderable  as  we  are,  a  people  scattered  and  peeled  and 
trodden  under  foot  from  the  beginning  hitherto,  we  should  in  no  wise 
have  presumed,  even  on  this  great  occasion,  to  open  our  lips  to  your 
majesty,  had  we  not  been  induced,  indeed  constrained  so  to  do,  by 
two  considerations  :  the  one,  that  in  spite  of  all  our  remonstrances  on 
that  head,  we  are  continually  represented  as  a  peculiar  sect  of  men, 
separating  ourselves  from  the  established  church ;  the  other,  that  we 
are  still  traduced  as  inclined  to  popery,  and  consequently  disaffected 
to  your  Majesty. 

"  Upon  these  considerations,  we  think  it  incumbent  upon  us,  if  we 
must  stand  as  a  distinct  body  from  our  brethren,  to  tender  for  our- 
selves, our  most  dutiful  regards  to  your  sacred  Majesty :  and  to 
declare  in  the  presence  of  him  we  serve,  the  King  of  kings,  and  Lord 
of  lords,  that  we  are  a  part,  however  mean,  of  that  Protestant  church 
established  in  these  kingdoms :  that  we  unite  together  for  this  and 
no  other  end,  to  promote,  so  far  as  we  be  capable,  justice,  mercy,  and 
truth ;  the  glory  of  God,  and  peace  and  good  will  among  men :  that 
we  detest  and  abhor  the  fundamental  doctrines  of  the  church  of 
Rome,  and  are  steadily  attached  to  your  Majesty's  royal  person  and 
illustrious  house. 

"  We  cannot  indeed,  say  or  do  either  more  or  less,  than  we  appre- 
hend consistent  with  the  written  word  of  God.  But  we  are  ready  to 
obey  your  Majesty  to  the  uttermost,  in  all  things  which  we  con- 
ceive to  be  agreeable  thereto.  And  we  earnestly  exhort  all  with 
whom  we  converse,  as  they  fear  God,  to  honor  the  king.  We  of  the 
clergy  in  particular,  put  all  men  in  mind  to  revere  the  higher  powers, 
as  of  God:  and  continually  declare,  ye  must  needs  be  subject,  not 
only  for  wrath,  but  also  for  conscience'  sake. 

"Silver  and  gold,  most  of  us  must  own,  we  have  none.  But  such 
as  we  have,  we  humbly  beg  your  Majesty  to  accept :  together  with 
our  hearts  and  prayers :  may  he  who  hath  bought  us  with  his  blood, 
the  Prince  of  all  the  kings  of  the  earth,  fight  against  all  the  enemies 
of  your  Majesty,  with  the  two-edged  sword  that  cometh  out  of  his 
mouth !  And  when  he  calleth  your  Majesty  from  this  throne,  full  of 
years  and  victories,  may  it  be  with  that  voice,  '  Come,  receive  the 
kingdom  prepared  for  thee,  from  the  beginning  of  the  world ! ' 

These  are  the  continual  prayers  of,  your  Majesty's  dutiful  and 
loyal  subjects,  John  Wesley,  &c." — This  address  was  not  presented ; 
it  being  on  further  consideration,  judged  best  to  lay  it  aside.=^ 

"In  April,"  says  Mr.  Wesley,  "I  took  a  second  journey  into  Corn- 

*  See  vol.  i.  page  172. 

VOL.  IL  10 


110 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


wall,  and  went  through  many  towns  I  had  not  seen  before.  Since 
niy  former  visit,  there  had  been  hot  persecution  both  of  the  preachers 
and  people.  The  preaching-house,  at  St.  Ives,  was  pulled  to  the 
ground  :  one  of  the  preachers  pressed  and  sent  for  a  soldier,  as  were 
several  of  the  people:  over  and  above  the  being  stoned,  covered  with 
dirt  and  the  like,  which  was  the  treatment  many  of  them  met  with 
from  day  to  day.  But  notwithstanding  this  they  who  had  been  emi- 
nent for  hurling,  fighting,  drinking,  and  all  manner  of  wickedness, 
continued  eminent  for  sobriety,  piety,  and  all  manner  of  goodness.  In 
all  parts,  more  and  more  of  the  lions  became  lambs,  continually  praising 
God,  and  calling  their  old  companions  in  sin,  to  come  and  magnify 
the  Lord  together.  About  the  same  time  John  Nelson,  and  Thomas 
Beard,  were  pressed  and  sent  for  soldiers,  for  no  other  crime,  either 
committed  or  pretended,  than  that  of  calling  sinners  to  repentance. 
The  case  of  John  Nelson  is  well  known.  Thomas  Beard  also,  was 
nothing  terrified  by  his  adversaries.  Yet  the  body  after  a  while  sunk 
under  its  burden.  He  was  then  lodged  in  the  hospital  of  Newcastle, 
where  he  still  praised  God  continually.  His  fever  increasing,  he  was 
let  blood:  his  arm  festered,  mortified  and  was  cut  off*:  two  or  three 
days  after  which,  God  signed  his  discharge,  and  called  him  up  to 
his  eternal  home. 

"  All  this  year  the  alarms  were  uninterrupted,  from  the  French  on 
the  one  hand,  and  the  rebels  on  the  other :  and  a  general  panic  ran 
through  the  nation,  from  the  east  to  the  west,  from  the  north  to  the  south. 
I  judged  it  the  more  needful  to  visit  as  many  places  as  possible,  and 
avail  myself  of  the  precious  opportunity.  My  brother  and  our  other 
preachers  were  of  the  same  mind  :  they  spoke  and  spared  not.  They 
rushed  through  every  open  door,  'And  cried,  sinners  behold  the  Lamb ! ' 
And  their  word  did  not  fall  to  the  ground :  they  saw  abundant  fruit 
of  their  labor.  I  went  through  many  parts  of  Wales :  through  most 
of  the  midland  counties ;  and  then  through  Lincolnshire,  and  York- 
shire to  Newcastle  upon  Tyne.  And  multitudes  who  were  utterly 
careless  before,  did  now  prepare  to  meet  their  God." 

The  persecution  at  St.  Ives,  Mr.  Wesley  observes,  Was  owing  in 
great  measure  to  the  indefatigable  labors  of  Mr.  Hoblin,  and  Mr. 
Simmons :  gentlemen  worthy  to  be  had  in  everlasting  remembrance, 
for  their  unwearied  endeavors  to  destroy  heresy. 

"  Fortunati  ambo  !    Siquid  mea  pagina  possit, 
Nulla  dies  unquam  memori  vos  ezimet  (Bvo.^^ 
Happy  both !    Long  as  my  writings,  shall  your  fame  remain. 

The  riots  in  Staffordshire  still  continued  in  the  beginning  of  this 
year.  The  mob  of  Walsal,  Darlaston,  and  Wednesbury,  hired  for 
the  purpose  by  their  betters,  broke  open  their  poor  neighbors'  houses 
at  their  pleasure,  by  day  and  by  night,  extorting  money  from  the  few 
that  had  it;  taking  away,  or  destroying  their  victuals  and  goods; 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


Ill 


beating  and  wounding  their  bodies ;  abusing  their  women,  and  openly 
declaring  they  would  destroy  every  Methodist  in  the  country :  the 
christian  country  where  his  majesty's  peaceable  and  loyal  subjects 
were  so  treated  for  eight  months,  and  then  publicly  branded  in  the 
Whitehall  and  London  Evening-Post,  for  rioters  and  incendiaries ! 

From  Cornwall,  Mr.  Wesley  passed  over  into  Wales ;  on  his  return 
he  made  a  short  stay  at  Bristol,  and  then  set  out  for  the  north,  visit- 
ing most  of  the  societies  in  his  way  to  Newcastle.  June  20,  he 
returned  to  London,  where  he  met  his  brother,  two  or  three  other 
clergymen,  and  a  few  of  the  preachers,  whom  he  had  appointed  to 
come  from  various  parts,  to  confer  with  them  on  the  affairs  of  the 
societies.  Mr.  Wesley  observes,  "Monday,  June  25,  and  the  five 
following  days,  we  spent  in  conference  with  our  preachers,  seriously 
considering,  by  what  means  we  might  the  most  effectually  save  our  own 
souls  and  them  that  heard  us.  And  the  result  of  our  consultations 
we  set  down,  to  be  the  Rule  of  our  future  'practice.''^ — This  was  the 
first  Methodist  Conference:  and  for  the  better  regulation  of  their 
affairs,  a  conference  has  been  held  annually  ever  since ;  Mr.  Wesley 
having  presided  at  forty-seven  such  conferences.  The  subjects  of 
their  deliberations  were  proposed  in  the  form  of  questions,  which 
were  amply  discussed ;  and  the  questions  with  the  answers  agreed 
upon  were  written  down,  and  afterwards  printed,  under  the  title  of, 
"  Minutes  of  several  Conversations  between  the  Reverend  Mr.  Wes- 
ley and  others:"  commonly  called  "Minutes  of  Conference." 


CHAPTER  IL 

CONTAINING  A  FURTHER  ACCOUNT  OF  MR.  WESLEY's  LABORS!  A  SUMMARY 
OF  THE  MINUTES  OF  CONFERENCE  RESPECTING  THE  DOCTRINES  HE 
TAUGHT  :  AND  A  VIEW  OF  THE  SPREAD  OF  METHODISM  UNTIL  THE  CON- 
FERENCE IN  1751. 

The  plan  on  which  Mr.  Wesley  had  hitherto  governed  the  societies 
and  the  preachers,  was  imperfect;  and  as  the  number  increased  must 
soon  have  become  insupportably  laborious.  When  the  preachers  at 
first  went  out  to  exhort  and  preach  it  was  by  Mr.  Wesley's  permis- 
sion and  authority ;  some  from  one  part  of  the  kingdom,  some  from 
another :  and  though  strangers,  yet  on  his  credit  and  sanction  alone, 
they  were  received  and  provided  for  as  friends,  by  the  societies  wher- 
ever they  came.  But  having  little  or  no  communication  or  intercourse 
with  one  another,  nor  any  subordination  among  themselves,  they 
must  have  been  under  a  continual  necessity  of  recurring  to  Mr.  Wes- 
ley for  direction,  how  and  where  each  one  was  to  labor.    By  calling 


112 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


them  together  to  a  conference,  he  brought  them  into  closer  union 
with  each  other,  and  made  them  sensible  of  the  utility  of  acting  in 
concert  and  harmony  under  his  direction  and  appointment.  He  soon 
found  it  necessary,  however,  to  bring  their  itinerancy  under  certain 
regulations,  and  reduce  it  to  some  fixed  order ;  both  to  prevent  con- 
fusion, and  for  his  own  ease.  He  therefore  took  fifteen  or  twenty 
societies,  more  or  less,  which  lay  round  some  principal  society  in  those 
parts,  and  which  were  so  situated,  that  the  greatest  distance  from  one 
to  the  other  was  not  much  more  than  twenty  miles,  and  united  them 
into  what  was  called  a  circuit.  At  the  yearly  conference,  he  appointed 
two,  three,  or  four  preachers  to  one  of  these  circuits,  according  to  its 
extent,  which  at  first  was  often  very  considerable,  sometimes  taking  in 
part  of  three  or  four  counties.  Here,  and  here  only,  they  were  to  labor 
for  one  year,  that  is,  until  the  next  conference.  One  of  the  preachers 
on  every  circuit,  was  called  the  Assistant,  for  the  reason  before  men- 
tioned. He  took  charge  of  all  the  societies  within  the  limits  assigned 
him;  he  enforced  the  rules  every  where;  and  superintended,  and 
directed  the  labors  of  the  preachers  associated  with  him.  Having 
received  a  list  of  the  societies  forming  his  circuit,  he  took  his  own 
station  in  it,  gave  to  the  other  preachers  a  plan  of  it,  and  pointed  out 
the  day  when  each  should  be  at  the  place  fixed  for  him,  to  begin  a 
progressive  motion  round  it,  in  such  order  as  the  plan  directed.  They 
now  followed  one  another  through  all  the  societies  belonging  to  that 
circuit  at  stated  distances  of  time ;  all  being  governed  by  the  same 
rule,  and  undergoing  the  same  labor.  By  this  plan,  every  preacher's 
daily  work  was  appointed  beforehand,  each  knew  every  day  where 
the  others  were,  and  each  society  when  to  expect  the  preacher,  and 
how  long  he  would  stay  with  them.  But  of  late  years,  since  the 
great  increase  of  Methodism,  the  circuits  have  been  divided  and  sub- 
divided, which  has  made  way  for  a  great  increase  of  preachers,  and 
rendered  the  fatigues  of  itinerancy  trifling,  compared  with  what  they 
were  in  the  beginning.  Many  of  the  preachers  too.  have  been  suf- 
fered to  stay  two  years,  sometimes  three,  on  the  same  circuit,  and 
even  then  have  been  removed  to  a  circuit  only  a  few  miles  distant. 
Nay,  it  is  said,  that  the  societies  in  London  itself,  with  the  places  adja- 
cent, have  been  divided  into  three  circuits,  by  which  a  few  preachers 
may  become  stationary  for  a  great  number  of  years.  Mr.  Wesley 
considered  itinerancy  as  of  the  utmost  importance  to  Methodism: 
but  by  dividing  the  circuits  in  this  manner,  the  effects  of  it  have 
already  been  much  diminished,  and  may  in  time  be  totally  destroyed. 

The  conference  being  ended,  Mr.  Wesley  observes,  "  The  next 
week  we  endeavored  to  purge  the  society  of  all  that  did  not  walk 
worthy  of  the  gospel.  By  this  means  we  reduced  the  number  of 
members  to  less  than  nineteen  hundred.  But  number  is  an  inconsid- 
erable circumstance.  May  God  increase  them  in  faith  and  love  !  " 
This  shows  us,  the  astonishing  increase  of  members  in  the  Methodist 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


113 


societies.  Four  years  before  this  period,  Mr.  Wesley  separated  from 
the  brethren  at  Fetter-Lane,  and  soon  after  fifty  or  sixty  joined  with 
him :  these  were  now  increased,  in  and  about  London,  to  nineteen 
hundred !  Had  the  original  piety,  zeal,  and  disinterestedness  been 
preserved  unabated  among  the  preachers,  and  their  first  plan  invio- 
lably kept  in  every  place,  it  is  impossible  to  say  how  far  the  benefi- 
cial influence  of  Methodism  over  the  morals  of  the  people  of  all  ranks 
in  this  nation,  would  have  been  extended  ! 

"August  24,  St.  Bartholomew's  Day,"  says  Mr.  Wesley,  "I  preached 
for  the  last  time  before  the  university  of  Oxford.  I  am  now  clear 
of  the  blood  of  these  men.  I  have  fully  delivered  my  own  soul.  And 
I  am  well  pleased  that  it  should  be  the  very  day,  on  which,  in  the 
last  century,  near  two  thousand  burning  and  shining  lights,  were  put 
out  at  one  stroke.''^  Yet  what  a  wide  difference  is  there  between  their 
case  and  mine!  They  were  turned  out  of  house  and  home,  and  all 
that  they  had :  whereas  I  am  only  hindered  from  preaching,  without 
any  other  loss;  and  that  in  a  kind  of  honorable  manner:  it  being 
determined,  that  when  my  next  turn  to  preach  came,  they  would  pay 
another  person  to  preach  for  me.  And  so  they  did  twice  or  thrice ; 
even  to  the  time  that  I  resigned  my  fellowship." 

All  this  summer  the  preachers  and  people  of  Cornwall,  had  hard 
service,  the  war  against  the  Methodists  being  carried  on  more  vigor- 
ously than  that  against  the  Spaniards.  In  September,  Mr.  Wesley 
received  the  following  letter  from  Mr.  Henry  Millard,  one  of  the  preach- 
ers in  Cornwall,  giving  some  account  of  their  difficulties.  "  The  word 
of  God,"  says  he,  "has  free  course  here:  it  runs  and  is  glorified. 
But  the  devil  rages  horribly.  Even  at  St.  Ives,  we  cannot  shut  the  • 
door  of  John  Nance's  house  to  meet  the  society,  but  the  mob  immedi- 
ately threatens  to  break  it  open.  And  in  other  places  it  is  worse.  I 
was  going  to  Crowan  on  Tuesday,  and  within  a  quarter  of  a  mile  of 
the  place  where  I  was  to  preach,  when  some  one  met  me,  and  begged  me 
not  to  go  up :  saying,  '  If  you  do,  there  will  surely  be  murder ;  if  there 
is  not  already :  for  many  were  knocked  down,  before  we  came  away.' 
By  their  advice  I  turned  back  to  the  house  where  I  had  left  my  horse. 
We  had  been  there  but  a  short  time,  when  many  people  came  in  very 
bloody.    But  the  main  cry  of  the  mob  was,  '  Where  is  the  preacher?' 

*  Bartholomew's  Day  has  been  twice  remarkable  for  the  cruelties  exercised  upon  it. 
The  first  instance  was,  the  massacre  of  seventy  thousand  French  Protestants  throughout 
the  kingdom  of  France,  by  the  Papists,  attended  with  circumstances  of  the  most  horrid 
treachery  and  cruelty.  It  began  at  Paris,  in  the  night  of  the  festival  of  St.  B'artholomew, 
August  24,  1572,  by  secret  orders  from  Charles  IX.  king  of  France,  at  the  instigation  of 
the  Queen  Dowager,  Catharine  de  Medicis,  his  mother.  The  second  instance  was  the  Act 
of  Uniformity,  which  was  enforced  on  Bartholomew's  Day,  August  24,  1662,  by  which  two 
thousand  ministers,  many  of  them  the  most  pious  and  learned  men  in  the  nation,  were  cast 
out  from  the  Church  of  England,  because  they  could  not  conform  to  certain  ceremonies  in 
divine  worship,  which  the  bishops  chose  to  impose  upon  them.  By  this  proceeding  they 
were  not  only  deprived  of  their  usefulness,  but  many  of  them  with  their  families,  reduced 
to  poverty  and  want. 

VOL.  II.         10=^  15 


114 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


whom  they  sought  for  in  every  part  of  the  house ;  swearing  bitterly, 
'  If  we  can  but  knock  him  on  the  head,  we  shall  be  satisfied.' 

"  Not  finding  me.  they  said,  '  However  we  shall  catch  him  on  Sun- 
day at  Cambourn.'  But  it  was  Mr.  Westall's  turn  to  be  there. 
While  he  was  preaching  at  Mr.  Harris's,  a  tall  man  came  in,  and 
pulled  him  down.  Mr.  Harris  demanded  his  warrant ;  but  he  swore, 
'  Warrant  or  no  av arrant,  he  shall  go  with  me.'  So  he  carried  him 
out  to  the  mob,  who  took  him  away  to  the  church-town.  They  kept 
him  there  till  the  Tuesday  morning,  when  the  Rev.  Dr.  Borlase  wrote 
his  mittimus^  by  virtue  of  which  he  was  to  be  committed  to  the  house 
of  correction  at  Bodmin,  as  a  vagrant.  So  they  took  him  as  far  as 
Cambourn  that  night,  and  the  next  day  to  Bodmin." 

The  justices  who  met  at  the  next  quarter  sessions  in  Bodmin, 
knowing  a  little  more  of  the  laws  of  God  and  man,  or  at  least  show- 
ing more  regard  for  them,  than  Dr.  Borlase,  declared  Mr.  Westall's 
commitment  to  be  contrary  to  all  law,  and  immediately  set  him  at 
liberty.  =^ 

All  this  year  God  was  carrying  on  the  same  work,  that  is,  reforma- 
tion of  manners  on  evangelical  principles,  in  the  English  army 
abroad,  though  on  a  smaller  scale :  some  account  of  which  Mr.  Wes- 
ley received  from  one  of  their  preachers,  in  the  following  letter  dated 
November.  "We  make  bold,"  says  Mr.  Evans,  the  writer,  "to 
trouble  you  with  this,  to  acquaint  you  with  some  of  the  Lord's  deal- 
ings with  us  here.  We  have  hired  two  rooms  :  one  small,  wherein  a 
few  of  us  meet  every  day  :  and  another  large,  wherein  we  meet  for 
public  service  twice  a  day,  at  nine  and  at  four.  And  the  hand  of 
the  omnipotent  God  is  with  us,  to  the  pulling  down  of  the  strong- 
holds of  satan. 

"  The  seventh  instant,  when  we  were  met  together  in  the  evening, 
as  I  was  at  prayer,  one  that  was  kneeling  by  me,  cried  out  like  a 
woman  in  travail,  '  My  Redeemer  !  my  Redeemer  ! '  When  he  was 
asked,  what  was  the  matter  ?  he  said,  '  he  had  found  that  which  he 
had  often  heard  of,  an  heaven  upon  earth.'  And  several  others  had 
much  ado  to  forbear  crying  out  in  the  same  manner. 

"  Dear  sir,  I  am  a  stranger  to  you  in  the  flesh.  I  know  not,  if  I 
have  seen  you  above  once,  when  I  saw  you  preaching  on  Kennington 
Common.  I  then  hated  you  as  much  as,  by  the  grace  of  God,  I  love 
you  now.  The  Lord  pursued  me  with  convictions  from  my  infancy; 
and  I  made  many  good  resolutions.  But  finding  I  could  not  keep 
them,  I  at  length  gave  myself  over  to  all  manner  of  profaneness.  So 
I  continued  till  the  battle  of  Dettingen.    The  balls  there  came  very 

*  How  seldom  have  we  seen  clergymen  in  the  commission  of  the  peace,  but  they  have 
neglected  the  duties  of  their  profession,  and  grossly  abused  the  power  committed  to  them  ! 
Our  Lord  declared  his  kingdom  was  not  of  this  world  :  and  when  his  ministers  of  any 
denomination,  obtain  dominion  and  authority  over  the  temporal  things  of  others,  or  acquire 
any  share  in  the  civil  government,  it  seems  as  if  a  curse  attended  every  thing  they  do. 
They  mar  whatever  they  meddle  with ;  and  occasion  infinite  confusion  and  mischief. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


115 


thick  about  me,  and  my  comrades  fell  on  every  side.  Yet  I  was  pre- 
served unhurt.  A  few  days  after,  the  Lord  was  pleased  to  visit  me. 
The  pains  of  hell  got  hold  upon  me  ;  the  snares  of  death  encompassed 
me.  I  durst  no  longer  commit  any  outward  sin,  and  I  prayed  God 
to  be  merciful  to  my  soul.  Now  I  was  at  a  loss  for  books  :  but  God 
took  care  of  this  also.  One  day  I  found  an  old  Bible  in  one  of  the 
train  waggons.  This  was  now  my  only  companion ;  and  I  believed 
myself  a  very  good  Christian,  till  we  came  to  winter  quarters,  where 
I  met  with  John  Haine.  But  I  was  soon  sick  of  his  company ;  for  he 
robbed  me  of  my  treasure,  telling  me,  1  and  my  works  were  going  to 
hell  together.  This  was  strange  doctrine  to  me,  and  as  I  was  of  a 
stubborn  temper,  he  sometimes  resolved  to  forbid  my  coming  to  him 
any  more. 

"  When  the  Lord  had  at  length  opened  my  eyes,  and  shown  me, 
that  by  grace  we  are  saved  through  faith,  I  began  immediately  to 
declare  it  to  others,  though  I  had  not  yet  experienced  it  myself  But 
October  23,  as  William  Clements  was  at  prayer,  I  felt  on  a  sudden,  a 
great  alteration  in  my  soul.  My  eyes  overflowed  with  tears  of  love : 
I  knew,  I  was  through  Christ,  reconciled  to  God ;  which  inflamed  my 
soul  with  love  to  him,  whom  I  now  saAv  to  be  my  complete  Redeemer. 

"O  the  tender  care  of  Almighty  God  in  bringing  up  his  children  ! 
Dear  sir,  I  beg  you  will  pray  for  him,  who  is  not  worthy  to  be  a  door- 
keeper to  the  least  of  my  Master's  servants." 

February  4,  1745,  Mr.  Wesley  observes,  "  I  had  the  pleasure  of 
receiving  from  Dr.  Hartley,  a  particular  account  of  Dr.  Cheyne's  last 
hours.*    During  his  last  illness  he  felt  a  gentle  and  gradual  decay, 

*  Dr.  George  Cheyne,  a  physician  of  great  learning  and  abilities,  was  born  in  Scotland, 
in  1671.  He  passed  his  youth  in  close  study  and  great  temperance.  But  coming  to  Lon- 
don, when  about  thirty,  and  finding  the  younger  gentry  and  free-livers  to  be  the  most  easy 
of  access,  he  suddenly  changed  his  former  manner  of  living  to  associate  with  them ;  hav- 
ing observed  that  this  method  had  succeeded  to  introduce  some  others  into  practice.  The 
consequence  was,  that  he  grew  daily  in  bulk,  swelling  to  such  an  enormous  size,  that  he 
exceeded  thirty-two  stone  in  weight,  and  was  forced  to  have  the  whole  side  of  his  chariot 
made  open  to  receive  him  :  he  grew  short-breathed,  lethargic,  nervous  and  scorbutic  ;  so 
that  his  life  became  an  intolerable  burden.  After  trying  all  the  power  of  medicine  in  vain, 
he  resolved  to  try  a  milk  and  vegetable  diet ;  the  good  effects  of  which  soon  appeared. 
His  size  reduced  almost  a  third  ;  and  he  recovered  his  strength,  activity,  and  cheerfulness, 
with  the  perfect  use  of  all  his  faculties.  He  lived  to  a  mature  period,  dying  at  Bath  in 
1742,  aged  72.  Rewrote  several  treatises  that  were  well  received;  particularly,  "An 
Essay  on  Health  and  Long  Life  and,  ''The  English  Malady,  or  a  Treatise  of  Nervous 
Diseases both  the  result  of  his  own  experience.  His  "  Philosophical  Principles  of 
Natural  Religion,  published  in  1705,  is  a  work  that  shows  great  strength  of  mind,  and 
extensive  knowledge.  Mr.  Wesley  was  well  acquainted  with  him,  and  always  spake  of 
him  with  esteem. 

David  Hartley,  M.  A.  here  mentioned  by  Mr.  Wesley,  was  born  at  Ilingworth,  where 
his  father  was  curate,  and  received  his  academical  education  at  Jesus  College,  Cambridge, 
of  which  he  was  a  fellow.  He  first  began  to  practise  physic  at  Newark,  in  Nottingham- 
shire ;  from  whence  he  removed  to  St.  Edmund's  Bury,  in  Suffolk.  After  this,  he  settled 
for  some  time  in  London ;  and  lastly  went  to  live  at  Bath,  where  he  died  in  1757,  aged 
fifty-three.  His  most  considerable  literary  production,  is  a  work  entitled,  "  Observations 
on  Man,  his  frame,  his  duty,  and  his  expectations,  in  two  parts  j"  London,  1749,  2  vols. 


116 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


SO  that  he  apprehended  what  the  event  would  be.  But  it  did  not 
appear  to  give  him  any  concern.  He  seemed  quite  loose  from  all 
below,  till  without  any  struggle,  either  of  body  or  mind,  he  calmly 
gave  up  his  soul  to  God." 

March  11,  Mr.  Wesley  observes,  "  Many  persons  still  representing 
the  Methodists  as  enemies  to  the  clergy,  I  wrote  to  a  friend  the  real 
state  of  the  case,  in  as  plain  a  manner  as  I  could. 

"1.  About  seven  years  since,  we  began  preaching  inward,  present 
salvation,  as  attainable  by  faith  alone.  2.  For  preaching  this  doc- 
trine we  are  forbidden  to  preach  in  most  churches.  3.  We  then 
preached  in  private  houses,  and  when  the  houses  could  not  contain 
the  people,  in  the  open  air.  4.  For  this  many  of  the  clergy  preached 
or  printed  against  us,  as  both  heretics  and  schismatics.  5.  Persons 
who  were  convinced  of  sin,  begged  us  to  advise  them  more  particu- 
larly, how  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come  7  We  desired  them,  being 
many,  to  come  at  one  time,  and  we  would  endeavor  it.  6.  For  this 
we  were  presented  both  from  the  pulpit  and  press,  as  introducing 
Popery,  and  raising  sedition.  Yea,  all  manner  of  evil  was  said  both  of 
usj  and  of  those  who  used  to  assemble  with  us.  7.  Finding  that  some 
of  these  did  walk  disorderly,  we  desired  them  not  to  come  to  us  any 
more.  8.  And  some  of  the  others  we  desired  to  overlook  the  rest, 
that  we  might  know  whether  they  walked  worthy  of  the  gospel. 
9.  Several  of  the  clergy  now  stirred  up  the  people,  to  treat  us  as  out- 
laws or  mad  dogs.  10.  The  people  did  so  both  in  Staffordshire,  Corn- 
wall, and  many  other  places.  11.  And  they  do  so  still  wherever  they 
are  not  restrained  by  fear  of  the  magistrates. 

8vo.  of  which,  a  few  years  ago,  a  second  edition  was  published.  The  first  part  contains 
observations  on  the  frame  of  the  human  body  and  mind,  and  their  mutual  connections  and 
influences.  This  is  a  most  curious  and  ingenious  system  ;  but  it  is  founded  on  conjecture, 
and  the  parts  are  held  together  only  by  a  vague  and  uncertain  analogy.  Dr.  Hartley  sup- 
poses, that  what  has  been  called  the  nervous  fluid,  is  a  fine  elastic  ether,  through  which 
vibrations  are  propagated  to  the  brain,  and  through  the  whole  of  its  substance.  By  these 
vibrations,  and  their  various  combinations  and  associations,  he  attempts  to  explain  the 
operations  of  the  soul.  But  he  has  not  proved  the  existence  of  such  an  ether,  nor  of  the 
vibrations  which  he  supposes  to  exist.  And  if  he  had,  yet  he  ought  to  have  explained  to 
us  in  the  clearest  manner,  how  these  vibrations  are  the  mechanical  causes  of  the  opera- 
tions of  the  mind ;  or  at  least  have  shown,  that  there  is  a  constant  correspondence  and  har- 
mony between  the  laws  they  observe,  and  the  laws  of  the  phenomena  they  are  brought  to 
explain.  But  neither  of  these  things  has  he  done.  The  first  he  has  totally  omitted ;  and 
in  attempting  the  latter,  his  analogical  reasoning  is  so  vague  and  uncertain,  that  no  man 
of  common  prudence  would  act  upon  such  evidence  in  the  affairs  of  life  in  which  he  was 
much  interested.  In  reference  to  this  subject  the  authors  of  the  Encyclopedia  Britannica 
observe,  We  think  it  our  duty  to  remonstrate  against  this  slovenly  way  of  writing :  we 
Would  even  hold  it  up  to  reprobation.  It  has  been  chiefly  on  this  faithless  foundation,  that 
the  blind  vanity  of  men  has  built  that  degrading  system  of  opinions  called  Materiax-ism, 
by  which  the  affections  and  faculties  of  the  soul  of  man  have  been  resolved  into  vibrations 
and  pulses  of  ether." 

Dr.  Reid,  in  his  Essays  on  the  Intellectual  and  Active  Powers  of  Man,  2  vols.  4to.  has 
proceeded  on  a  plan  much  more  simple  and  satisfactory.  Soon  after  the  first  volume  was 
published,  I  asked  the  late  Dr.  Price,  his  opinion  of  it :  he  replied,  "  I  think  it  unanswera- 
ble, either  by  Dr.  Priestley,  or  any  other  person." 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


117 


"  Now  what  can  we  do,  or  what  can  you  or  our  brethren  do,  to- 
wards heaUng  this  breach  ?  Desire  of  us  any  thing  which  we  can 
do  with  a  safe  conscience,  and  we  will  do  it  immediately.  Will  you 
meet  us  here  ?  Will  you  do  what  we  desire  of  you,  so  far  as  you  can 
with  a  safe  conscience  ? 

''Do  you  desire  of  us,  1.  To  preach  another,  or  to  desist  from 
preaching  this  doctrine  ?    We  cannot  do  this  with  a  safe  conscience. 

"  Do  you  desire  us,  2.  To  desist  from  preaching  in  private  houses, 
or  in  the  open  air  7  As  things  are  now  circumstanced,  this  would  be 
the  same  as  desiring  us  not  to  preach  at  all. 

"Do  you  desire  us,  3.  Not  to  advise  those  who  meet  together  for 
that  purpose  ?  To  dissolve  our  societies  ?  We  cannot  do  this  with 
a  safe  conscience ;  for  we  apprehend  many  souls  would  be  lost 
thereby. 

"Do  you  desire  us,  4.  To  advise  them  one  by  one?  This  is 
impossible  because  of  their  numbers. 

"  Do  you  desire  us,  5.  To  suffer  those  who  walk  disorderly,  still  to 
mix  with  the  rest  ?  Neither  can  we  do  this  with  a  safe  conscience  : 
for  evil  communications  corrupt  good  manners. 

"Do  you  desire  us,  6.  To  discharge  those  leaders,  as  we  term 
them  who  overlook  the  rest  ?  This  is,  in  effect,  to  suffer  the  disor- 
derly walkers  still  to  remain  with  the  rest. 

"  Do  you  desire  us,  lastly,  to  behave  with  tenderness,  both  to  the 
characters  and  persons  of  our  brethren  the  clergy  ?  By  the  grace  of 
God,  we  can  and  will  do  this  :  as  indeed  we  have  done  to  this  day. 

"  If  you  ask  what  we  desire  of  you  to  do  7  We  answer,  1.  We  do 
not  desire  any  of  you,  to  let  us  preach  in  your  church,  either  if  you 
believe  us  to  preach  false  doctrine,  or  if  you  have  the  least  scruple. 
But  we  desire  any  who  believes  us  to  preach  true  doctrine,  and  has 
no  scruple  in  the  matter,  not  to  be  either  publicly  or  privately  dis- 
couraged from  inviting  us  to  preach  in  his  church. 

2.  "  We  do  not  desire,  that  any  who  thinks  it  his  duty  to  preach  or 
print  against  us,  should  refrain  therefrom.  But  we  desire,  that  none 
will  do  this,  till  he  has  calmly  considered  both  sides  of  the  question ; 
and  that  he  would  not  condemn  us  unheard,  but  first  read  what  we 
say  in  our  own  defence. 

3.  "  We  do  not  desire  any  favor,  if  either  Popery,  sedition,  or 
immorality  be  proved  against  us.  But  we  desire  you  would  not 
credit  without  proof,  any  of  those  senseless  tales  that  pass  current 
with  the  vulgar ;  that  if  you  do  not  credit  them  yourselves,  you  will 
not  relate  them  to  others  :  yea,  that  you  will  discountenance  those 
who  still  retail  them  abroad. 

4.  "  We  do  not  desire  any  preferment,  favor,  or  recommendation, 
from  those  that  are  in  power,  either  in  church  or  state.  But  we 
desire,  1.  That  if  any  thing  material  be  laid  to  our  charge,  we 
may  be  permitted  to  answer  for  ourselves.    2.  That  you  would  hin- 


118 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


der  your  dependants  from  stirring  up  the  rabble  against  us,  who  are 
certainly  not  the  proper  judges  in  these  matters  :  and  3.  That  you 
would  effectually  suppress  and  discountenance  all  riots  and  popular 
insurrections,  which  evidently  strike  at  the  foundation  of  all  govern- 
ment, whether  of  church  or  state. 

"  Now  these  things  you  certainly  can  do,  and  that  with  a  safe  con- 
science. Therefore  till  these  things  be  done,  the  continuance  of  the 
breach,  if  there  be  any,  is  chargeable  on  you,  and  you  only." 

In  June  Mr.  Wesley  paid  another  visit  to  Cornwall,  where  the 
preachers  were  continually  persecuted,  only  not  unto  death ;  both  by 
the  great  vulgar  and  the  small.  They  showed  a  little  more  courtesy 
to  him  till  July  4,  when  he  went  to  see  a  gentlewoman  at  Falmouth, 
who  had  been  long  indisposed.  "I  had  scarce,"  says  he,  "sat  down, 
when  the  house  was  beset  by  an  innumerable  multitude  of  people. 
They  quickly  forced  open  the  outer  door  and  filled  the  passage,  there 
being  now  only  a  wainscot-partition  between  us.  Among  them  were, 
the  crews  of  some  privateers,  who  being  angry  at  the  slowness  of  the 
rest,  thrust  them  away,  and  setting  their  shoulders  to  the  inner-door 
cried  out,  'Avast,  lads,  avast !'  Away  went  all  the  hinges  at' once, 
and  the  door  fell  back  into  the  room.  I  stepped  forward  into  the 
midst  of  them  and  said,  '  Here  I  am ;  which  of  you  has  any  thing  to 
say  to  me I  continued  speaking  till  I  came  into  the  middle  of  the 
street,  though  I  could  be  heard  by  a  few  only.  But  all  that  could 
hear  were  still  and  quiet.  At  length,  one  or  two  of  their  captains 
turned  and  swore,  '  Not  a  man  shall  touch  him.'  A  clergyman  then 
came  up  and  asked,  '  Are  you  not  ashamed  to  use  a  stranger  thus  7 '  " 
He  was  seconded  by  some  gentlemen  of  the  town,  who  walked  with 
Mr.  Wesley  to  a  friend's  house.  They  then  sent  his  horse  by  a  per- 
son to  Penryn,  and  sent  him  thither  by  water :  the  sea  running  close 
by  the  back-door  of  the  house  where  he  was. 

On  this  occasion  he  makes  the  following  observations:  ''I  never 
saw  before,  no  not  even  at  Walsal,  the  hand  of  God  so  clearly  shown 
as  here.  There  I  received  blows,  was  covered  with  dirt,  and  lost  part 
of  my  clothes.  Here,  although  the  hands  of  hundreds  of  people 
were  lifted  up  to  strike  or  throw,  yet  they  were  one  and  all  stopped 
in  the  midway ;  so  that  not  a  man  touched  me  with  his  fingers  :  nei- 
ther was  any  thing  thrown  from  first  to  last,  so  that  I  had  not  a  speck 
of  dirt  upon  my  clothes.  Who  can  deny  that  God  heareth  the  prayer? 
Or  that  he  hath  all  power  in  heaven  and  earth?" 

August  1,  and  the  following  days,  Mr.  Wesley  held  the  second 
Conference,  with  as  many  of  the  preachers  as  could  conveniently  be 
present.  They  reviewed  their  doctrines,  and  added  such  rules  of  dis- 
cipline as  the  increase  of  the  work  required,  or  prudence  suggested. 
These  will  all  be  laid  before  the  reader  as  soon  as  they  form  some- 
thing like  a  complete  system. 

In  October,  he  was  at  Newcastle  upon  Tyne,  where  the  English 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


119 


army  lay,  to  oppose  the  progress  of  the  rebels.  Observing  with  great 
concern,  the  drunkenness,  and  profane  swearing  that  prevailed  among 
the  soldiers,  he  wrote  the  following  letter  to  Alderman  Ridley;  which 
is  highly  characteristic  of  his  zeal  for  the  propagation  of  christian 
knowledge,  and  christian  piety  and  virtue,  considered  as  a  national 
blessing. 

"Sir — The  fear  of  God,  the  love  of  my  country,  and  the  regard  I  have 
for  his  Majesty  King  George,  constrain  me  to  write  a  few  plain  words 
to  one,  who  is  no  stranger  to  these  principles  of  action. 

"  My  soul  has  been  pained  day  by  day,  even  in  walking  the  streets 
of  Newcastle,  at  the  senseless,  shameless  wickedness,  the  ignorant 
profaneness  of  the  poor  men  to  whom  our  lives  are  intrusted.  The 
continual  cursing  and  swearing,  the  wanton  blasphemy  of  the  soldiers 
in  general,  must  needs  be  a  torture  to  the  sober  ear,  whether  of  a 
Christian  or  an  honest  infidel.  Can  any  that  either  fear  God  or  love 
their  neighbor,  hear  this  without  concern?  Especially  if  they  consider 
the  interest  of  our  country,  as  well  as  of  these  unhappy  men  them- 
selves 7  For  can  it  be  expected,  that  God  should  be  on  their  side  who 
are  daily  affronting  him  to  his  face?  And  if  God  be  not  on  their  side, 
how  little  will  either  their  number,  or  courage,  or  strength  avail ! 

"  Is  there  no  man  that  careth  for  these  souls?  Doubtless  there  are 
some  who  ought  so  to  do.  But  many  of  these,  if  I  am  rightly  informed, 
receive  large  pay,  and  do  just  nothing. 

"I  would  to  God  it  were  in  my  power,  in  any  degree,  to  supply 
their  lack  of  service.  I  am  ready  to  do  what  in  me  lies,  to  call  these 
poor  sinners  to  repentance,  once  or  twice  a  day,  while  I  remain  in 
these  parts,  at  any  hour  or  at  any  place.  And  I  desire  no  pay  at  all 
for  doing  this :  unless  what  my  Lord  shall  give  at  his  appearing. 

"If  it  were  objected,  that  I  should  only  fill  their  heads  with  pecu- 
liar whims  and  notions  !  That  might  easily  be  known.  Only  let  the 
officers  hear  with  their  own  ears  :  and  they  may  judge,  whether  I  do 
not  preach  the  plain  principles  of  manly,,  rational  religion. 

"  Having  myself  no  knowledge  of  the  general,  I  took  the  liberty 
to  make  this  offer  to  you.  I  have  no  interest  herein :  but  I  should 
rejoice  to  serve,  as  I  am  able,  my  king  and  country.  If  it  be  judged 
that  this  will  be  of  no  real  service,  let  the  proposal  die  and  be  forgot- 
ten. But  I  beg  you,  sir,  to  believe,  that  I  have  the  same  glorious 
cause,  for  which  you  have  shown  so  becoming  a  zeal,  earnestly  at 
heart :  and  that  therefore  I  am,  with  warm  respect,  sir, 

"  Your  most  obedient  servant." 

This  letter  was  written  on  the  26th,  and  on  the  31st,  Mr.  Wesley 
preached  on  Newcastle  Town-Moor,  at  a  small  distance  from  the 
English  camp.  November  1,  he  preached  again  on  a  little  eminence 
before  the  camp,  and  continued  this  practice  occasionally  till  the  30th 
of  this  month.    At  half  an  hour  after  eight  on  this  day,  he  preached 


120 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


to  a  larger  congregation  than  any  before;  and  adds,  ''Were  it  only 
for  the  sake  of  this  hour,  I  should  not  have  thought  much  of  staying 
at  Newcastle  longer  than  I  intended.  Between  one  and  two  in  the 
afternoon,  I  went  to  the  camp  once  more.  Abundance  of  people  now 
flocked  together,  horse  and  foot,  rich  and  poor,  to  whom  I  declared, 
'  There  is  no  difference ;  for  all  have  sinned  and  come  short  of  the 
glory  of  God.'  I  observed  many  Germans  standing  disconsolate  in 
the  skirts  of  the  congregation.  To  these  I  was  constrained,  though 
I  had  discontinued  it  so  long,  to  speak  a  few  words  in  their  own  lan- 
guage. Immediately  they  gathered  up  close  together,  and  drank  in 
every  word." 

"All  this  year,"  says  Mr.  Wesley,  "  the  work  of  God  gradually  in- 
creased in  the  Southern  counties,  as  well  as  in  the  North  of  England, 
Many  were  awakened  in  a  very  remarkable  manner:  many  were 
converted  to  God.  Many  were  enabled  to  testify,  that  '  the  blood  of 
Jesus  cleanseth  from  all  sin.'  Meantime  we  were  in  most  places  tol- 
erably quiet,  as  to  popular  tumults.  Where  anything  of  the  kind 
appeared,  the  Magistrates  usually  interposed,  as  indeed  it  was  their 
duty  to  do.  And  wherever  the  peace  officers  do  their  duty,  no  riot 
can  long  subsist." 

Mr.  Wesley  and  his  brother  began  to  be  spoken  of  in  Scotland,  and 
a  few  of  the  most  pious  ministers  there,  though  differing  from  the 
two  brothers  on  many  points  of  doctrine,  yet  rejoiced  in  the  great 
revival  of  practical  religion  in  England,  by  their  means.  Mr.  James 
Robe,  minister  of  Killsyth,  having  received  from  a  friend  some  account 
of  them,  wrote  as  follows :  "1  was  much  pleased  with  what  you 
wrote  to  me  of  the  Messrs.  Wesleys.  I  rejoice  that  justification,  the 
imputed  righteousness  of  Jehovah  our  Righteousness,  received  by 
faith  alone,  and  gospel  holiness,  are  the  subjects  of  their  sermons: 
and  the  debated  points  (various  sentiments  about  v/hich  are  not  incon- 
sistent with  saving  faith  and  our  acceptance  with  God)  are  laid  aside. 
I  embrace  fellowship  with  them,  and  pray  that  the  Lord  of  the  vine- 
yard may  give  them  success  in  preaching  the  faith  of  Christ,  so  much 
needed  in  England. — As  many  as  be  perfect,  let  them  be  thus  minded; 
and  if  in  any  other  things  ye  be  otherwise  minded,  God  shall  reveal 
even  this  unto  you.  Nevertheless  whereunto  we  have  attained,  let 
us  walk  by  the  same  rule,  let  us  mind  the  same  things. — How  good 
would  it  be  for  the  christian  world,  if  this  were  believed,  and  regarded 
as  the  word  of  God  !  When  the  happy  days  upon  the  wing  are  come, 
so  it  will  be :  and  in  as  far  as  any  have  really  shared  in  the  late  revi- 
val, it  is  so  with  them  in  some  good  measure.  I  learned  something 
new,  as  to  the  exhorters,*  from  the  account  you  gave  of  them.  I 
look  upon  them  as  so  many  licensed  probationers,  or  useful  public 
teachers  ;  which  is  the  case  of  our  probationers.  It  provides  me  with 
an  answer  to  objections,  besides  that  of  the  extraordinary  circum- 

*  He  means,  the  lay-preachers. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


121 


stances  of  the  established  church.  I  beg  you  to  salute  the  two 
brothers  for  me,  much  in  the  Lord.  I  wrote  to  my  correspondent  for- 
merly, upon  yours  to  me  from  Newcastle,  that  there  were  hopes  of 
their  joining  in  our  concert  for  prayer  and  praise,  for  the  revival  of 
real  Christianity.  Now  I  can  write  that  they  have  acceded ;  and  I 
hope  we  shall  expressly  remember  one  another  before  the  throne  of 
grace." 

Mr.  James  Erskine,  who  frequently  in  the  course  of  this  year  cor- 
responded with  Mr.  Wesley,  transmitted  this  part  of  Mr.  Robe's  letter 
to  him;  and  with  a  liberality  not  common  to  Scotchmen  at  that  time, 
he  asks,  "Are  the  points  which  give  the  different  denominations  (to 
Christians)  and  from  whence  proceed  separate  communions,  animosi- 
ties, evil-speakings,  surmises,  and,  at  least,  coolness  of  affection, 
aptness  to  misconstrue,  slowness  to  think  well  of  others,  stiffness  in 
one's  own  conceits,  and  over-valuing  one's  own  opinion,  &c.  &c.  are 
these  points  (at  least  among  the  far  greatest  part  of  Protestants)  as 
important,  as  clearly  revealed,  and  as  essential,  or  as  closely  connected 
with  the  essentials  of  practical  Christianity,  as  the  loving  of  one 
another  with  a  pure  heart  fervently,  and  not  forsaking,  much  less 
refusing,  the  assembling  of  ourselves  together,  as  the  manner  of  some 
was,  and  now  of  almost  all  is?  " — Every  candid  man  will  most  cer- 
tainly answer  this  question  in  the  negative.  And  it  requires  no  great 
degree  of  discernment  to  perceive,  that  the  narrow  party  spirit  which 
prevails  among  most  denominations  of  Christians  with  regard  to 
communion  and  church  fellowship,  even  where  it  is  acknowledged  that 
the  essential  doctrines  of  the  gospel  are  held  fast,  is  one  grand  hinder- 
ance  of  brotherly-love,  and  of  a  more  general  diffusion  of  real 
experimental  religion. 

In  the  latter  end  of  this  year,  Mr.  Wesley  had  expressed  a  desire  to 
be  useful  to  the  Scots,  and  to  preach  the  gospel  in  Scotland.  His 
friend  Mr.  James  Erskine  wrote  to  him  on  the  subject,  and  set 
before  him  some  of  the  difficulties  he  would  have  to  struggle  with  in 
the  attempt.  Mr.  Erskine,  in  his  letter  expresses  an  ardent  wish  for 
union  and  christian  fellowship  among  all  those  of  different  denomi- 
nations and  opinions,  who  love  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  He  reprobates 
the  animosity  and  bigotry,  too  prevalent  among  them  under  the  spe- 
cious name  of  zeal  for  the  truth.  He  then  sets  before  him  some  of 
the  difficulties  he  would  meet  with  in  attempting  to  preach  and  form 
societies  in  Scotland.  "  You  have,"  says  he,  "some  sentiments  and 
ways  of  speaking  different  from  the  generality,  and  almost  from  all 
the  real  Christians  of  the  Presbyterian  persuasion  in  Scotland,  among 
whom,  from  my  long  acquaintance  with  my  countrymen,  I  cannot 
help  thinking  are  about  five  in  six  of  the  real  Christians  there.  And 
to  my  great  regret,  of  these  worthy  people,  I  fear  three  out  of  five  are 
wofully  bigoted :  a  vice  too  natural  to  us  Scots,  from  what  our  country- 

voL.  n.  11  16< 


122 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


man  George  Buchanan^  wrote  was  our  temper — jperfervidum  Scoto- 
rum  ingenium.  And  some  of  you  English  have  as  much  of  it  as 
any  Scot;  but  it  is  not  so  national  with  you,  as  among  the  Scots. — 
You  would  have  the  same  prejudices  to  struggle  with  among  the 

*  George  Buchanan,  the  best  Latin  poet  of  his  time,  perhaps  inferior  to  none  since  the 
AugQstan  age,  was  born  in  the  village  of  Killeam,  in  Sterlingshire,  Scotland,  in  1506. 
The  abject  poverty  in  which  his  father  died,  might  have  confined  him  to  toil  at  the  lowest 
employments  of  life,  if  the  generosity  of  an  uncle  had  not  assisted  him  in  his  education, 
and  enabled  him  to  pursue  his  studies  for  two  years,  at  Paris.  But  his  uncle  dying,  he 
returned  to  Scotland,  surrounded  with  the  horrors  of  indigence.  In  this  e^ctremity,  he 
enlisted  for  a  soldier :  but  nature  had  not  destined  him  for  a  hero,  and  he  was  disgusted 
with  the  first  campaign.  John  Major,  then  professor  of  philosophy  at  St.  Andrews,  hear- 
ing of  his  necessity  and  his  merit,  afforded  him  a  temporary  relief.  He  now  studied  the 
subtilties  of  logic  under  John  Maiz,  whom  he  followed  to  Paris.  There,  after  encountering 
many  difficulties,  he  was  invited  to  teach  grammar  in  the  college  of  St.  Barbe.  In  this 
occupation  he  was  found  by  the  Earl  of  Cassels,  with  whom,  having  staid  fiive  years  at 
Paris,  he  returned  to  Scotland.  He  next  acted  as  preceptor  to  the  famous  Earl  of  Murray, 
the  natural  son  of  James  V.  But  while  he  was  forming  this  nobleman  for  public  affairs, 
he  found  his  life  was  in  danger.  He  had  written  some  beautiful  but  poignant  satires 
against  the  Franciscan  Monks ;  who  in  return  branded  him  with  the  appellation  of  Athe- 
ist. Cardinal  Beaton  gave  orders  to  apprehend  him,  and  bribed  King  James,  it  is  said, 
with  a  considerable  sum  to  permit  his  execution.  He  was  seized  upon  accordingly ;  and 
the  first  genius  of  the  age  was  about  to  perish  by  the  halter,  or  by  fire,  to  satisfy  the 
malignant  resentment  of  men,  whose  false  notions  of  religion  have  always  made  them 
thirst  for  the  blood  of  their  opponents.  He  happily  eluded  the  vigilance  of  his  guards, 
and  escaped  to  England ;  from  thence  he  went  to  France,  and  afterwards  with  his  friend 
Govea,  to  Portugal.  His  friend  died  within  the  year,  and  left  Buchanan  exposed  to  his 
inveterate  enemies,  the  monks.  He  was  confined  to  a  monastery,  till  he  should  learn 
what  these  men  fancied  to  be  religion.  Here  they  enjoined  him  to  translate  the  Psalms  of 
David  into  Latin  verse  ;  a  task  which  every  man  of  taste  knows  with  what  admirable  skill 
and  genius  he  performed. 

Having  obtained  his  liberty,  he  had  the  offer  of  a  speedy  promotion  from  the  King  of 
Portugal ;  of  which  however,  his  aversion  to  the  clergy  would  not  allow  him  to  wait  the 
issue.  He  spent  much  of  his  time  in  France,  which  seems  to  have  been  more  agreeable 
to  his  taste,  than  his  native  country'.  Queen  Mary,  having  determined  that  he  should  have 
the  charge  of  educating  her  son  James,  the  sixth  of  Scotland,  and  the  first  of  England,  he 
was  recalled,  and  provided  for,  till  the  young  prince  should  arrive  at  a  proper  age.  His 
success,  as  James's  preceptor,  is  well  known.  When  he  was  reproached  with  having  made 
his  majesty  a  pedant,  ''It  is  a  wonder,"  said  he,  ''that  I  have  made  so  much  of  him." 
Mackenzie  relates,  that  the  young  king  being  one  day  at  play  with  his  fellow-pupil, 
Buchanan,  who  was  then  reading,  desired  them  to  make  less  noise.  Finding  that  they 
disregarded  his  admonition,  he  told  his  majesty,  if  he  did  not  hold  his  tongue,  he  would 
certainly  whip  his  breech.  The  king  replied,  he  would  be  glad  to  see  who  would  bell  the 
cat.  alluding  to  the  fable.  Buchanan,  in  a  passion,  threw  the  book  from  him,  and  gave  his 
majesty  a  sound  flogging.  The  old  Countess  of  Mar,  who  was  in  the  next  apartment, 
rushed  into  the  room,  and  taking  the  king  in  her  arms,  asked  how  he  dared  to  lay  his  hand 

on  the  Lord's  anointed  ?    "  Madam,"  said  Buchanan,  "  I  have  whipped  his  a  ;  and  you 

may  kiss  it,  if  you  please." 

On  the  misfortunes  which  befell  Queen  Mary,  he  went  over  to  the  party  of  the  Earl  of 
Murray ;  at  whose  earnest  request  he  was  prevailed  upon  to  write  his  "  Detection,"  a  work 
which  his  greatest  admirers  have  read  with  regret.  After  having  vied  with  almost  all  the 
more  eminent  of  the  Latin  poets,  he  contested  with  Livy  and  Sallust,  the  palm  of  political 
eloquence  and  sagacity.  But  it  is  to  be  lamented,  that,  like  the  former  of  these  historians, 
he  was  not  always  careful  to  preserve  himself  from  the  charge  of  partiality.  He  died  at 
Edinburgh,  in  1582.  His  works  were  various.  An  edition  of  them  collected  together, 
was  printed  at  Edinburgh  in  1704.  in  2  vols,  folio.    See  Encyclop.  Brit. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


123 


Presbyterians,  that  Mr.  Whitefield  had,  that  is,  that  you  are  of  the 
Church  of  England,  and  use  the  Liturgy.  And  you  would  have 
more,  because  of  the  difference  of  sentiment,  and  ways  of  speaking, 
as  to  some  doctrines,  about  which  his  opinions  and  expressions  were 
the  same  as  theirs :  and  though  this  might  make  you  more  acceptable 
to  most  of  the  Episcopal  persuasion,  yet  your  way  of  speaking  of 
Christian  perfection,  and  their  regard  for  what  they  call  church  order 
and  regularity,  would  make  them  fly  from  you ;  for  which  last  the 
Presbyterians  would  not  be  so  offended  with  you :  and  your  urging 
so  strict  holiness  in  practice,  would  recommend  you  to  the  Presbyte- 
rians, but  I  am  afraid  not  to  the  Episcopalians.  And  your  doctrine 
of  man's  utter  ruin  by  the  fall,  and  utter  inability  to  do  anything  for 
his  own  recovery ;  and  the  necessity  of  regeneration,  and  an  interest 
in  Christ  by  faith  alone  that  works  by  love,  and  produces  holiness  in 
heart  and  life,  &c.  Avould  be  sweet  to  the  Presbyterians,  but  not  to 
many  of  the  Episcopalians. 

"Mr.  Whitefield,  in  fewer  months  than  one  would  have  thought 
could  have  been  done  in  as  many  years,  overcame  the  prejudices  of 
the  far  greatest  part  of  the  Presbyterians,  especially  the  most  religious, 
only  by  preaching  that  faith  and  holiness  you  preach ;  by  meddling 
with  no  debates,  and  by  the  power  of  the  Lord,  signally  accompany- 
ing his  administrations:  awakening,  converting,  and  building  up 
almost  wherever  he  went,  in  places  remote  from  one  another.  The 
same  evangelical  doctrine,  of  faith,  holiness,  regeneration,  and  divine 
influence,  &c.,  and  such  blessed  divine  power  on  your  administra- 
tions, managed  with  christian  prudence  and  simplicity,  and  that  wis- 
dom from  above  which  is  profitable  to  direct,  would  likewise  over- 
come the  strong  prejudices  against  you  and  your  brother. 

"But  Mr.  Whitefield  had  one  other  advantage  which  you  would 
not  have  at  present.  The  sermons  and  other  things  he  had  printed, 
were  earnestly  read  by  the  Presbyterians,  and  were  to  their  taste ;  as 
well  as  the  sermons,  conversations,  and  prayers  among  them.  And 
there  is  hardly  anything  printed  by  your  brother  and  you,  in  which  I 
fear  they  would  not  find  some  thought  or  expression  that  would 
stumble  and  offend  them." — Mr.  Wesley  did  not  go  to  Scotland,  till 
some  years  after  this  period. 

It  was  in  this  year  also,  that  Mr.  Wesley  began  a  private  corres- 
pondence with  a  clergyman  of  considerable  abilities,  and  probably  of 
high  station,  if  not  the  highest  in  the  church.  He  concealed  his  real 
name,  and  only  said,  as  he  lived  at  a  considerable  distance  from  Lon- 
don, a  letter  would  find  him,  directed  to  John  Smith,  at  Mr.  Richard 
Mead's,  the  Golden-cross,  Cheapside.  He  introduced  himself  to  Mr. 
Wesley,  in  a  very  candid  and  liberal  manner;  and  preserved  candor 
and  good  temper  through  the  greatest  part  of  their  controversy.  He 
introduces  himself  thus : 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


"  Reverend  Sir, 

"  The  laboring  to  bring  all  the  world  to  solid  inward  vital  religion, 
is  a  work  so  truly  christian  and  laudable,  that  I  shall  ever  highly 
esteem  those  who  attempt  this  great  work  even  though  they  should  ap- 
pear to  me  to  be  under  some  errors  in  doctrine,  some  mistakes  in  their 
conduct,  and  some  excess  in  their  zeal.  You  may  therefore,  expect  in 
me  a  candid  adversary ;  a  contender  for  truth,  and  not  for  victory  : 
one  who  would  be  glad  to  convince  you  of  any  error  which  he  appre- 
hends himself  to  have  discovered  in  you ;  but  who  would  be  abun- 
dantly more  glad  to  be  convinced  of  errors  in  himself.  Now,  the 
best  way  to  enable  you  to  set  me  right  wherever  I  may  be  wrong, 
will  be  by  pointing  out  to  you,  what  I  have  to  object  to  those  works 
of  yours  which  have  fallen  into  my  hands  :  and  for  order  sake  I  shall 
reduce  my  objections  to  matter  of  doctrine,  to  matter  of  phraseology, 
and  to  matter  of  fact." — He  then  mentions  several  particulars  under 
the  different  heads,  which  he  discusses  with  an  open  manly  freedom, 
and  a  good  degree  of  ingenuity  and  ability.  He  concludes  his  first 
letter  thus,  "  Having  now  freely  told  you  what  I  take  to  be  wrong  in 
you,  I  shall  readily  and  thankfully  attend  to  whatever  you  shall 
point  out  amiss  in  me.  I  am  desirous  to  retract  and  amend  whatever 
is  wrong.  To  your  general  design  of  promoting  true  religion,  I  am 
a  hearty  friend :  nay  to  your  particular  scheme  and  singularities,  I 
am  no  enemy. — If  I  come  not  fully  into  your  scheme,  it  is  not  for 
want  of  good  will,  but  for  want  of  evidence  and  conviction  that  it  is 
true.  I  pray  God  to  grant  me  all  needful  illumination :  and  I  pray 
you  to  tell  me  what  is  lacking  on  my  part." 

Mr.  Wesley  received  this  letter  with  the  same  friendliness,  and 
answered  it  with  the  same  openness  and  candor,  with  which  it  was 
written.  "I  was  determined,"  says  he,  in  his  reply,  "from  the  time 
I  received  yours,  to  answer  it  as  soon  as  I  should  have  opportunity. 
But  it  was  the  longer  delayed  because  I  could  not  persuade  myself 
to  write  at  all,  till  I  had  leisure  to  write  fully.  And  this  I  hope  to 
do  now ;  though  I  know  you  not,  not  so  much  as  your  name.  But  I 
take  it  for  granted,  you  are  a  person  that  fears  God,  and  that  speaks 
the  real  sentiments  of  his  heart.  And  on  this  supposition  I  shall 
speak  without  any  suspicion  or  reserve. 

"  I  am  exceedingly  obliged  by  the  pains  you  have  taken  to  point  out 
to  me  what  you  think  to  be  mistakes.  It  is  a  truly  christian  attempt,  an 
act  of  brotherly  love,  which  I  pray  God  to  repay  seven-fold  into  your 
bosom.  Methinks  I  can  scarce  look  upon  such  a  person,  on  one  who  is, 
'  a  contender  for  truth,  and  not  for  victory,'  whatever  opinion  he  may 
entertain  of  me,  as  an  adversary  at  all.  For  what  is  friendship,  if  I 
am  to  account  him  mine  enemy  who  endeavors  to  open  my  eyes,  or 
to  amend  my  heart." — And  in  the  conclusion  of  his  letter  he  says, 
'•'Smite  me  friendly  and  reprove  me.  It  shall  be  a  precious  balm;  it 
shall  not  break  my  head.    I  am  deeply  convinced  that  I  know  noth- 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


125 


ing  yet,  as  I  ought  to  know.  Fourteen  years  ago,  I  said  with  Mr. 
Norris,*  I  want  heat  more  than  hght :  but  now  I  know  not  which  1 
want  most.  Perhaps  God  will  enlighten  me  by  your  words.  O  speak 
and  spare  not.  At  least  you  will  have  the  thanks  and  prayers  of, 
your  obliged  and  affectionate  servant,  John  Wesley." 

John  Smith,  for  so  we  must  call  him  for  the  sake  of  distinction, 
prefaces  his  second  letter  in  the  following  manner ;  "I  heartily  thank 
you  for  your  very  kind  and  very  handsome  letter.  I  have  yielded  it 
that  attention  which  I  think  it  justly  deserves ;  and  am  now  sat  down 
to  give  you  my  thoughts  upon  it.  I  shall  first  most  readily  take 
notice  of  those  things  wherein  I  stand  corrected,  and  am  gone  over 
to  you :  and  next  I  shall,  with  some  reluctance,  proceed  to  those  in 
which  we  seem  unfortunately  to  differ." — But  though  he  yielded  up 
several  things  to  Mr.  Wesley,  in  whole  or  in  part,  yet  he  pressed  him 
very  hard  on  one  or  two  points  of  doctrine ;  and  I  think  his  objections 
had  afterwards  some  influence  on  Mr.  Wesley's  mind. — T  am  obliged 
to  a  friend  for  the  copies  of  these  letters,  with  liberty  to  make  any 
use  of  them  I  might  think  proper.  There  are  six  on  each  side,  writ- 
ten with  ability  and  spirit.  I  think  Mr.  Wesley's  opinions  will  admit 
of  more  illustration,  and  clearer  evidence,  than  he  has  given  them  in 
this  controversy.  He  himself  afterwards,  stated  some  points  to  much 
greater  advantage.  I  should  therefore  be  sorry  to  see  these  letters 
published  without  occasional  remarks,  by  some  person  who  thoroughly 
understands  the  subjects  therein  discussed.  They  are  too  long  to  be 
inserted  here,  as  they  would  fill,  at  least,  one  fourth  part  of  the 
volume. 

Mr.  Wesley  continued  his  labors  with  the  same  zeal  and  diligence, 
through  the  most  distant  parts  of  the  kingdom  during  the  year  1746. 
Methodism  spread  rapidly  on  every  side  :  the  societies  flourished,  and 
the  people  increased  in  number,  and  in  knowledge  and  love  of  the 

*  John  Norris,  the  person  here  mentioned,  was  bom  in  1657,  at  Collingborne-Kingston, 
in  Wiltshire,  where  his  father  was  then  minister.  He  was  a  learned  divine,  and  Platonic 
philosopher.  He  was  educated  first  at  Winchester-School,  and  in  1676,  sent  to  Oxford. 
In  1680,  he  was  elected  Fellow  of  All-Souls,  soon  after  he  had  taken  his  degree  of  bachelor 
of  arts.  In  1684,  he  commenced  master  of  arts  ;  and  the  same  year  opened  a  correspond- 
ence with  the  learned  mystic  divine  Dr.  Henry  More,  of  Christ's  College  in  Cambridge. 
He  had  also  a  correspondence  with,  the  learned  Lady  Masham,  Dr.  Cudworth's  daughter, 
and  the  ingenious  Mrs.  Astel.  In  1691,  his  distinguished  merit  procured  him  the  rectory 
of  Bemerton,  near  Sanim.  This  living,  upwards  of  two  hundred  pounds  a  year,  was  a 
comfortable  provision  for  his  family,  and  the  easiness  of  the  parochial  duty,  gave  him 
leisure  to  pursue  his  favorite  studies.  He  died  in  1711.  Mr.  Norris  published  two  octavo 
volumes  on,  "  The  Theory  of  the  Ideal  World."  In  this  work  he  opposed  Locke,  and 
adorned  Malebranche's  opinion,  of  seeing  all  things  in  God,  with  all  the  advantages  of  style 
and  perspicuity  of  expression.  His  philosophical  errors  may  easily  be  pardoned  on  account 
of  the  general  excellence  of  his  writings,  especially  on  subjects  of  practical  divinity,  which 
are  universally  esteemed.  Mr.  Wesley  published  extracts  from  two  of  his  works,  "A 
Treatise  on  Christian  Prudence,"  and  "Reflections  on  the  Conduct  of  Human  Life."  No 
person  can  read  these,  without  reaping  advantage ;  and  young  persons  ought  to  study  them 
wifh  diligence  and  attention. 

11* 


126 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


truth.  At  this  period  the  lay-preachers  were  not  of  that  class  of  men 
who  have  been  blessed  with  opportunities  of  improving  their  minds 
by  an  early  education,  or  much  reading.  In  general  their  knowledge 
extended  not  beyond  the  first  principles  of  religion,  and  the  practical 
consequences  deducible  from  them;  "Repentance  towards  God,  faith 
towards  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ ; "  and  the  fruits  that  follow,  "  Righte- 
ousness, and  peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost."  These  were  the 
subjects  of  their  daily  discourses,  in  which  there  was  little  variety. 
But  such  was  the  low  state  of  religious  knowledge  among  the  people, 
that  they  were  not  prepared  for  anything  higher.  It  was  absolutely 
necessary  to  make  them  well  acquainted  with  first  principles,  and  to 
give  these  principles  a  practical  influence  on  the  heart  and  life,  before 
they  were  led  any  further.  In  these  circumstances  the  limited  knowl- 
edge of  the  preachers,  was  so  far  from  being  an  inconvenience,  that 
it  was  an  unspeakable  advantage ;  as  it  necessarily  confined  them 
to  those  fundamental  points  of  experimental  and  practical  religion, 
which  were  best  adapted  to  the  state  of  the  people.  Preachers  of 
education,  and  diversified  knowledge,  seldom  dwell  sufficiently  in 
their  sermons  on  these  important  points ;  and  hence  the  lay-preachers 
were  far  more  successful  in  awakening  sinners  to  a  sense  of  their 
dangerous  state,  and  in  bringing  them  to  a  saving  knowledge  of  Christ, 
than  other  preachers  of  much  more  cultivated  minds.  To  enforce 
the  necessity  of  repentance,  and  of  seeking  salvation  by  grace  alone 
through  a  Redeemer,  the  preacher  would  often  draw  a  picture  of 
human  nature  in  such  strong  and  natural  colors,  that  every  one  who 
heard  him  saw  his  own  likeness  in  it,  and  was  ready  to  say,  he  hath 
shown  me  all  that  was  in  my  heart.  The  eff'ect  was  surprising.  The 
people  found  themselves  under  every  discourse,  emerging  out  of  the 
thickest  darkness  into  a  region  of  light ;  the  blaze  of  which  being 
suddenly  poured  in  upon  them,  gave  exquisite  pain  at  first,  but  soon 
showed  them  the  way  to  peace  and  consolation.  Mr.  Wesley  foresaw, 
that  as  knowledge  was  increased  among  the  people,  it  ought  to  be 
increased  in  the  same,  or  even  in  a  greater  proportion  among  the 
preachers;  otherwise  they  would  become  less  useful,  and  in  the  end 
be  despised.  He  therefore  began  to  think  of  a  collection  of  such 
books  in  the  English  language,  as  might  forward  their  improvement 
in  treating  of  the  various  branches  of  practical  divinity.  He  seemed 
-conscious,  that  the  plan  of  his  own  education,  and  the  prejudices  he 
had  early  imbibed  against  the  non-conformists  of  the  last  century, 
had  shut  him  out  from  the  knowledge  of  many  writings  which  possi- 
bly might  be  very  useful  on  this  occasion.  This  induced  him  to 
request  Dr.  Doddridge,  with  whom  he  had  a  friendly  correspon- 
dence, to  give  him  a  list»of  such  books  as  he  might  think  proper  for 
the  improvement  of  young  preachers.  March  15,  the  Doctor  wrote 
to  him,  apologizing  for  the  delay  in  complying  with  his  request.  "  I 
am  quite  grieved,"  says  he,  "and  ashamed,  that  any  hurry,  public 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


127 


or  private,  should  have  prevented  my  answermg  your  very  obUging 
letter  from  Newcastle ;  especially  as  it  has  a  face  of  disrespect,  where  I 
am  sure  I  ought  to  express  the  very  reverse,  if  I  would  do  justice 
either  to  you,  or  my  own  heart.  But  you  have  been  used  to  forgive 
greater  injuries. 

"I  have  been  reading  (I  will  not  pretend  to  tell  you  with  what  strong 
emotion)  the  fourth  edition  of  your  Further  Appeals:  concerning 
which,  1  shall  only  say,  that  I  have  written  upon  the  title-page,  '  How 
forcible  are  right  words.'  I  am  daily  hurried  by  my  printer,  to  finish 
the  third  volume  of  my  Family  Expositor.  And  I  have  unwillingly, 
a  secular  affair  on  my  hands,  in  consequence  of  a  guardianship,  which 
calls  me  away  from  my  usual  business  for  some  days  next  week :  on 
which  account  I  must  beg  your  patience  for  a  little  while  longer,  as 
to  the  list  of  books  you  desire  me  to  send  you.  But  if  God  permit, 
you  shall  be  sure  to  have  it  in  a  few  weeks. 

"  I  lately  published  a  Thanksgiving  Sermon,  for  the  retreat  of  the 
rebels,  which  if  you  think  worth  calling  for,  at  Mr.  Waugh's,  at  the 
Turk's-Head  in  Gracechurch-Street,  I  shall  desire  you  to  accept.  I 
was  willing  to  greet  the  first  openings  of  mercy ;  and  so  much  the 
rather,  as  I  think  with  Lord  Somerville,  who  first  made  the  reflection 
in  one  of  his  letters ;  that,  had  the  blow  at  Falkirk  been  pursued,  our 
whole  army  had  been  destroyed.  The  wisest  and  best  of  men,  I 
know,  agree  to  fear :  oh  !  that  they  could  also  agree  in  their  efforts  to 
save  !  I  trust  I  can  call  God  to  record  on  my  soul,  that  to  bring 
sinners  to  believe  in  Christ,  and  universally  to  obey  him  from  a  prin- 
ciple of  grateful  love,  is  the  reigning  desire  of  my  heart,  and  has 
been  the  main  business  of  my  life.  But  alas,  that  it  is  so  unsuccess- 
ful a  labor !  Yet,  God  knows,  that  could  I  have  foreseen  only  the 
tenth  part  of  that  little  success  I  seem  to  have  had,  I  would  have  pre- 
ferred the  ministry,  with  ten  times  the  labors  and  sorrows  I  have  gone 
through  in  it,  to  any  other  employment  or  situation  in  life.  I  shall 
not  forget  Colonel  Gardener's  words,  speaking  of  a  much  despised  and 
persecuted,  but  very  useful  minister,  '  I  had  rather  be  that  man,  than 
emperor  of  the  world  ! ' 

"  But  I  must  conclude.    May  God,  even  your  own  God,  continue 
to  increase  all  his  blessings  on  your  head,  heart,  and  labors  ;  and 
may  he  sometimes  lead  you  to  remember  in  your  prayers, 
Reverend  and  dear  sir, 

"  Your  affectionate  brother  and  servant, 

"P.  Doddridge. 

P.  S.  "I  presume  the  list  you  desire  is  chiefly  theological.  Per- 
haps my  desire  of  making  it  too  particular,  has  hindered  me  from 
setting  about  it,  till  I  had  a  leisure  time,  which  I  have  not  yet  found. 
But  under  the  impression  your  book  made  upon  me,  I  could  not  delay 
writing  one  post  longer.  Let  me  know  in  one  word,  how  you  do, 
"what  your  success  is,  and  what  your  apprehensions  are.  I  fear  we 
must  have  some  hot  flame  to  melt  us." 


128 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


The  reader  will  recollect,  that  this  letter  was  written  in  the  time 
of  the  last  rebellion,  when  the  nation  was  thrown  into  the  greatest 
consternation.  June  18,  Dr.  Doddridge  sent  the  list  of  books  which 
Mr.  Wesley  had  requested,^  and  the  next  day  wrote  to  him  as  fol- 
lows: "I  send  this  by  way  of  postscript,  to  thank  you  for  the  enter- 
taining account  you  gave  me  of  that  very  extraordinary  turn  which 
affairs  took  in  the  battle  of  Falkirk. — I  perceive  our  rebel  enemies 
were  as  confident  of  victory  as  possible,  just  before  the  action  at  Cub 
loden,  which  proved  so  fatal  to  them.  A  friend  of  mine  from  thence, 
brings  word,  that  just  as  the  armies  joined,  an  officer  was  sent  back 
to  make  proclamation  at  the  Market-Cross,  at  Inverness,  that  every 
householder  should  bake  a  bushel  of  bread,  that  it  might  be  ready  to 
refresh  the  prince's  victorious  army  on  its  return  ;  which  was  required 
on  pain  of  military  execution.  The  consequence  of  this  was,  that 
our  SLuny  found  much  better  provision  for  their  refreshment  after  the 
fatigue  of  that  glorious  day,  than  they  could  otherwise  have  done. 
I  have  also  reason  to  believe,  that  a  day  or  two  before  this  action. 
Lord  Kilmarnock,  having  quartered  himself  and  some  of  his  chief 
officers,  at  a  minister's  house  of  the  Scotch  established  church,  in 
those  parts,  obliged  the  master  of  the  house  and  his  eldest  son,  to 
wait  upon  them  at  table,  and  in  a  profane  manner  undertook  to  say 
grace  himself;  which  was,  '  May  God  d — n  and  confound  all  Presby- 
terian parsons,  their  wives,  and  children  and  families  henceforth  and 
for  evermore.  Amen.'f — It  is  not  to  be  wondered,  that  such  a  deliv- 
erance after  such  circumstances  as  these,  should  make  a  strong  im- 
pression on  the  mind  of  ministers  and  people  in  general,  which  I  am 
assured  it  does.  I  heartily  pray  God  the  impression  may  be  lasting 
and  produce  that  reformation  which  is  so  much  needed  among  them 
as  well  as  amongst  us. 

"  I  shall  not  be  at  all  surprised,  if  the  next  winter  should  open  upon 
us  a  much  more  afflictive  scene  than  the  last,  if  we  will  not  be 
reformed  by  such  judgments  and  deliverances  as  these.  Yet  I  think 
with  you,  dear  sir,  that  God  will  not  make  a  full  end  of  us.  I  look 
upon  every  sinner  converted  from  the  error  of  his  ways,  by  the  power 
of  God  working  in  his  gospel,  as  a  token  for  good,  that  we  shall  not 
be  utterly  forsaken. 

"  I  am,  dear  sir, 

"Most  faithfully  and  affectionately  yours, 

"  P.  Doddridge." 

In  the  latter  end  of  December,  Mr.  Wesley  received  the  following 
observations  in  a  letter  from  a  friend.    No  doubt  the  writer  thought 

*  The  letter  is  too  long  to  be  inserted  here  :  it  is  printed  in  the  first  volume  of  the 
Arminian  Magazine. 

f  After  the  rebels  were  dispersed,  Lord  Kilmarnock  was  apprehended,  deprived  of  all 
his  honors,  and  executed  on  the  scaffold ;  but  not  before  he  had  well  deserved  it.  His  son 
who  served  in  the  king's  army,  afterwards  succeeded  to  the  Earldom  of  Errol,  atitle  much 
more  ancient  and  honorable  than  that  of  Kilmarnock. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


them  necessary  at  that  time,  and  they  will  not  be  out  of  season  at 
present.  "The  knowledge  and  understanding  of  the  Scriptures  of 
Truth,"  says  he,  "  I  take  to  be  of  the  last  importance,  and  is  what 
real  Christians  need  as  much  to  have  their  attention  awakened  unto, 
as  the  generality  of  those  who  are  called  by  the  christian  name  need 
to  be  taught  that  they  are  dead  while  they  have  a  name  to  live. 

"  The  understanding  of  the  true  meaning  and  intent  of  the  Scrip- 
tures, is  understanding  the  mind  of  God  in  every  place.  And  he  who 
opens  that  does  more,  and  so  to  speak,  gives  more  opportunity  unto 
the  Spirit  of  God  to  operate  in  the  heart  by  his  own  word,  than  he 
who  says  abundance  of  serious  things  which  are  not  contained  in  the 
subject  (the  text)  he  discourses  from.  In  the  other  way,  a  man  may 
preach  numbers  of  years  unto  a  congregation,  and  never  explain 
the  direct  meaning  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  one  Scripture ;  meanwhile  he 
is  not  increasing  their  knowledge  in  the  word  of  God. — The  word  of 
God  is  that  by  which  the  Holy  Ghost  influences  the  heart  of  a  believer ; 
and  I  cannot  think  it  sufficient  for  the  carrying  on  of  that  work,  that 
Christians  be  taught  a  few  general  truths,  which  possibly  by  frequent 
teaching  they  may  acquire  some  distinct  notion  of,  without  ever 
seeing  them  in  the  Scripture  in  their  genuine  beauty  and  dress.  And 
do  not  all  foolish  and  injudicious  clamors  about  orthodoxy  and 
heresy,  arise  from  this  ? 

"  I  apprehend  the  Scriptures  contain  a  more  glorious,  beautiful,  and 
various  display  of  the  eternal  God,  than  the  inconceivable  variety  in 
nature  gives  us  of  this  creation,  which  is  his  work.  And  I  would 
have  all  Christians  search  the  Scriptures,  and  study  God  there,  with 
as  much  assiduity  as  the  naturalists  do  nature  in  his  material  works. 
What  infinite  reward  of  enjoyment  would  arise  from  thence?  It  is 
true  indeed,  a  head-knowledge  of  these  things  is  nothing.  The  Spirit 
of  God  must  make  the  heart  sensible  of  all  that  our  understandings  can 
comprehend  in  revelation.  But  these  are  two  distinct  things  which 
God  hath  joined  together :  even  as  the  power  of  God  in  raising  up 
Christ  from  the  dead,  is  one  thing  to  be  understood  and  believed  from 
the  Scriptures ;  and  the  quickening  of  a  sinner,  is  a  work  actually 
performed  in  the  heart  by  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  but  is  inseparable  from 
the  faith  of  the  former.  This  is  it  which  makes  the  understanding  I 
speak  of  so  necessary  ;  for  without  it  a  person  shall  never  be  able  to 
judge  by  the  word  of  God,  of  what  passes  within  himself :  for  it  is  the 
only  standard  by  which  to  try  the  spirits,  and  to  prove  every  man's 
work. 

"  Serious  people  are  generally  in  danger  of  regarding  only  what 
they  feel  in  themselves,  when  their  affections  are  lively  and  they 
receive  great  consolation  from  a  belief  of  the  love  of  God  in  Christ. 
They  take  that  for  the  knowledge  of  God,  which  is  only  the  efiect  of 
it.  Consequently  they  are  in  hazard  of  seeking  the  knowledge  of 
God  in  their  own  feelings,  and  of  measuring  their  knowledge  by  them  : 

VOL.  n.  17 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


not  attending,  that  our  nourishment  is  not  from  within  ourselves,  but 
comes  from  without.  It  is  God's  whole  glory  displayed  in  revelation 
(by  Christ)  communicated  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  received  by  faith 
which  ought  to  be  the  Christian's  daily  bread." 

These  observations  are  certainly  of  importance  to  those  who  know 
any  thing  of  experimental  religion :  who  are  desirous  to  increase  in 
the  knowledge  and  love  of  God,  and  to  have  their  experience  built  on 
a  foundation  that  cannot  be  shaken.  The  gentleman  who  made 
them,  had  mentioned  his  thoughts  on  the  subject  to  Mr.  Wesley  in 
conversation,  who  desired  him  to  put  them  down  in  writing  more  at 
length,  which  gave  birth  to  the  letter  of  which  the  above  is  an 
abstract. 

Mr.  Wesley  continued  his  frequent  visits  to  the  most  distant  parts 
of  the  kingdom.  No  season  of  the  year,  no  change  of  weather,  could 
either  prevent  or  retard  his  journies.  He  generally  preached  two  or 
three  times  every  day,  and  regulated  the  societies  wherever  he  came. 
His  whole  heart  was  in  the  work,  and  his  fixed  resolution  surmounted 
every  difficulty.  In  February,  1747,  being  in  Yorkshire,  he  met  with 
a  clergyman,  who  told  him,  some  of  the  preachers  had  frequently 
preached  in  his  parish;  and  his  judgment  was,  1.  That  their  preach- 
ing had  done  some  good,  but  more  harm.  Because  2.  Those  who  had 
attended  it,  had  only  turned  from  one  wickedness  to  another;  they 
had  only  exchanged  sabbath-breaking,  swearing  or  drunkenness,  for 
slandering,  backbiting,  and  evil  speaking  :  and  3.  Those  who  did  not 
attend  it,  were  provoked  hereby  to  return  evil  for  evil.  So  that  the 
former  were,  in  effect,  no  better,  the  latter  worse  than  before. 

"The  same  objection,  in  substance,"  says  Mr.  Wesley,  "has  been 
made  in  most  other  parts  of  England.  It  therefore  deserves  a  serious 
answer,  which  will  equally  hold  in  all  places.  It  is  allowed,  1.  That 
our  preaching  has  done  some  good;  common  swearers,  sabbath- 
breakers,  drunkards,  thieves,  fornicators,  having  been  reclaimed  from 
those  outward  sins.  But  it  is  affirmed,  2.  That  it  has  done  more 
harm :  the  persons  so  reclaimed,  only  changing  one  wickedness  for 
another  :  and  their  neighbors  being  so  provoked  thereby,  as  to  become 
worse  than  they  were  before. 

"  Those  who  have  left  their  outward  sins,  you  affirm,  have  only 
changed  drunkenness  or  sabbath-breaking  for  backbiting  or  evil- 
speaking.  I  answer,  if  you  affirm  this  of  them  all,  it  is  notoriously 
false :  many  we  can  name,  who  left  cursing,  swearing,  backbiting, 
drunkenness,  and  evil-speaking  altogether,  and  who  are  to  this  day, 
just  as  fearful  of  slandering,  as  they  are  of  cursing  or  swearing.  And 
if  some  are  not  yet  enough  aware  of  this  snare  of  the  devil,  we  may 
hope  they  will  be  ere  long.  Meantime  bless  God  for  what  he  has 
done,  and  pray  that  he  would  deliver  them  from  this  death  also. 

"You  affirm  further,  '  That  their  neighbors  are  provoked  hereby, 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


131 


to  return  evil  for  evil ;  and  so  while  the  former  are  no  better,  the  lat- 
ter are  worse  than  they  were  before.' 

"  I  answer,  1.  '  These  are  worse  than  they  were  before.'  But 
why  7  Because  they  do  fresh  despite  to  the  spirit  of  grace  :  because 
they  despise  tliat  long-suffering  love  of  God  which  would  lead  them 
as  it  does  their  noiglibors,  to  repentance.  And  in  laying  the  blame 
of  this  on  those  who  will  no  longer  run  with  them  to  the  same  ex- 
cess of  riot,  they  only  fulfil  the  Scriptures,  and  fill  up  the  measure 
of  their  own  iniquity. 

"I  ansv/er,  2.  There  is  still  no  proportion  at  all  between  the  good 
on  the  one  hand,  and  the  harm  on  the  other :  for  they  who  reject  the 
goodness  of  God,  were  servants  of  the  devil  before;  and  they  are  but 
servants  of  the  devil  still.  But  they  who  accept  it,  are  brought  from 
the  power  of  satan,  to  serve  the  living  and  true  God." 

In  April,  Mr.  Wesley,  on  his  return  from  the  North,  spent  an  hour 
with  the  same  clergyman,  and  pressed  him  to  make  good  his  asser- 
tion, that  the  preaching  of  the  Methodists  had  done  more  harm  than 
good.  This  he  did  not  choose  to  pursue ;  but  enlarged  on  the  harm 
it  might  occasion  in  succeeding  generations.  Mr.  Wesley  adds,  I 
cannot  see  the  force  of  this  argument.  I  dare  not  neglect  the  doing 
certain  present  good,  for  fear  of  some  probable  ill  consequences,  in  the 
succeeding  century." 

June  4.  Mr.  Wesley  wrote  down  the  following  instructions  for  the 
stewards  of  the  society  in  London. 

1.  "You  are  to  be  men  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  of  wisdom; 
that  you  may  do  all  things  in  a  manner  acceptable  to  God. — 2.  You 
are  to  be  present  every  Tuesday  and  Thursday  morning,  in  order  to 
transact  the  temporal  affairs  of  the  society. — 3.  You  are  to  begin  and 
end  every  meeting  with  earnest  prayer  to  God,  for  a  blessing  on  all 
your  undertakings. — 4.  You  are  to  produce  your  accounts  the  first 
Tuesday  in  every  month,  that  they  may  be  transcribed  into  the 
ledger. — 5.  You  are  to  take  it  in  turn,  month  by  month,  to  be  chair- 
man. The  chairman  is  to  see  that  all  the  rules  be  punctually  observed, 
and  immediately  to  check  him  who  breaks  any  of  them. — 6.  You  are 
to  do  nothing  without  the  consent  of  the  minister,  either  actually  had, 
or  reasonably  presumed. — 7.  You  are  to  consider  whenever  you  meet, 
'  God  is  here.'  Therefore,  be  serious.  Utter  no  trifling  word.  Speak 
as  in  his  presence,  and  to  the  glory  of  his  great  name. — 8.  When  any 
thing  is  debated,  let  one  at  once  stand  up  and  speak,  the  rest  giving 
attention.  And  let  him  speak  just  loud  enough  to  be  heard,  in  love 
and  in  the  spirit  of  meekness. — 9.  You  are  continually  to  pray  and 
endeavor,  that  a  holy  harmony  of  soul  may  in  all  things  subsist 
among  you :  that  in  every  step,  you  may  keep  the  imity  of  the  spirit, 
in  the  bond  of  peace. — 10.  In  all  debates,  you  are  to  watch  over  your 
spirits,  avoiding  as  fire,  all  clamor  and  contention,  being  swift  to 
hear,  slow  to  speak ;  in  honor  every  man  preferring  another  before 


132 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


himself. — 11.  If  you  cannot  relieve,  do  not  grieve  the  poor.  Give 
them  soft  words,  if  nothing  else.  Abstain  from  either  sour  looks,  or 
harsh  words.  Let  them  be  glad  to  come,  even  though  they  should 
go  empty  away.  Put  yourselves  in  the  place  of  every  poor  man. 
And  deal  with  them  as  you  would  God  should  deal  with  you. 

These  instructions,  we  whose  names  are  underwritten  (being  the 
present  stewards  of  the  society  in  London.)  do  heartily  receive,  and 
earnestly  desire  to  conform  to.  In  witness  whereof,  we  have  set  our 
hands. — N.  B.  If  any  steward  shall  break  any  of  the  preceding  rules 
after  having  been  thrice  admonished  by  the  chairman  (whereof  notice 
is  to  be  immediately  given  to  the  minister)  he  is  no  longer  steward." 

June  The  fourth^ conference  began,  and  ended^on  Saturday  the 
20th.  The  minutes  of  tTie  'severaTconTerences  were  now  collected 
fogeTFTer,  and  printed  :  a  summary  of  which,  respecting  doctrines 
agreed  upon,  I  shall  here  subjoin. 

After  some  time  spent  in  prayer  at  the  first  conference,  the  design 
of  the  meeting  was  proposed  ;  namely  to  consider,  1.  What  to  teach  : 

2.  How  to  teach ;  and,  3.  What  to  do  ?  That  is,  how  to  regulate 
their  doctrine,  discipline,  and  practice.  The  meeting  being  thus 
opened,  they  proceeded  as  follows : 

"  It  is  desired,  that  all  things  be  considered  as  in  the  immediate 
presence  of  God  :  that  me  may  meet  with  a  single  eye,  and  as  little 
children  who  have  every  thing  to  learn. 

"  That  every  point  which  is  proposed,  may  be  examined  to  the 
foundation :  that  every  person  may  speak  freely  whatever  is  in  his 
heart :  and  that  every  question  which  may  arise,  should  be  thor- 
oughly debated  and  settled.  Meantime  let  us  all  pray  for  a  willing- 
ness to  receive  light :  to  know  of  every  doctrine,  whether  it  be  of 
God. 

Question  1.  How  may  the  lime  of  this  Conference,  be  made  more 
eminently  a  time  of  watching  unto  prayer? 

"  Ans.  1.  While  we  are  conversing,  let  us  have  an  especial  care  to 
set  God  always  before  us.  2.  In  the  intermediate  hours,  let  us  visit 
none  but  the  sick,  and  spend  all  the  time  that  remains  in  retirement. 

3.  Let  us  give  ourselves  to  prayer  for  one  another,  and  for  a  blessing 
on  this  our  labor. 

Q.  2.  How  far  does  each  of  us  agree  to  submit  to  the  judgment 
of  the  majority  ? 

"  A.  In  speculative  things,  each  can  only  submit  so  far  as  his  judg- 
ment shall  be  convinced:  in  every  practical  point,  each  will  submit 
so  far  as  he  can  Avithout  wounding  his  conscience. 

"  Q.  3.  Can  a  Christian  submit  any  further  than  this  to  any  man, 
or  number  of  men  upon  earth  ? 

"  A.  It  is  plain  he  cannot,  either  to  Bishop,  Convocation,  or  gene- 
ral Council.    And  this  is  that  general  principle  of  private  judgment, 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


on  which  all  the  reformers  proceeded ;  '  Every  man  must  judge  for 
himself,  because  every  man  must  give  an  account  of  himself  to  God.' 

They  now  proceeded  to  consider  the  doctrine  of  Justification  :  the 
questions  relating  to  which,  and  the  substance  of  the  answers  given 
thereto,  were  as  follows : 

I.    Q.  1.  "  What  is  it  to  be  justified  ? 

A.  "  To  be  pardoned  and  received  into  God's  favor ;  into  such  a 
state,  that  if  we  continue  therein,  we  shall  be  finally  saved. 

Q.  2.  "  Is  faith  the  condition  of  justification? 

A.  "Yes;  for  every  one  who  believeth  not  is  condemned;  and 
every  one  who  believes  is  justified. 

Q.  3.  "  But  must  not  repentance  and  works  meet  for  repentance  go 
before  this  faith  ? 

A.  "  Without  doubt :  if  by  repentance  you  mean  conviction  of  sin ; 
and  by  works  meet  for  repentance,  obeying  God  as  far  as  we  can, 
forgiving  our  brother,  leaving  off  from  evil,  doing  good  and  using  his 
ordinances  according  to  the  power  we  have  received. 

Q.  4.  "  What  is  Faith  ? 

A.  "  Faith  in  general  is  a  divine,  supernatural  elenchos  of  things 
not  seen ;  i.  e.  of  past,  future,  or  spiritual  things :  it  is  a  spiritual  sight 
of  God  and  the  things  of  God. 

"  First,  a  sinner  is  convinced  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  '  Christ  loved  me 
and  gave  himself  for  me.' — This  is  that  faith  by  which  he  is  justified 
or  pardoned,  the  moment  he  receives  it.  Immediately  the  same  spirit 
bears  witness,  '  Thou  art  pardoned :  thou  hast  redemption  in  his 
blood  ' — And  this  is  saving  faith,  whereby  the  love  of  God  is  shed 
abroad  in  his  heart. 

Q.  5.  "  Have  all  Christians  this  faith?  May  not  a  man  be  justified 
and  not  know  it  ? 

A.  "  That  all  true  Christians  have  such  a  faith  as  implies  an  assur- 
ance of  God's  love,  appears  from  Rom.  viii.  15.  Eph.  iv.  32.  2  Cor. 
xiii.  5.  Heb.  viii.  10.  1  John  iv.  10 ;  v.  19.  And  that  no  man  can 
be  justified  and  not  know  it,  appears  further  from  the  nature  of  the 
thing.  For  faith  after  repentance  is  ease  after  pain,  rest  after  toil, 
light  after  darkness.  It  appears  also  from  the  immediate,  as  well  as 
distant  fruits  thereof 

Q.  6.  "  But  may  not  a  man  go  to  heaven  without  it? 

A.  "It  does  not  appear  from  holy  writ  that  a  man  who  hears  the 
gospel,  can :  (Mark  xvi.  16  :)  whatever  a  Heathen  may  do.  Rom. 
ii.  14. 

Q.  7.  "  What  are  the  immediate  fruits  of  justifying  faith  ? 

A.  "Peace,  joy,  love,  power  over  all  outward  sin,  and  power  to 
keep  down  inward  sin. 

Q.  8.  "  Does  any  one  believe,  who  has  not  the  witness  in  himself, 
or  any  longer  than  he  sees,  loves,  and  obeys  God  ? 

VOL.  n.  12 


134 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


A.  '•'  We  apprehend  not :  seeing  God  being  the  very  essence  of  faith ; 
love  and  obedience  the  inseparable  properties  of  it. 

Q.  9  "  What  sins  are  consistent  with  justifying  faith  7 

A.  "  Xo  wilful  sin.  If  a  believer  wilfully  sins,  he  casts  away  his 
faith.  Neither  is  it  possible  he  should  have  justifying  faith  again, 
without  previously  repenting. 

Q.  10.  Must  every  believer  come  into  a  state  of  doubt  or  fear,  or 
darkness  ?  Will  he  do  so,  unless  by  ignorance  or  unfaithfulness?  Does 
God  otherwise  withdraw  himself? 

A.  "It  is  certain,  a  believer,  need  never  again  come  into  condem- 
nation. It  seems,  he  need  not  come  into  a  state  of  doubt  or  fear,  or 
darkness :  and  that  (ordinarily  at  least)  he  will  not,  unless  by  igno- 
rance or  unfaithfulness.  Yet  it  is  true,  that  the  first  joy  does  seldom 
last  long  :  that  it  is  commonly  followed  by  doubts  and  fears  ;  and  that 
God  frequently  permits  great  heaviness,  before  any  large  manifesta- 
tion of  himself 

Q.  11.  "  Are  works  necessary  to  the  continuance  of  faith  ? 

A.  "Without  doubt;  for  a  man  may  forfeit  the  free  gift  of  God. 
either  by  sins  of  omission  or  commission. 

Q.  12.     Can  faith  be  lost,  but  for  want  of  works  ? 

A.  "  It  cannot  but  through  disobedience. 

Q.  13.  "How  is  faith  made  perfect  by  works? 

A.  "  The  more  we  exert  our  faith,  the  more  it  is  increased.  To 
him  that  hath  shall  be  given. 

Q.  14.  "  St.  Paul  says,  Abraham  was  not  justified  by  works.  St. 
James,  he  was  justified  by  works.  Do  they  not  contradict  each 
other  ? 

A.  "No:  1.  Because  they  do  not  speak  of  the  same  justification. 
St.  Paul  speaks  of  that  justification  which  was  when  Abraham  was 
seventy-five  years  old,  above  twenty  years  before  Isaac  was  born.  St. 
James  of  that  justification  which  was  when  he  offered  up  Isaac  on 
the  altar. 

2dly.  "  Because  they  do  not  speak  of  the  same  works.  St.  Paul 
speaking  of  works  that  precede  faith  :  St.  James  of  works  that  spring 
frcfm  it. 

Q.  1.5.  "In  what  sense  is  Adam's  sin  imputed  to  all  mankind? 

A.  "  In  Adam  all  die,  i.  e.  1.  Our  bodies  then  became  mortal.  2. 
Our  souls  died,  i.  e.  were  disunited  from  God.  And  hence,  3.  We  are 
all  born  with  a  sinful  devilish  nature :  by  reason  whereof,  4.  We  are 
children  of  wrath,  liable  to  death  eternal.  Rom.  v.  18.  Eph.  ii.  3. 
^  Q.  16.  "  In  what  sense  is  the  righteousness  of  Christ  imputed  to  all 
mankind,  or  to  believers  ? 

A.  "We  do  not  find  it  exp^ess^y  aflarmed  in  Scripture,  that  God 
imputes  the  righteousness  of  Christ  to  any.  Although  we  do  find, 
that  faith  is  imputed  to  us  for  righteousness. 

"  That  text,  '  As  by  one  man's  disobedience  all  men  were  made  sin- 


THE  LIFE  oi  THfi  kfiV.  JOH^  WESLEY. 


135 


ners,  so  by  the  obedience  of  one,  all  were  made  righteous,'  we  conceive 
means,  by  the  merits  of  Christ,  all  m^  are  cleared  from  the  guilt  of 
Adam's  actual  sii\^ 

We  conceive  further.  That  through  the  obedience  and  death  of 
Christ,  1.  The  bodies  of  all  men  become  immortal  after  the  resurrec- 
tion. 2.  Their  souls  receive  a  capacity  of  spiritual  life  ;  and,  3.  An 
actual  spark  or  seed  thereof  4.  All  believers  become  children  of 
grace,  reconciled  to  God,  and  5.  made  partakers  of  the  divine  nature. 

Q.  17.  '^Have  we  not  then  unawares  leaned  too  much  towards  ) 
Calvinism  ? 

A.  "  We  are  afraid  we  have. 

Q.  18.  "  Have  we  not  also  leaned  towards  Antinomianism  7 

A.  "  We  are  afraid  we  have. 

Q.  19.  "  What  is  Antinomianism  1 

A.  "  The  doctrine  which  makes  void  the  law  through  faith  1 
Q.  20.  ''What  are  the  main  pillars  hereof? 

A.  1.  "  That  Christ  abolished  the  moral  law.  2.  That  therefore 
Christians  are  not  obliged  to  observe  it.  3.  That  one  branch  of  Chris- 
tian liberty,  is  liberty  from  obeying  the  commandments  of  God.  4. 
That  it  is  bondage,  to  do  a  thing,  because  it  is  commanded,  or  forbear 
it  because  it  is  forbidden.  5.  That  a  believer  is  not  obliged  to  use  the 
ordinances  of  God  or  to  do  good  works.  6.  That  a  preacher  ought 
not  to  exhort  to  good  works :  not  unbelievers,  because  it  is  hurtful ; 
not  believers,  because  it  is  needless. 

Q.  21.  "  What  was  the  occasion  of  St.  Paul's  writing  his  Epistle 
to  the  Galatians  ? 

A.  "  The  coming  of  certain  men  amongst  the  Galatians,  who  taught. 
Except  ye  be  circumcised  and  keep  the  law  of  Moses  ye  cannot  be 
saved. 

Q.  22.  "  What  is  the  main  design  therein? 

A.  "To  prove,  1.  That  no  man  can  be  justified  or  saved  by  the 
works  of  the  law,  either  moral  or  ritual.  2.  That  every  believer  is 
justified  by  faith  in  Christ  without  the  works  of  the  law. 

Q.  23.  "  What  does  he  mean  by  the  works  of  the  law  7  Gal.  ii. 
16,  &c. 

A.  "  All  works  which  do  not  spring  irom  faith  in  Christ. 

Q.  24.  "What  by  being  under  the  law  7  Gal.  iii.  23. 

A.  "  Under  the  Mosaic  dispensation. 

Q.  25.  "  What  law  has  Christ  abolished? 

A.  "  The  ritual  law  of  Moses. 

Q.  26.  "What  is  meant  by  liberty?    Gal.  v.  1. 

A.  "Liberty,  1.  From  the  law;  2.  From  sin." 

II.  Q.  1.  "  How  comes  what  is  written  on  this  subject*  to  be  so 
intricate  and  obscure  7    Is  this  obscurity  from  the  nature  of  the  thing 

♦  i.  e.  on  justification. 


136 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


itself]  Or,  from  the  fault  or  weakness  of  those  who  have  generally- 
treated  of  it  7 

A.  "  We  apprehend  this  obscurity  does  not  arise  from  the  nature  of 
the  subject:  but,  partly  from  the  extreme  warmth  of  most  writers 
who  have  treated  of  it. 

Q.  2.  "We  affirm  faith  in  Christ  is  the  sole  condition  of  justifica- 
tion. But  does  not  repentance  go  before  that  faith?  Yea,  and  (sup- 
posing there  be  opportunity  for  them)  fruits  or  works  meet  for 
repentance  7 

A.     Without  doubt  they  do. 

Q.  3.  "  How  then  can  we  deny  them  to  be  conditions  of  justifica- 
tion 7  Is  not  this  a  mere  strife  of  words  7 

A.  "It  seems  not,  though  it  has  been  grievously  abused.  But  so 
the  abuse  cease,  let  the  use  remain. 

Q.  4.  "Shall  we  read  over  together  Mr.  Baxter's  aphorisms  con- 
cerning justification  7 

A.  "By  all  means:  which  were  accordingly  read.  And  it  was 
desired,  that  each  person  present  would  in  the  afternoon  consult  the 
Scriptures  cited  therein,  and  bring  what  objections  might  occur  the 
next  morning. 

r*   Q.  5.  "  Is  an  assurance  of  God's  pardoning  love  absolutely  neces- 
!  sary  to  our  being  in  his  favor  7  Or  may  there  possibly  be  some  exempt 
cases  7 

A.  "  We  dare  not  positively  say,  mere  are  not. 

Q.  6.  "Is  such  an  assurance  absolutely  necessary  to  inward  and 
outward  holiness  7 

A.  "To  inward,  we  apprehend  it  is:  to  outward  holiness,  we 
incline  to  think  it  is  not. 

Q.  7.  "Is  it  indispensably  necessary  to  final  salvation 7 

A.  "  Love  hopeth  all  things.  We  know  not  how  far  any  may  fall 
launder  the  case  of  invincible  ignorance. 

Q.  8.  "  But  what  can  we  say  of  one  of  our  own  society,  who  dies 
without  it,  as  J.  W.  at  London? 

A.  "It  may  possibly  be  an  exempt  case,  (if  the  fact  was  really  so.) 
But  we  determine  nothing.  We  leave  his  soul  in  the  hands  of  him 
that  made  it. 

Q.  9.  "  Does  a  man  believe  any  longer  than  he  sees  a  reconciled 
God  7 

A.  "  We  conceive  not.  But  we  allow  there  may  be  infinite  degrees 
in  seeing  God  :  even  as  many  as  there  are  between  him  who  sees  the 
sun,  when  it  shines  on  his  eye-lids  closed,  and  him  who  stands  with 
his  eyes  wide  open,  in  the  full  blaze  of  his  beams. 

Q.  10.  "  Does  a  man  believe  any  longer  than  he  loves  God? 

A.  "In  no  wise.  For  neither  circumcision  or  uncircumcision  avails, 
without  faith  working  by  love. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


137 


Q.  11.  "Have  we  duly  considered  the  case  of  Cornelius  1  Was 
not  he  in  the  favor  of  God,  when  his  prayers  and  alms  came  up  for  a 
memorial  before  God?  i.  e.,  before  he  believed  in  Christ? 

A.  "It  does  seem  that  he  was,  in  some  degree.  But  we  speak  not 
of  those  who  have  not  heard  the  gospel. 

Q.  12.  "  But  were  those  works  of  his  splendid  sins? 

A.  "No;  nor  were  they  done  without  the  grace  of  Christ. 

Q.  13.  "How  then  can  we  maintain,  that  all  works  done  before  we 
have  a  sense  of  the  pardoning  love  of  God,  are  sin?  And,  as  such, 
an  abomination  to  him  ? 

A.  "  The  works  of  him  who  has  heard  the  gospel,  and  does  not 
believe,  are  not  done  as  God  hath  willed  and  commanded  them  to  be 
done.  And  yet  we  know  not  how  to  say,  that  they  are  an  abomina- 
tion to  the  Lord  in  him  who  feareth  God,  and  from  that  principle, 
does  the  best  he  can. 

Q.  14.  "Seeing  there  is  so  much  difficulty  in  this  subject,  can  we 
deal  too  tenderly  with  them  that  oppose  us  ? 

A.  "We  cannot;  unless  we  were  to  give  up  any  part  of  the  truth 
of  God. 

Q.  15.  "Is  a  believer  constrained  to  obey  God? 

A.  "  At  first  he  often  is.  The  love  of  Christ  constraineth  him. 
After  this,  he  may  obey,  or  he  may  not ;  no  constraint  being  laid 
upon  him. 

Q.  16.  "Can  faith  be  lost,  but  through  disobedience? 

A.  "  It  cannot.  A  believer  first  inwardly  disobeys,  inclines  to  sin 
with  his  heart :  then  his  intercourse  with  God  is  cut  otf,  i.  e.  his  faith 
is  lost.  And  after  this,  he  may  fall  into  outward  sin,  being  now 
weak,  and  like  another  man. 

Q.  17.  "  How  can  such  an  one  recover  faith? 

A.  "By  repenting  and  doing  the  first  works.    Rev.  ii.  5. 

Q.  18.  "  Whence  is  it  that  so  great  a  majority  of  those  who  believe 
fall  more  or  less  into  doubt  or  fear  ? 

A.  "Chiefly  from  their  own  ignorance  or  unfaithfulness:  often 
from  their  not  watching  unto  prayer ;  perhaps  sometimes  from  some 
defect,  or  want  of  the  power  of  God  in  the  preaching  they  hear. 

Q.  19.  "  Is  there  not  a  defect  in  us  ?  Do  we  preach  as  we  did  at 
first  ?    Have  we  not  changed  our  doctrines  ? 

A.  1.  "At  first  we  preached  almost  wholly  to  unbelievers.  To 
those  therefore  we  spake  almost  continually,  of  remission  of  sins 
through  the  death  of  Christ,  and  the  nature  of  faith  in  his  blood. 
And  so  we  do  still,  among  those  who  need  to  be  taught  the  first  ele- 
ments of  the  gospel  of  Christ : 

2.  "  But  those  in  whom  the  foundation  is  already  laid,  we  exhort 
to  go  on  to  perfection :  which  we  did  not  see  so  clearly  at  first ; 
although  we  occasionally  spoke  of  it  from  the  beginning. 

3.  "  Yet  we  now  preach,  and  that  continually,  faith  in  Christ,  as 
VOL.  II.         12*  18 


138 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


the  prophet,  priest,  and  king,  at  least,  as  clearly,  as  strongly,  and  as 
fully,  as  we  did  six  years  ago. 

Q.  20.  "  Do  not  some  of  our  assistants  preach  too  much  of  the 
wrath,  and  too  little  of  the  love  of  God  ? 

A.  "We  fear  they  have  leaned  to  that  extreme :  and  hence  some 
of  their  hearers  may  have  lost  the  joy  of  faith  ? 

Q.  21.  "  Need  we  ever  preach  the  terrors  of  the  Lord  to  those  who 
know  they  are  accepted  of  him? 

A.  ''No;  it  is  folly  so  to  do;  for  love  is  to  them  the  strongest  of 
all  motives. 

Q.  22.  "Do  we  ordinarily  represent  a  justified  state  so  great  and 
happy  as  it  is  ? 

A.  "  Perhaps  not.  A  believer  walking  in  the  light,  is  inexpressibly 
great  and  happy. 

Q.  23.  "Should  we  not  have  a  care  of  depreciating  justification, 
in  order  to  exalt  the  state  of  full  sanctification  ? 

A.  "  Undoubtedly  we  should  beware  of  this :  for  one  may  insensi- 
bly slide  into  it. 

Q.  24.  "  How  shall  we  effectually  avoid  it? 

A.  "When  we  are  going  to  speak  of  entire  sanctification,  let  us 
first  describe  the  blessings  of  a  justified  state,  as  strongly  as  possible. 

Q.  25.  "  Does  not  the  truth  of  the  gospel  lie  very  near  both  to 
Calvinism  and  Antinomianism? 

A.  "  Indeed  it  does :  as  it  were,  within  a  hair's  breadth.    So  that 
it  is  altogether  foolish  and  sinful,  because  we  do  not  quite  agree  either 
with  one  or  the  other,  to  run  from  them  as  far  as  ever  v/e  can. 
r^Q.  26.  "  Wherein_mav  we  come  to  the  very  edge  of  Calvinism? 

A.  "In  ascribing  all  good  to  the  free  grace  of  God:  2.  In  denying 
all  natural  free  will,  and  all  power  antecedent  to  grace ;  and  3.  In 
excluding  all  merit  from  man ;  even  for  what  he  has  or  does  by  the 
grace  of  God. 

^  Q.  27.  "  Wherein  may  we  come  to  the  edge  of  Antinomianism? 

A.  1.  "In  exalting  the  merits  and  love  of  Christ.  2.  In  rejoicing 
evermore. 

Q.  28.  "  Does  faith  supersede  (set  aside  the  necessity  of)  holiness 
or  good  works  ? 

A.  "In  no  wise.  So  far  from  it  that  it  implies  both,  as  a  cause 
-does  its  effects."  i 

III.  Q.  1.  "  Can  an  unbeliever  (whatever  he  be  in  other  respects) 
challenge  anything  of  God's  justice? 

A.  "  Absolutely  nothing  but  hell.  And  this  is  a  point  which  we 
cannot  too  much  insist  on. 

Q.  2.  "Do  we  empty  men  of  their  own  righteousness,  as  we  did 
at  first?  Do  we  sufficiently  labor,  when  they  begin  to  be  convinced 
of  sin,  to  take  away  all  they  lean  upon?  Should  we  not  then 
endeavor  with  all  our  might  to  everturn  their  false  foundations  ? 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


139 


A.  "  This  was  at  first  one  of  our  principal  points.  And  it  ought 
to  be  so  still.  For,  till  all  other  foundations  are  overturned,  they 
cannot  build  upon  Christ. 

Q.  3.  "Did  we  not  then  purposely  throw  them  into  convictions? 
Into  strong  sorrow  and  fear  ?  Nay,  did  we  not  strive  to  make  them 
inconsolable  7    Refusing  to  be  comforted  7 

A.  "  We  did.  And  so  we  should  do  still.  For  the  stronger  the 
conviction,  the  speedier  is  the  deliverance.  And  none  so  soon  receive 
the  peace  of  God,  as  those  who  steadily  refuse  all  other  comfort. 

Q.  4.  "  What  is  sincerity  ? 

A.  "  W^illingness  to  know  and  do  the  whole  will  of  God.  The 
lowest  species  thereof  seems  to  be  faithfulness  in  that  which  is  little. 

Q.  5.  "  Has  God  any  regard  to  man's  sincerity? 

A.  "So  far,  that  no  man  in  any  state  can  possibly  please  God 
without  it ;  neither  indeed  in  any  moment  wherein  he  is  not  sincere. 

Q.  6.  "  But  can  it  be  conceived  that  God  has  any  regard  to  the 
sincerity  of  an  unbeliever  7 

A.  "  Yes,  so  much,  that  if  he  perseveres  therein,  God  will  infallibly 
give  him  faith. 

Q.  7.  "  What  regard  may  we  conceive  him  to  have,  to  the  sincerity 
of  a  believer  7 

A.  "  So  much,  that  in  every  sincere  believer  he  fulfils  all  the  great 
and  precious  promises. 

Q.  8.  "  Whom  do  you  term  a  sincere  believer? 

A.  "  One  that  walks  in  the  light,  as  God  is  in  the  light. 

Q.  9.  "  Is  sincerity  the  same  with  a  single  eye  7 

A.  "  Not  altogether.  The  latter  refers  to  our  intention ;  the  former 
to  our  will  or  desires. 

Q.  10.  "Is  it  not  all  in  all? 

A.  "All  will  follow  persevering  sincerity.  God  gives  everything 
with  it;  nothing  without  it. 

Q.  11.  "Are  not  then  sincerity  and  faith  equivalent  terms  7 
A.  "By  no  means.  It  is  at  least  as  nearly  related  to  works  as  it 
is  to  faith.  For  example;  Who  is  sincere  before  he  believes?  He 
that  then  does  all  he  can :  he  that,  according  to  the  power  he  has 
received,  brings  forth  '  fruits  meet  for  repentance.'  Who  is  sincere 
after  he  believes?  He  that,  from  a  sense  of  God's  love,  is  zealous  of 
all  good  works. 

Q.  12.  "Is  not  sincerity  what  St.  Paul  terms  a  willing  mind? 

■fl  ngo&vfual     2  CoT.  viii.  12. 

A.  "Yes:  if  that  word  be  taken  in  a  general  sense.  For  it  is  a 
constant  disposition  to  use  all  the  grace  given. 

Q.  13.  "  But  do  we  not  then  set  sincerity  on  a  level  with  faith? 

A.  "No.  For  we  allow  a  man  may  be  sincere,  and  not  be  justi- 
fied, as  he  may  be  penitent,  and  not  be  justified :  (not  as  yet)  but  he 
cannot  have  faith,  and  not  be  justified.  The  very  moment  he 
believes  he  is  justified. 


140 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


Q.  14.  But  do  we  not  give  up  faith,  and  put  sincerity  in  its  place, 
as  the  condition  of  our  acceptance  with  God  ? 

A.  "We  believe  it  is  one  condition  of  our  acceptance,  as  repent- 
ance likewise  is.  And  we  believe  it  a  condition  of  our  continuing  in 
a  state  of  acceptance.  Yet  we  do  not  put  it  in  the  place  of  faith.  It 
is  by  faith  the  merits  of  Christ  are  applied  to  my  soul.  But  if  I  am 
not  sincere,  they  are  not  applied. 

Q.  15.  "  Is  not  this  that  going  about  to  establish  your  own  right- 
eousness, whereof  St.  Paul  speaks,  Rom.  x.  4  ? 

A.  "  St.  Paul  there  manifestly  speaks  of  unbelievers,  who  sought  to 
be  accepted  for  the  sake  of  their  own  righteousness.  We  do  not  seek 
to  be  accepted  for  the  sake  of  our  sincerity ;  but  through  the  merits 
of  Christ  alone.  Indeed,  so  long  as  any  man  believes,  he  cannot  go 
about  (in  St.  Paul's  sense)  '  to  establish  his  own  righteousness.' 

Q.  16.  "But  do  you  consider,  that  we  are  under  the  covenant  of 
grace  ?    And  that  the  covenant  of  works  is  now  abolished  ? 

A.  "All  mankind  were  under  the  covenant  of  grace  from  the  very 
hour  that  the  original  promise  was  made.  If  by  the  covenant  of 
works  you  mean,  that  of  unsinning  obedience  made  with  Adam 
before  the  fall :  no  man,  but  Adam,  was  ever  under  that  covenant : 
for  it  was  abolished  before  Cain  was  born.  Yet  it  is  not  so  abolished, 
but  that  it  will  stand,  in  a  measure,  even  to  the  end  of  the 
world,  i.  e.  if  we  do  this,  we  shall  live  ;  if  not,  we  shall  die  eternally  ; 
if  we  do  well,  we  shall  live  with  God  in  glory:  if  evil,  we  shall  die 
the  second  death.  For  every  man  shall  be  judged  in  that  day,  and 
rewarded  according  to  his  works. 

Q.  17.  "  What  means  then,  '  to  him  that  believeth,  his  faith  is 
counted  for  righteousness'  ? 

A.  "  That  God  forgives  him  that  is  unrighteous  as  soon  as  he 
believes,  accepting  his  faith  instead  of  perfect  righteousness.  But 
then  observe,  universal  righteousness  follows,  though  it  did  not 
precede  faith. 

Q.  18.  "  But  is  faith  thus  counted  to  us  for  righteousness,  at  what- 
soever time  we  believe? 

A.  "  Yes.  In  whatsoever  moment  we  believe,  all  our  past  sins  van- 
ish away.  They  are  as  though  they  had  never  been,  and  we  stand 
clear  in  the  sight  of  God. 

Q.  19,  "  Are  not  the  assurance  of  faith,  the  inspiration  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  and  the  revelation  of  Christ  in  us,  terms  nearly  of  the  same 
import  ? 

A.  "He  that  denies  one  of  them,  must  deny  all ;  they  are  so  closely 
connected  together. 

Q.  20.  "  Are  they  ordinarily,  where  the  pure  gospel  is  preached, 
essential  to  our  acceptance  ? 

A.  "  Undoubtedly  they  are ;  and  as  such,  to  be  insisted  on,  in  the 
strongest  terms. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


141 


Q.  21.  Is  not  the  whole  dispute  of  salvation  by  faith,  or  by  works, 
a  mere  strife  of  words  7 

A.  ''In  asserting  salvation  by  faith,  we  mean  this  ;  1.  That  pardon 
(salvation  begun)  is  received  by  faith,  producing  works.  2.  That 
holiness  (salvation  continued)  is  faith  working  by  love.  3.  That 
heaven  (salvation  finished)  is  the  reward  of  this  faith. 

"  If  you  who  assert  salvation  by  works,  or  by  faith  and  works,  mean 
the  same  thing  (understanding  by  faith,  the  revelation  of  Christ  in 
us,  by  salvation,  pardon,  holiness,  glory,)  we  will  not  strive  with  you 
at  all.  If  you  do  not,  this  is  not  a  strife  of  words  :  but  the  very  vitals, 
the  essence  of  Christianity  is  the  thing  in  question. 

Q.  22.  "  Wherein  does  our  doctrine  now  differ  from  that  we 
preached  while  at  Oxford  ? 

A.  "  Chiefly  in  these  two  points  :  1.  We  then  knew  nothing  of  that 
righteousness  of  faith,  in  justification ;  nor  2.  Of  the  nature  of  faith 
itself,  as  implying  consciousness  of  pardon. 

Q.  23.  "  May  not  some  degree  of  the  love  of  God,  go  before  a  dis- 
tinct sense  of  justification  ? 

A.  "  We  believe  it  may. 

Q.  24.  "  Can  any  degree  of  sanctification  or  holiness? 

A.  "Many  degrees  of  outward  holiness  may:  yea,  and  some 
degrees  of  meekness,  and  several  other  tempers  which  would  be 
branches  of  Christian  holiness,  but  that  they  do  not  spring  from 
Christian  principles.  For  the  abiding  love  of  God  cannot  spring,  but 
from  faith  in  a  pardoning  God.  And  no  true  Christian  holiness  can 
exist,  without  that  love  of  God  for  its  foundation. 

Q.  25.  "Is  every  man,  as  soon  as  he  believes,  a  new  creature, 
sanctified,  pure  in  heart '?  Has  he  then  a  new  heart  7  Does  Christ 
dwell  therein  7    And  is  he  a  temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost  7 

A.  "  All  these  things  may  be  affirmed  of  every  believer,  in  a  true 
sense.  Let  us  not  therefore  contradict  those  who  maintain  it.  Why 
should  we  contend  about  words  7 

IV.  Q.  1.  "  How  much  is  allowed  by  our  brethren  who  differ  from 
us,  with  regard  to  entire  sanctification  7 

A.  "  They  grant,  1.  That  every  one  must  be  entirely  sanctified,  in 
the  article  of  death. 

"  2.  That  till  then,  a  believer  daily  grows  in  grace,  comes  nearer 
and  nearer  to  perfection. 

"3.  That  we  ought  to  be  continually  pressing  after  this,  and  to 
exhort  all  others  so  to  do. 

Q.  2.  "  What  do  we  allow  them  7 

A.  "  We  grant,  1.  That  many  of  those  who  have  died  in  the  faith, 
yea,  the  greater  part  of  those  we  have  known,  were  not  sanctified 
throughout,  not  made  perfect  in  love  till  a  little  before  death  : 

"  2.  That  the  term,  '  sanctified'  is  continually  applied  by  St.  Paul,  to 
all  that  were  justified,  were  true  believers  :  j 


l4fe  THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 

"  3.  That  by  this  terra  alone,  he  rarely  (if  ever)  means  saved  from 
all  sin. 

4.  That  consequently,  it  is  not  proper  to  use  it  in  this  sense, 
without  adding  the  words,  '  wholly,  entirely,'  or  the  like. 

"  o.  That  the  inspired  writers  almost  continually  speak  of  or  to 
those  who  were  justified ;  but  very  rarely,  either  of  or  to  those  who 
were  wholly  sanctified. 

"6.  That  consequently,  it  behoves  us  to  speak  in  public  almost 
continually  of  the  state  of  justification  :  but  more  rarely,  at  least  in 
full  and  explicit  terms,  concerning  entire  sanctification. 

Q.  3.     What  then  is  the  point  wherein  we  divide? 

A.  "It  is  this :  Whether  we  should  expect  to  be  saved  from  all  sin, 
before  the  article  of  death  ? 

Q.  4.  "Is  there  any  clear  scripture  promise  of  this?  That  God 
will  save  us  from  all  sin  ? 

A.  "There  is.  Psalm  cxxx.  8.  'He  shall  redeem  Israel  from  all 
his  sins. 

"  This  is  more  largely  expressed  in  the  prophecy  of  Ezekiel : 
'  Then  will  I  sprinkle  clean  water  upon  you,  and  you  shall  be  clean ; 
from  all  your  filthiness,  and  from  all  your  idols  will  I  cleanse  you — I 
will  also  save  you  from  all  your  uncleannesses,  c.  xxxvi.  v.  25,  29. 
No  promise  can  be  more  clear.  And  to  this  the  apostle  plainly  refers 
in  that  exhortation,  '  Having  these  promises,  let  us  cleanse  ourselves, 
from  all  filthiness  of  flesh  and  spirit,  perfecting  holiness  in  the  fear  of 
God.'  2.  Cor.  vii.  1.  Equally  clear  and  express  in  that  ancient 
promise,  '  The  Lord  thy  God  will  circumcise  thine  heart  and  the 
heart  of  thy  seed,  to  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart  and 
with  all  thy  soul.'    Deut.  xxx.  6. 

Q.  5.  But  does  any  assertion  answerable  to  this,  occur  in  the  New 
Testament? 

A.  "  There  does,  and  that  laid  down  in  the  plainest  terms.  So  St. 
John  iii.  8.  '  For  this  purpose  the  Son  of  God  was  manifested,  that  he 
might  destroy  the  works  of  the  devil.'  The  works  of  the  devil  with- 
out any  limitation  or  restriction  :  but  all  sin  is  the  work  of  the  devil. 
Parallel  to  which  is  that  assertion  of  St.  Paul,  Eph.  v.  25,  27.  '  Christ 
loved  the  church  and  gave  himself  for  it — that  he  might  present  it  to 
himself  a  glorious  church,  not  having  spot  or  wrinkle  or  any  such 
thing,  but  that  it  should  be  holy  and  without  blemish.' 

"  And  to  the  same  effect  is  his  assertion  in  the  viiith  of  the  Romans 
(v.  3,  4.)  'God  sent  his  Son — that  the  righteousness  of  the  law  might 
be  fulfilled  in  us,  walking  not  after  the  flesh  but  after  the  spirit.' 

Q.  6.  "Does  the  New  Testament  afibrd  any  further  ground,  for 
expecting  to  be  saved  from  all  sin  ? 

A.  Undoubtedly  it  does,  both  in  those  prayers  and  commands  which 
are  equivalent  to  the  strongest  assertions. 

Q.  7.  "  What  prayers  do  you  mean  ? 


w 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY.  143 

A.  "Prayers  for  entire  sanctification ;  which,  were  there  no  such 
thing,  would  be  mere  mockery  of  God.  Such,  in  particular,  are 
1.  Deliver  us  from  evil ;  or  rather,  from  the  evil  one.  Now  when 
this  is  done,  when  we  are  delivered  from  all  evil,  there  can  be  no  sin 
remaining.  2.  '  Neither  pray  I  for  these  alone,  but  for  them  also  which 
shall  believe  on  me  through  their  word :  that  they  all  may  be  one, 
as  thou  Father  art  in  me  and  1  in  thee,  that  they  also  may  be  one  in 
us :  I  in  them  and  thou  in  me,  tliat  they  may  be  made  perfect  in 
one.'    John  xvii.  20,  21,  23. 

"3.  'I  bow  my  knees  unto  the  God  and  father  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ — that  he  would  grant  you — that  ye  being  rooted  and  grounded 
in  love,  may  be  able  to  comprehend  with  all  saints,  what  is  the  breadth 
and  length  and  height ;  and  to  know  the  love  of  Christ  which  pas- 
seth  knowledge,  that  ye  might  be  filled  with  all  the  fulness  of  God.' 
Eph.  iii.  14,  16 — 19.  4.  'The  very  God  of  peace  sanctify  you  /  / 
wholly.  And  I  pray  God,  your  whole  spirit,  soul  and  body,  be  pre-  -iv^^^ 
served  blameless,  unto  the  coming  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.'  1  Thess. 
V.23. 

Q.  8.  "  What  command  is  there  to  the  same  effect  7 
A.  "  '  Be  ye  perfect  as  your  father  which  is  in  heaven  is  perfect.' 
Matt.  vi.  ult. 

"2.  'Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and 
with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  mind.'  Matt.  xxii.  37.  But  if  the 
love  of  God  fill  all  the  heart,  there  can  be  no  sin  there. 

Q.  9.  "  But  how  does  it  appear  that  this  is  to  be  done  before  the 
article  of  death  7 

A.  "  First,  from  the  very  nature  of  a  command,  which  is  not  given 
to  the  dead,  but  to  the  living. 

"Therefore,  'Thou  shalt  love  God  with  all  thy  heart,'  cannot 
mean,  Thou  shalt  do  this  when  thou  diest,  but  while  thou  livest. 

"  Secondly,  from  express  texts  of  scripture : 

"  1.  'The  grace  of  God  that  bringeth  salvation  hath  appeared  to  all 
men;  teaching  as,  that  having  renounced  {a,qvrirs»iiEvoC)  ungodliness 
and  worldly  lusts,  we  should  live  soberly,  righteously,  and  godly  in 

this  present  world  :  looking  for  the  glorious  appearing  of  our  Lord 

Jesus  Christ ;  Avho  gave  himself  for  us,  that  he  might  redeem  us  from 
all  iniquity ;  and  purify  unto  himself  a  peculiar  people,  zealous  of 
good  works.'    Tit.  ii.  11 — 14. 

"2.  'He  hath  raised  up  an  horn  of  salvation  for  us — to  perform  the 
mercy  promised  to  our  fathers ;  the  oath  which  he  swore  to  our  father 
Abraham,  that  he  would  grant  unto  us,  that  we  being  delivered  out 
iof  the  hands  of  our  enemies,  should  serve  him  without  fear,  in  holi- 
jness  and  righteousness  before  him,  all  the  days  of  our  Hfe.  Luke  i. 
69,  &c. 

Q.  10.  "  Does  not  the  harshly  preaching  perfection  tend  to  bring 
I  believers  into  a  kind  of  bondage  or  slavish  fear  7 


144 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


A.  "It  does.  Therefore  we  should  always  place  it  in  the  most 
amiable  light,  so  that  it  may  excite  only  hope,  joy,  and  desire. 

Q.  11.  "  Why  may  we  not  continue  in  the  joy  of  faith  even  till  we 
are  made  perfect  ? 

A,  "Why,  indeed?  Since  holy  grief  does  not  quench  this  joy: 
since  even  while  we  are  under  the  cross,  while  we  deeply  partake  of 
the  sufferings  of  Christ,  we  may  rejoice  with  joy  unspeakable. 

Q.  12.  "  Do  we  not  discourage  believers  from  rejoicing  evermore? 

A,  "  We  ought  not  so  to  do.  Let  them  all  their  life  long,  rejoice  unto 
God,  so  it  be  with  reverence.  And  even  if  lightness  or  pride  should 
mix  with  their  joy,  let  us  not  strike  at  the  joy  itself  (this  is  the  gift 
of  God)  but  at  that  lightness  or  pride,  that  the  evil  may  cease  and 
the  good  remain. 

Q.  13.  "Ought  we  to  be  anxiously  careful  about  perfection  ?  Lest 
we  should  die  before  we  had  attained  ? 

A.  "In  no  wise.  We  ought  to  be  thus  careful  for  nothing,  neither 
spiritual  nor  temporal. 

Q.  14.  "  But  ought  we  not  to  be  troubled,  on  account  of  the  sinful 
nature  which  still  remains  in  us? 

A.  "  It  is  good  for  us  to  have  a  deep  sense  of  this,  and  to  be  much 
ashamed  before  the  Lord.  But  this  should  only  incite  us,  the  more 
earnestly  to  turn  unto  Christ  every  moment,  and  to  draw  light  and 
life,  and  strength  from  him,  that  we  may  go  on,  conquering  and  to 
conquer.  And  therefore,  when  the  sense  of  our  sin  most  abounds, 
the  sense  of  his  love  should  much  more  abound. 

Q.  15.  "  Will  our  joy  or  our  trouble  increase  as  we  grow  in 
grace  ? 

A.  "Perhaps  both.  But  without  doubt  our  joy  in  the  Lord  will 
increase  as  our  love  increases. 

Q.  16.  "  Is  not  the  teaching  believers  to  be  continually  poring  upon 
their  inbred  sin,  the  ready  way  to  make  them  forget  that  they  were 
purged  from  their  former  sins  ? 

A.  "  We  find  by  experience,  it  is ;  or  to  make  them  undervalue, 
and  account  it  a  little  thing :  whereas  indeed  (though  there  are  still 
greater  gifts  behind)  this  is  inexpressibly  great  and  glorious." 

The  controversy  with  John  Smith,  now  drew  towards  a  conclusion: 
and  here  I  shall  state  one  particular  in  which  I  think  it  had  some 
influence  on  Mr.  Wesley's  mind.  Hitherto  he  had  expressed  his 
notion  of  justifying  faith,  in  the  words  of  the  Church  of  England,  in 
her  Homily  on  salvation.  That  it  is,  A  sure  trust  and  confidence 
which  a  man  hath  in  God,  that  his  sins  are  forgiven,  and  he  recon- 
ciled to  the  favor  of  God.  But  in  July  he  seems  to  have  examined 
the  subject  more  closely,  and  wrote  to  his  brother  Charles,  as  follows: 

"  Dear  Brother, 

"  Yesterday  I  was  thinking  on  a  desideratum  among  us.  a  Genesis 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


145 


problematica  on  justifying  faith.    A  skeleton  of  it  (which  you  may 
fill  up,  or  any  one  that  has  leisure)  I  have  roughly  set  down. 
"Is  justifying  faith  a  sense  of  pardon?  Negattir.^^    It  is  denied. 

I.  Every  one  is  deeply  concerned  to  understand  this  question 
well :  but  preachers  most  of  all :  lest  they  either  make  them  sad 
whom  God  hath  not  made  sad ;  or,  encourage  them  to  say  peace, 
where  there  is  no  peace. 

"Some  years  ago  we  heard  nothing  of  justifying  faith,  or  a  sense 
of  pardon :  so  that  when  we  did  hear  of  them,  the  theme  was  quite 
new  to  us  ;  and  we  might  easily,  especially  in  the  heat  and  hurry  of 
controversy,  lean  too  much  either  to  the  one  hand  or  to  the  other. 

II.  "  By  justifying  faith  I  mean,  that  faith,  which  whosoever  hath 
not,  is  under  the  wrath  and  the  curse  of  God.  By  a  sense  of  pardon, 
I  mean  a  distinct,  explicit  assurance  that  my  sins  are  forgiven. 

"I  allow,  1.  That  there  is  such  an  explicit  assurance.  2.  That 
it  is  the  common  privilege  of  real  Christians.  3.  That  it  is  the  proper 
christian  faith,  which  purifieth  the  heart,  and  overcometh  the  world. 

"  But  I  cannot  allow,  that  justifying  faith  is  such  an  assurance,  or 
necessarily  connected  therewith. 

III.  "  Because,  if  justifying  faith  necessarily  implies  such  an  ex- 
plicit assurance  of  pardon,  then  every  one  who  has  it  not,  and  every 
one  so  long  as  he  has  it  not,  is  under  the  wrath  and  under  the  curse 
of  God.  But  this  is  a  supposition  contrary  to  Scripture,  as  well  as  to 
experience. 

"  Contrary  to  Scripture  :  to  Isaiah  1.  10.  'Who  is  among  you,  that 
feareth  the  Lord,  that  obeyeth  the  voice  of  his  servant,  that  walketh 
in  darkness  and  hath  no  light?  let  him  trust  in  the  name  of  the  Lord, 
and  stay  upon  his  God.' 

"  Contrary  to  Acts  x.  34.  '  Of  a  truth  I  perceive,  that  God  is  no 
respecter  of  persons ;  but  in  every  nation,  he  that  feareth  God,  and 
worketh  righteousness,  is  accepted  with  him.' 

"  Contrary  to  experience :  for  J.  R.  &c.  &c.  had  peace  with  God,  no 
fear,  no  doubt,  before  they  had  that  sense  of  pardon.  And  so  have  I 
frequently  had. 

"  Again.  The  assertion,  that  justifying  faith  is  a  sense  of  pardon, 
is  contrary  to  reason  :  it  is  flatly  absurd.  For  how  can  a  sense  of  our 
having  received  pardon,  be  the  condition  of  our  receiving  it? 

IV.  "  If  you  object,  1.  '  J.  T.,  St.  Paul,  &c.  had  this  sense  : '  I  grant 
they  had ;  but  they  were  justified  before  they  had  it. — 2.  '  We  know 
fifteen  hundred  persons  who  have  this  assurance.'  Perhaps  so :  but 
this  does  not  prove,  they  were  not  justified  till  they  received  it. — 3. 
*We  have  been  exceedingly  blessed  in  preaching  this  doctrine.'  We 
have  been  blessed  in  preaching  the  great  truths  of  the  gospel ;  although 
we  tacked  to  them,  in  the  simplicity  of  our  hearts,  a  proposition  which 
was  not  true.  4.  *  But  does  not  our  church  give  this  account  of  jus- 
tifying faith  ? '  I  am  sure  she  does  of  saving  or  christian  faith:  I 

VOL.  IL  13  19 


146 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


think  she  does  of  justifying  faith  too.  But  to  the  law  and  to  the 
testimony.  All  men  may  err :  but  the  word  of  the  Lord  shall  stand 
forever." 

In  the  spring  and  summer  of  this  year,  Mr.  Wesley,  and  the 
preachers  were  invited  into  many  parts  of  Yorkshire,  Lancashire,  and 
Cheshire,  where  they  had  not  been  before.  Mr.  John  Bennet,"^  was 
a  most  indefatigable  and  successful  laborer,  for  several  years,  in  these 
parts  of  the  country.  He  was  a  man  of  sound  judgment,  and  of  con- 
siderable abilities  as  a  preacher.  From  a  letter  which  he  wrote  to  Mr. 
Wesley,  sometime  after  this  period,  we  may  form  some  notion  of  the 
labors  of  the  preachers.  "  Many  doors,"  says  he,  "are  opened  for 
preaching  in  these  parts,  but  cannot  be  suppled  for  want  of  preachers. 
I  think  some  one  should  be  sent  to  assist  me,  otherwise  we  shall  lose 
ground. — My  circuit  is  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  in  two  weeks; 
during  which  lime  I  preach  publicly  thirty-four  times,  besides  meeting 
the  societies,  visiting  the  sick,  and  transacting  the  temporal  business. 
1  think  the  above  is  too  much  for  me,  considering  my  weak  constitu- 
tion." 

This  was  great  labor :  but  Mr.  Wesley,  and  his  brother  Mr.  Charles, 
labored  still  more.  They  preached  as  often,  did  all  the  other  business, 
and  frequently  travelled  near  treble  the  distance  in  the  same  space  of 
time.  Hitherto  they  had  been  enabled  to  labor,  and  form  societies 
with  the  assistance  of  the  other  preachers,  in  most  parts  of  England, 
though  frequently  at  the  peril  of  their  lives :  but  now  their  line  was 
stretched  a  little  further.  One  of  the  lay-preachers  had  gone  over  to 
Dublin,  and  after  preaching  there  for  some  time,  formed  a  society. — 
He  wrote  an  account  of  his  success  to  Mr.  Wesley,  who  determined 
to  visit  Ireland  immediately.  Accordingly,  August  4,  he  set  out  from 
Bristol,  and  passing  through  Wales,  arrived  in  Dublin  on  Sunday  the 
9th,  about  ten  o'clock  in  the  forenoon.  Mr.  Wesley  observes,  "  Soon 
after  we  landed,  hearing  the  bells  ringing  for  church,  I  went  thither 
directly. — About  three  I  wrote  a  line  to  the  curate  of  St.  Mary's,  who 
sent  me  word  he  should  be  glad  of  my  assistance.  So  I  preached 
there,  another  gentleman  reading  prayers,  to  as  gay  and  senseless  a 
congregation  as  ever  I  saw.  After  sermon  Mr.  R.  thanked  me  very 
affectionately,  and  desired  I  would  favor  him  with  my  company  in 
the  morning.  Monday  10,  Between  eight  and  nine  I  went  to  Mr.  R. 
the  curate  of  St.  Mary's  :  he  professed  abundance  of  good  will,  com- 
mended my  sermon  in  strong  terms,  and  begged  he  might  see  me 
again  the  next  morning.  But  at  the  same  time  he  expressed  the  most 
rooted  prejudice  against  lay-preachers,  or  preaching  out  of  a  church; 
and  said,  the  Archbishop  of  Dublin  was  resolved  to  suffer  no  such 
irregularities  in  his  diocese." 

In  the  course  of  the  day  Mr.  Wesley  went  to  wait  on  the  archbishop; 

*  Father  of  the  late  Rev.  Mr  Bennet,  minister  to  a  congregation  on  the  stones  inMoor- 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


but  he  was  gone  out  of  town.  The  next  day  he  waited  upon  him  at 
New-Bridge,  ten  miles  from  Dublin.  He  had  the  favor  of  conversing 
with  the  archbishop  two  or  three  hours ;  in  which  time  he  answered 
abundance  of  objections.  In  the  evening  he  returned  to  Mr.  Lunell's, 
at  whose  house  he  was  hospitably  entertained. 

On  the  14th,  Mr.  Wesley  observes,  "I  procured  a  genuine  account 
of  the  great  Irish  massacre  in  1641.  Surely  never  was  there  such  a 
transaction  before,  from  the  beginning  of  the  world !  More  than  two 
hundred  thousand  men,  women,  and  children,  butchered  within  a  few 
months  in  cool  blood;  and  with  such  circumstances  of  cruelty  as 
makes  one's  blood  run  cold !  It  is  well  if  God  has  not  a  controversy 
with  the  nation,  on  this  very  account  to  this  day." — May  the  gracious 
Providence  of  God  superintend  our  public  affairs  in  such  a  way  as 
may  prevent  the  return  of  a  like  calamity. 

Saturday  the  15th,  he  staid  at  home,  and  spake  to  all  who  came  to 
him.  But,"  says  he,  "  I  found  scarce  any  Irish  among  them.  At 
least  ninety-nine  in  an  hundred  of  the  native  Irish,  remain  in  the 
religion  of  their  forefathers.  The  Protestants,  whether  in  Dublin  or 
elsewhere,  are  almost  all  transplanted  from  England.  Nor  is  it  any 
wonder,  that  those  who  are  born  Papists,  generally  live  and  die  such; 
when  the  Protestants  can  find  no  better  ways  to  convert  them,  than 
penal  laws  and  acts  of  parliament." — I  never  understood,  that  penal 
laws  and  acts  of  parliament,  were  intended  as  the  means  of  converting 
the  Papists;  but  as  means  of  preventing,  or  hindering  them  from 
breaking  the  peace,  from  murdering  their  neighbors  who  think  differ- 
ently from  them,  and  from  making  proselytes  to  opinions  subversive 
of  the  government.  The  bulls  of  the  Popes,  their  decretals,  and  the 
oaths  of  the  Romish  bishops,  taken  even  at  present,  will  not  allow  us 
to  doubt  for  a  moment,  that  principles  subversive  of  every  Protestant 
government,  enter  into  the  essence  of  every  establishment  of  the 
Roman-Catholic^  religion;  and  will  infallibly  produce  their  natural 
effects,  as  opportunities  offer.  And  therefore  the  creed,  or  public  pro- 
fessions of  individuals  in  that  church  to  the  contrary,  are  of  no  avail; 
they  ought  to  weigh  nothing  with  the  legislature  in  Protestant  coun- 
tres,  until  the  Pope  of  Rome  annul,  abrogate,  and  totally  disavow  the 
bulls,  and  decretals,  which  infringe  on  the  rights  of  kings,  and  of  all 
civil  governors ;  and  change  the  oaths  of  the  bishops  acting  under 
his  authority. — But  perhaps,  Mr.  Wesley  intended  no  more,  by  the 
sentence  quoted  above,  than  a  reproach  either  on  the  church  or  state, 
for  not  appointing  proper  methods  of  diffusing  knowledge  among  the 
native  Irish ;  most  of  whom  are  kept  by  their  priests  in  a  state  of  the 
grossest  ignorance. 

The  house  wherein  they  preached  at  this  time,  was  originally 
designed  for  a  Lutheran  church,  and  contained  about  four  hundred 

*  There  never  was  a  more  indecent  abuse  of  words,  than  in  the  Church  of  Rome  assum- 
ing the  title  of  the  Catholic  Church. 


148 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


people  :  but  abundantly  more  might  stand  in  the  yard.  xMr.  Wesley 
preached  morning  and  evening  to  many  more  than  the  house  could 
contain ;  and  had  more  and  more  reason  to  hope,  they  would  not  all 
be  unfruitful  hearers.  Monday  the  17th,  he  began  to  examine  the 
society,  which  contained  about  two  hundred  and  fourscore  members, 
many  of  whom  had  found  peace  with  God.  "  The  people  in  general," 
says  Mr.  Wesley,  "  are  of  a  more  teachable  spirit  than  in  most  parts 
of  England :  but  on  that  very  account,  they  must  be  watched 
over  with  the  more  care,  being  equally  susceptible  of  good  and  ill 
impressions." 

Mr.  Wesley  proceeds.  "Sunday  the  23d,  I  began  in  the  evening 
before  the  usual  time ;  yet  were  a  multitude  of  people  got  together,  in 
the  house,  yard,  and  street :  abundantly  more  than  my  voice  could 
reach.  I  cried  aloud  to  as  many  as  could  hear,  '  All  things  are  ready; 
come  ye  to  the  marriage.'  Having  delivered  my  message,  about 
eleven  I  took  ship  for  England,  leaving  J.  Trembath,  then  a  burning 
and  a  shining  light,  a  workman  that  needed  not  to  be  ashamed,  to 
water  the  seed  which  had  been  sown.  Wednesday  26,  about  two  in 
the  afternoon  we  landed  at  Holyhead.  Saturday  29,  I  preached  at 
Garth,  in  Brecknockshire,  in  the  evening,  where  I  met  my  brother,  in 
his  way  to  Ireland. — The  remaining  part  of  this  year,  Mr.  Wesley 
spent  in  Bristol,  London,  Salisbury,  and  the  neighboring  places. 

The  following  letter,  written  in  November,  may  show  us  how  care- 
ful Mr.  Wesley  was,  to  guard  the  preachers  against  a  party  spirit  in 
their  public  labors.  My  dear  brother,"  says  he,  "  in  public  preach- 
ing speak  not  one  word  against  opinions  of  any  kind.  We  are  not 
to  fight  against  notions,  but  sins.  Least  of  all  should  I  advise  you, 
once  to  open  your  lips  against  predestination.  It  would  do  more  mis- 
chief than  you  are  aware  of.  Keep  to  our  one  point,  present  inward 
salvation  by  faith,  by  the  divine  evidence  of  sins  forgiven." 

At  this  time,  the  work  of  God  ("It  is  no  cant  word,"  says  Mr. 
Wesley,  "it  means  the  conversion  of  sinners  from  sin  to  holiness") 
was  both  widening  and  deepening,  not  only  in  London  and  Bristol, 
but  in  most  parts  of  England ;  there  being  scarcely  any  county,  and 
not  many  large  towns,  wherein  there  were  not  more  or  fewer  wit- 
nesses of  it.  Mean  time  the  greatest  numbers  were  brought  to  the 
great  Shepherd  of  their  souls  (next  to  London  and  Bristol)  in  Corn- 
wall, the  West-Riding  of  Yorkshire,  and  Newcastle  upon  Tyne.  But 
still  they  were  obliged  in  many  places,  to  carry  their  lives  in  their 
hands.  Several  instances  of  this  have  already  been  related;  and 
many  more  might  still  be  added. 

February  15,  1748,  he  left  Bristol,  and  proceeded  through  Wales 
on  his  way  to  Ireland.  On  the  24th  he  reached  Holyhead,  where  he 
was  detained  about  twelve  days.    He  did  not  remain  idle;  but 


♦  See  vol.  i.  page  195. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


149 


preached  every  day  at  some  place  in  the  neighborhood.  I  never 
knew  men,"  says  Mr.  Wesley,  "make  such  poor  lame  excuses,  as 
these  captains  did,  for  not  sailing.    It  put  me  in  mind  of  the  epigram, 

"  There  are,  if  rightly  I  may  think, 
Five  causes  why  a  man  should  drink. 

"  Which;  with  a  little  alteration  would  just  suit  them. 

"  There  are,  unless  my  memory  fail, 
Five  causes  why  we  should  not  sail. 
The  fog  is  thick  :  the  wind  is  high  : 
It  rains  :  or  may  do  by  and  by  : 
Or  any  other  reason  why." 

March  8,  about  one  o'clock  in  the  morning,  they  sailed,  and  came 
to  Dublin  in  the  evening,  where  Mr.  Wesley  found  his  brother  meet- 
ing the  society.  On  the  16th,  he  inquired  into  the  state  of  the  society. 
"Most  pompous  accounts,"  says  Mr.  Wesley,  "had  been  sent  me 
from  time  to  time,  of  the  great  numbers  that  were  added  to  it ;  so 
that  I  confidently  expected  to  find  therein,  six  or  seven  hundred  mem- 
bers. And  how  is  the  real  fact  ?  I  left  three  hundred  and  ninety-four 
members ;  and  I  doubt  if  there  are  now,  three  hundred  and  ninety- 
six  ! 

"  Let  this  be  a  warning  to  us  all,  how  we  give  into  that  hateful 
custom  of  painting  things  beyond  the  life.  Let  us  make  a  conscience 
of  magnifying  or  exaggerating  any  thing.  Let  us  rather  speak  under, 
than  above  the  truth.  We,  of  all  men,  should  be  punctual  in  all  we 
say,  that  none  of  our  words  may  fall  to  the  ground."  It  is  to  be 
greatly  lamented,  that  some  few  of  the  preachers  have  not  given 
more  attention  to  this  caution,  and  to  some  others  Mr.  Wesley  has 
left  on  record,  concerning  evil-speaking,  than  they  seem  to  have 
done.  I  cannot  conceive  how  any  man  can  keep  a  good  conscience, 
who  does  not  religiously  observe  them. 

Wednesday  the  23d,  he  preached  to  the  prisoners  in  Newgate.  On 
the  30th  he  left  Dublin,  and  rode  to  Philip' s-Town,  the  shire  town 
of  the  King's-County.  The  street  was  soon  filled  with  those  who 
flocked  from  every  side.  And  even  at  five  in  the  morning  he  had  a 
large  congregation.  After  preaching  he  spoke  severally  to  those  of 
the  society;  of  whom  forty  were  troopers.  At  noon  he  preached  to  a 
larger  congregation  than  in  Dublin;  and  adds,  "I  am  persuaded, 
God  did  then  make  an  offer  of  life  to  all  the  inhabitants  of  Philip's- 
Town." 

The  following  days  he  preached  at  Tullamore,  Tyrrell's-Pass, 
Claro,  Temple-Maqueteer,  Moat ;  and  on  Saturday  April  2d,  came  to 
Athlone.  His  brother  Charles,  had  been  here  some  time  before; 
though  it  was  with  the  imminent  hazard  of  his  life.  For  within 
about  a  mile  of  the  town,  he  was  waylaid  by  a  very  numerous  Popish 
13* 


150 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV,  JOHN  WESLEY. 


mob,  who  discharged  a  shower  of  stones,  which  he  very  narrowly 
escaped.*  "This,"  says  Mr.  J.  Wesley,  "had  an  exceeding  happy 
effect,  prejudicing  all  the  Protestants  in  our  favor.  And  this  seemed 
to  increase  every  day.  The  morning  I  went  away,  most  of  the  con- 
gregation were  in  tears.  Indeed  almost  all  the  town  seemed  to  be 
moved;  full  of  good- will,  and  desires  of  salvation.  But  the  waters 
were  too  wide  to  be  deep.  I  found  not  one  under  strong  conviction, 
much  less  had  any  one  attained  the  knowledge  of  salvation,  in  hear- 
ing above  thirty  sermons.  After  re-visiting  the  towns  I  had  seen 
before,  on  Tuesday  the  16th,  I  returned  to  Dublin.  Having  staid  a 
few  days  there,  I  made  another  little  excursion  through  the  country 
societies.  May  the  14th,  I  returned  to  Dublin,  and  had  the  satisfac- 
tion to  find  that  the  work  of  God,  not  only  spread  wider  and  Avider, 
but  was  also  much  deepened  in  many  souls.  Wednesday  the  18th, 
we  took  ship,  and  the  next  day  landed  at  Holyhead." 

Notwithstanding  Mr.  Wesley's  daily  employment  in  preaching, 
often  morning,  noon,  and  night,  and  his  continual  travelling  from 
place  to  place  ;  yet  he  had  some  years  before  this,  formed  the  design 
of  making  collections  from  the  most  approved  writers  in  the  English 
language,  on  the  subjects  of  practical  divinity,  and  of  printing  them 
under  the  title  of,  A  Christian  Library.  The  letter  which  Dr.  Dod- 
dridge sent  him,  with  the  list  of  books  he  had  requested,  greatly 
facilitated  his  labor,  and  he  had  now  large  materials  ready  for  the 
work.  He  wrote  to  a  friend,  and  mentions  an  intention  of  immedi- 
ately executing  the  design.  "Are  you,"  says  he,  "still  pressing 
toward  the  mark,  the  prize  of  your  high  calling?  Is  your  hope  full 
of  immortality?  Do  you  continue  to  count  all  things  loss,  for  the 
excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus?  Some  time  since  I 
was  in  much  concern  for  you,  lest  you  should  be  swallowed  up  in 
the  things  of  earth.  But  I  trust  God  has  wrought  a  great  deliver- 
ance for  you,  and  given  you  to  choose  him  for  your  God,  and  your 
all.    O  seek  him  with  an  undivided  heart,  till  you  see  him  as  he  is ! 

"I  have  often  thought  of  mentioning  to  you,  and  a  few  others,  a 
design  I  have  had  for  some  years,  of  printing  a  little  library,  perhaps 
of  fourscore,  or  one  hundred  volumes,  for  the  use  of  those  that  fear 
God.f  My  purpose  was  to  select  whatever  I  had  seen  most  valuable 
in  the  English  language,  and  either  abridge,  or  take  the  whole  tracts, 
©nly  a  little  corrected  or  explained,  as  occasion  should  require.  Of 
these  I  could  print  ten  or  twelve,  more  or  less,  every  year,  on  a  fine 
paper,  and  large  letter,  which  should  be  cast  for  the  purpose. — As 
soon  as  I  am  able  to  purchase  a  printing-press  and  types,  I  think  of 
entering  on  this  design.  I  have  several  books  now  ready ;  and  a 
printer  who  desires  nothing  more  than  food  and  raiment.    In  three  or 

*See  vol.  i..page  197. 

I  It  is  evident  enough  from  Dr.  Doddridge's  letter,  that  the  first  intention  waS;  the  benefit 
6f  the  preachers. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


151 


four  weeks  I  hope  to  be  in  London,  and  if  God  permit,  to  begin  with- 
out delay." — He  at  length  accomplished  his  design  in  fifty  duodecimo 
volumes. 

"June  24th,"  says  Mr.  Wesley,  "being  the  day  we  had  appointed 
for  opening  the  school  at  Kingswood  (that  is  for  boarders)  I  preached 
there,  on  '  Train  up  a  child  in  the  way  that  he  should  go,  and  when 
he  is  old  he  will  not  depart  from  it.'  My  brother  and  I  then  admin- 
istered the  Lord's  supper  to  many  who  came  from  far." — The  follow- 
ing is  an  abstract  from  Mr.  Wesley's  "  Short  Account  of  the  School 
in  Kingswood,  near  Bristol,"  which  was  printed  some  years  after  this 
period. 

'•Our  design  is,  with  God's  assistance,  to  train  up  children  in  every 
branch  of  useful  learning. 

"  The  school  contains  eight  classes  : 

"In  the  first  class  the  children  read  Instructions  for  Children,  and 
Lessons  for  Children ;  and  begin  learning  to  write. 

"In  the  second  class  they  read  The  Manners  of  the  ancient  Chris- 
tians, go  on  in  writing,  learn  the  Short  English  Grammar,  the  Short 
Latin  Grammar,  read  Prcdect'iones  Pveriles :  translate  them  into 
English,  and  the  Instructions  for  Children  into  Latin :  part  of  which 
they  transcribe  and  repeat. 

"In  the  third  class  they  read  Dr.  Cave's  Primitive  Christianity,  go 
on  in  writing,  perfect  themselves  in  the  English  and  Latin  Grammar; 
read  Corderii  Colloqida  SelerM  and  Hisiorire.  hSelectcB :  translate  His- 
ioricB  SelecicB  into  English,  and  Lessons  for  Children  into  Latin  :  part 
of  which  they  transcribe  and  repeat. 

"  In  the  fourth  class  they  read  the  Pilgrim's  Progress,  perfect  them- 
selves in  writing:  learn  Dilworth's  Arithmetic:  read  Castellio's 
Kempis  and  Cornelius  Nepos :  translate  Castellio  into  English,  and 
Manners  of  the  Ancient  Christians  into  Latin :  transcribe  and  repeat 
select  portions  of  moral  and  sacred  poems. 

"In  the  fifth  class  they  read  the  Life  of  Mr.  Haliburton,  perfect 
themselves  in  arithmetic;  read  Select  Dialogues  of  Erasmus,  Phae- 
drus  and  Sallust :  translate  Erasmus  into  English,  and  Primitive  Chris- 
tianity into  Latin :  transcribe  and  repeat  select  portions  of  moral  and 
sacred  poems. 

"In  the  sixth  class  they  read  the  Life  of  Mr.  De  Renty,  and  Ken- 
net's  Roman  Antiquities :  they  learn  Randal's  Geography :  read 
Caesar,  Select  Parts  of  Terence  and  Velleius  Paterculus :  translate 
Erasmus  into  English,  and  the  Life  of  Mr.  Haliburton  into  Latin : 
transcribe  and  repeat  select  portions  of  sacred  hymns  and  poems. 

"In  the  seventh  class  they  read  Mr.  Law's  Christian  Perfection, 
and  Archbishop  Potter's  Greek  Antiquities  :  they  learn  Bengelii  Liiro- 
ductio  ad  Chronologiam^  with  Marshal's  Chronological  Tables  :  read 
Tully's  Offices  and  Virgil's  iEneid:  translate  Bengelius  into  English, 
and  Mr.  Law  into  Latin :  learn  (those  who  have  a  turn  for  it)  to 


152 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


make  verses,  and  the  Short  Greek  Grammar:  read  the  Epistles  of 
St.  John:  transcribe  and  repeat  select  portions  of  Milton. 

"In  the  eighth  class  they  read  Mr.  Law's  Serious  Call,  and  Lewis's 
Hebrew  Antiquities :  they  learn  to  make  themes  and  to  declaim : 
learn  Yossius's  Rhetoric :  read  TuUy's  Tusculan  Questions,  and 
Selecta  ex  Ovidio,  Virgilio,  Horatio,  Juvenale,  Persio,  Martiale  :  per- 
fect themselves  in  the  Greek  Grammar ;  read  the  Gospels  and  Six 
Books  of  Homer's  Iliad:  translate  Tully  into  English,  and  Mr.  Law 
into  Latin :  learn  the  Short  Hebrew  Grammar,  and  read  Genesis : 
transcribe  and  repeat  Selecta  ex  Virgilio,  Horatio,  Juvenale. 

"It  is  our  particular  desire,  that  all  who  are  educated  here,  may 
be  brought  up  in  the  fear  of  God  :  and  at  the  utmost  distance  as  from 
vice  in  general,  so  in  particular  from  idleness  and  effeminacy.  The 
children  therefore  of  tender  parents,  so  called,  have  no  business  here: 
for  the  rules  will  not  be  broken,  in  favor  of  any  person  whatsoever. 
Nor  is  any  child  received  unless  his  parents  agree,  1.  That  he  shall 
observe  all  the  rules  of  the  house,  and  2.  That  they  will  not  take  him 
from  school,  no,  not  a  day,  till  they  take  him  for  good  and  all. 

"  The  method  observed  in  the  school  is  this : 

The  First  Class. 
Mom.  7.  Read.  10.  Write  till  eleven. 

Aftern.  1.  Read.  4.  Write  till  five. 

"  The  Second  Class. 
M.  7.  Read  the  Manners  of  the  Ancient  Christians: 

8.  Learn  the  English  Grammar :  when  that  is  ended,  the  Latin 
Grammar. 
10.  Learn  to  write. 
A.  1.  Learn  to  construe  and  parse  Prsslectiones  Pueriles  : 
4.  Translate  into  English  and  Latin  alternately. 

"  The  Third  Class. 
M.  7.  Read  Primitive  Christianity  : 

8.  Repeat  English  and  Latin  Grammar  alternately. 

9.  Learn  Corderius,  and  when  that  is  ended,  Historiae  SelectaD. 
10.  Write. 

A.  1.  Learn  Corderius  and  Historiae  Selectae. 
4.  Translate. 

"  The  Fourth  Class. 
M.  7.  Read  the  Pilgrim's  Progress  : 

8.  Repeat  the  Grammar : 

9.  Learn  Castellio's  Kempis,  and  when  that  is  ended,  Cornelius 

Nepos. 

10.  Write  and  learn  Arithmetic  : 
A.  1.  Learn  Kempis  and  Cornelius  Nepos. 
4.  Translate. 

"  The  Fifth  Class. 
M.  7.  Read  Mr.  Haliburton's  Life. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


153 


M.  8.  Repeat  the  Grammars : 

9.  Learn  Erasmus ;  afterwards  Phaedrus ;  then  Sallust : 
10.  Learn  Arithmetic  : 
A.  1.  Learn  Erasmus,  Phaedrus,  SaUust: 

4.  Translate. 

"  The  Sixth  Class. 
M.  7.  Read  Mr.  de  Renty's  Life : 

8.  Repeat  the  Grammars  : 

9.  Learn  Caesar ;  afterwards  Terence ;  then  Velleius  Patercukis : 
10.  Learn  Geography : 

A.  1.  Learn  Caesar;  Terence;  Paterculus : 
3.  Read  Roman  Antiquities: 
10.  Translate. 

"  The  Seventh  Class, 
M.  7.  Read  Mr.  Law's  Christian  Perfection : 

r  M.  W.  F.  Learn  the  Greek  Grammar;  and  read  the  Greek 
Testament : 

Tu.  Th.  Sat.  Learn  Tully  ;  afterwards  Virgil : 
10.  Learn  Chronology : 
A.  1.  Learn  Latin  and  Greek  alternately,  as  in  the  morning: 

3.  Read  Grecian  Antiquities  : 

4.  Translate  and  make  verses  alternately. 

The  Eighth  Class. 
M.  7.  Read  Mr.  Law's  Serious  Call : 
f  M.  Th.  Latin. 
*    \  Tu.  Frid.  Greek. 

[Wis.  Hebrew ;  and  so  at  one  in  the  afternoons : 
10.  Learn  Rhetoric : 
A.  3.  Read  Hebrew  Antiquities : 
4.  Mond.  Thurs.  translate. 

Tues.  Frid.  make  verses : 
Wed.  make  a  theme : 
Sat.  write  a  declamation. 

All  the  other  classes  spend  Saturday  afternoon  in  Arithmetic,  and 
in  transcribing  what  they  learn  on  Sunday,  and  repeat  on  Monday 
morning." 

Mr.  Wesley  adds;  ''The  following  method  maybe  observed,  by 
those  who  design  to  go  through  a  course  of  academical  learning. 

"first  year. 
"Read  Lowth's  English  Gram-    Corn.  Nepos, 

mar,  Sallust, 
Latin,      ]  Caesar, 

S^f^'  [Grammars,  Tully's  Offices, 

Hebrew,  Terence, 

French,  j  Phaedrus, 
VOL.  II.  20 


1^4 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


^neid, 

Dilworthj  Randal,  Bengelj  Yos- 
siusj 

Aldrich  and  Wallis's  Logic, 
Langbain's  Ethics, 
Hutchinson  on  the  Passions, 
Spanheim's  Introduction  on  the 

Ecclesiastical  History, 
Puffendorf's  Introduction  to  the 

History  of  Europe, 


Moral  and  Sacred  Poems, 
Hebrew   Pentateuch,   with  the 
Notes, 

Greek  Testament,  Matt. 
 Acts,  with  the  Notes. 


"Look  over  the  Grammars, 
Read  Veil.  Paterculus, 


Tusculan  Questions, 
Excerpla, 
Yidae  Opera, 

Lusus  Westmonasteriensis, 
Chronological  Tables, 
Euclid's  Elements, 
VYeirs  Tracts, 
Newton's  Principia, 
Mosheim's  Introduction  to  Church 
History, 

"  THIRD 

Look  over  the  Grammars, 
Livy, 
Suetonius, 
Tully  de  Finibus, 
Musae  Anglicanae, 
Dr.  Burton's  Poemata, 
Ld.  Forbes'  Tracts, 
Abridgment  of  Hutchinson's  Wks. 
Survey  of  the  Wisdom  of  God  in 

the  Creation, 
Rollin's  Ancient  History, 


Xenophon's  Cyrus, 
Homer's  Iliad, 

Bishop  Pearson  on  the  Creed, 
Ten  volumes  of  the  Christian 
Library. 

SECOND  YEAR. 

Usher's  Annals, 

Burnet's  Hist,  of  the  Reformation, 
Spenser's  Fairy  Queen, 
Historical  Books  of  the  Hebrew 

Bible, 
Greek  Testament, 
Homer's  Odyssey, 
Twelve  volumes  of  the  Christian 

Library, 
Ramsay's  Cyrus, 
Racine. 


YEAR. 

Hume's  History  of  England, 
Neal's  History  of  the  Puritans; 
Milton's  Poetical  Works, 
Hebrew  Bible,  Job — Canticles, 
Greek  Testament, 
Plato's  Dialogues, 
Greek  Epigrams, 
Twelve  volumes  of  the  Christian 

Library, 
Pascal, 
Comeille.'^ 


Look  over  the  Grammars, 
Tacitus, 

Grotii  Historia  Belgica, 
Tully  de  Natura  Deorum, 
Praedium  Rusticum, 
Carmina  Quadragesimalia, 
Philosophical  Transactions  abrid 
ged 

Watt's  Astronomy,  (fee. 
Compendium  MetaphysicsB, 


FOURTH  YEAR. 

Watts' s  Ontology, 
Locke's  Essay, 
Malebranche, 
Clarendon's  History, 
Neal's  History  of  New  England. 
Antonio  Solis'  History  of  Mexico, 
Shakspeare, 

Rest  of  the  Hebrew  Bible, 
Greek  Testament, 
Epictetus, 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


Marcus  Antoninus, 

Poetae  Minores, 

End  the  Christian  Library, 


La  Faussete  de  les  Vertues  hu- 
manes.  Quesnell  sur  les  Evan- 
giles. 


Whoever  carefully  goes  through  this  course,  will  be  a  better  scholar 
than  nine  in  ten  of  the  graduates  at  Oxford  or  Cambridge." 

About  the  time  this  short  account  was  printed,  Mr.  Wesley  asked 
in  the  Conference,  "  What  can  be  done  to  make  the  Methodists  sensi- 
ble of  the  excellency  of  Kingswood  School?" — The  answer  agreed 
upon,  was, 

"  Let  every  Assistant  read  the  following  account  of  it  yearly,  in 
every  society.  1.  The  wisdom  and  love  of  God  have  now  thrust  out 
a  large  number  of  laborers  into  his  harvest ;  men  who  desire  nothing  on 
earth  but  to  promote  the  glory  of  God,  to  save  their  own  souls,  and 
them  that  hear  them.  And  those  to  whom  they  minister  spiritual 
things,  willingly  minister  to  them  of  their  carnal  things;  so  that  they 
have  food  to  eat  and  raiment  to  put  on,  and  are  content  therewith. 

2  "A  competent  provision  is  likewise  made  for  the  wives  of  mar- 
ried preachers.  These  also  lack  for  nothing,  having  a  weekly  allow- 
ance over  and  above  for  their  little  children  :  so  that  neither  they  nor 
their  husbands  need  be  careful  about  many  things,  but  may  wait  upon 
the  Lord  without  distraction. 

3.  "  But  one  considerable  difficulty  lies  on  those  who  have  boys, 
when  they  grow  too  big  to  be  under  their  mother's  direction.  Having 
no  father  to  govern  and  instruct  them,  they  are  exposed  to  a  thousand 
temptations.  To  remedy  this,  we  have  a  school  on  purpose  for  them, 
wherein  they  have  all  the  instruction  they  are  capable  of,  together 
with  all  things  needful  for  the  body,  clothes  only  excepted.  And  it 
may  be,  if  God  prosper  this  labor  of  love,  they  will  have  these  too 
shortly. 

4.  '*  In  whatever  view  we  look  upon  this,  it  is  one  of  the  noblest 
charities  that  can  be  conceived.  How  reasonable  is  the  institution  ? 
Is  it  fit  that  the  children  of  those  who  leave  wife,  home,  and  all  that 
is  dear,  to  save  souls  from  death,  should  want  what  is  needful  either 
for  soul  or  body?  Ought  not  we  to  supply  what  the  parent  cannot, 
because  of  his  labors  in  the  gospel  ?  How  excellent  are  the  effects 
of  this  institution?  The  preacher  eased  of  this  weight  can  the  more 
easily  go  on  in  his  labor.  And  perhaps  many  of  those  children  may 
hereafter  fill  up  the  place  of  those  that  shall  rest  from  their  labors. 

5.  "  But  the  expense  of  such  an  undertaking  is  very  large :  so  that 
although  we  have  at  present  but  thirteen  or  fourteen  poor  children,  we 
are  continually  running  behind,  notwithstanding  the  yearly  subscrip- 
tion made  at  London  and  Bristol.  The  best  means  we  could  think  of 
at  our  late  Conference  to  supply  the  deficiency  is,  once  a  year  to 
desire  the  assistance  of  all  those  in  every  place  who  wish  well  to  the 
work  of  God ;  all  who  long  to  see  sinners  converted  to  God,  and  the 
kingdom  of  Christ  set  up  in  all  the  earth." 


156 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


From  this  time  a  public  collection  has  been  made  through  all  the 
societies  once  in  every  year,  for  Kingswood  School.  The  last  year, 
1794,  it  amounted  to  twelve  hundred  and  eighty-four  pounds,  eighteen 
shillings  and  one  penny  ! 

July  18th,  Mr.  Wesley  was  at  Newcastle  upon  Tyne;  and  from 
thence  proceeded  northward,  preaching  at  several  places  in  his  way, 
till  he  came  to  Berwick  upon  Tweed.  Here  he  preached  three  or 
four  times,  in  a  large  green  space,  near  the  governor's  house.  A  little 
society  had  been  formed  at  this  place  some  time  before,  which  was 
now  considerably  increased  :  and  several  members  of  it.  walked  wor- 
thy of  the  vocation  wherewith  they  were  called.  On  the  23d,  after 
preaching  at  other  places  on  his  way  back,  he  returned  to  Newcastle. 

During  the  summer,  there  was  a  large  increase  of  the  work  of  God. 
both  in  Northumberland,  the  county  of  Durham,  and  Yorkshire:  as 
also  in  the  most  savage  part  of  Lancashire ;  though  here  in  particular 
the  preachers  carried  their  lives  in  their  hands.  A  specimen  of  the  treat- 
ment they  met  with  there,  may  be  seen  in  the  following  brief  account. 

"  On  August  26th,"  says  Mr.  Wesley,  "while  I  was  speaking  to 
some  quiet  people  at  Roughley,  near  Coin  in  Lancashire,  a  drunken 
rabble  came,  the  captain  of  whom  said  he  was  a  deputy  constable, 
and  I  must  go  with  him.  I  had  scarce  gone  ten  yards,  when  one  of 
his  company  struck  me  in  the  face  with  all  his  might.  Another  threw 
his  stick  at  my  head :  all  the  rest  were  like  as  many  ramping  and 
roaring  lions.  They  brought  me,  with  Mr.  Grimshaw,  the  minister 
of  Haworth ;  Mr.  Colbeck  of  Kighley,  and  Mr.  Macford  of  Newcastle 
(who  never  recovered  the  abuse  he  then  received)  into  a  public-house 
at  Barrowford,  a  neighboring  village,  where  all  their  forces  were 
gathered  together. 

"Soon  after  Mr.  Hargrave,  the  high  constable,  came,  and  required 
me  to  promise  I  would  come  to  Roughley  no  more.  This  I  flatly  refused. 
But  upon  saying,  I  will  not  preach  here  now,  he  undertook  to  quiet 
the  mob.  While  he  and  I  walked  out  at  one  door,  Mr.  Grimshaw, 
and  Colbeck,  went  out  at  the  other.  The  mob  immediately  closed 
them  in,  tossed  them  to  and  fro  with  the  greatest  violence,  threw  Mr. 
Grimshaw  down,  and  loaded  them  both  with  dirt  and  mire  of  every 
kind.  The  other  quiet  harmless  people,  who  followed  me  at  a  dis- 
tance, they  treated  full  as  ill.  They  poured  upon  them  showers  of 
dirt  and  stones,  without  any  regard  to  age  or  sex.  Some  of  them 
they  trampled  in  the  mire,  and  dragged  by  the  hair  of  the  head. — 
Many  they  beat  with  their  clubs  without  mercy.  One  they  forced  to 
leap  from  a  rock,  ten  or  twelve  feet  high,  into  the  river.  And  when 
he  crept  out,  wet  and  bruised,  were  hardly  persuaded  not  to  throw 
him  in  again.  Such  was  the  recompense  we  frequently  received  from 
our  countrymen,  for  our  labor  of  love." 

I  find  nothing  very  remarkable  during  the  following  year,  except 
Mr.  Wesley's  perseverance  in  his  frequent  journies,  and  incessant 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


157 


labors.  In  the  beginning  of  the  year  1750,  having  been  informed  of 
the  violence  of  the  mobs  at  Cork,  against  both  the  preachers  and 
people,  and  being  in  nothing  terrified  by  the  adversaries,  he  deter- 
mined to  set  out  for  the  scene  of  riot.  Accordingly,  April  7th,  he 
embarked  at  Holyhead  in  the  morning,  and  in  the  evening  landed  in 
Dublin.  Here  he  received  a  full  account  of  the  shocking  outrages 
which  had  been  committed  at  Cork,  for  several  months  together ;  and 
which  the  good  magistrates  had  encouraged  rather  than  opposed.  At 
the  Lent  assizes,  several  depositions  were  laid  before  the  grand  jury, 
against  the  rioters :  yet  they  did  not  find  any  of  these  bills !  But 
they  found  a  bill  against  a  poor  baker,  who,  when  the  mob  were  dis- 
charging a  shower  of  stones  upon  him,  discharged  a  pistol  without 
ball,  over  their  heads,  which  put  them  into  such  bodily  fear,  that  they 
all  ran  away,  without  looking  behind  them. 

Having  tarried  ten  or  twelve  days  in  Dublin,  Mr.  Wesley  began 
his  journey  through  the  country  societes,  towards  Cork,  where  he 
arrived  May  the  19th.  The  next  day,  understanding  the  house  was 
small,  he  went  out  about  eight  o'clock,  to  Hammond's  Marsh  :  at  that 
time  a  large  open  space,  but  since  built  over.  Here  he  preached,  to  a 
large  and  deeply  attentive  congregation.  In  the  afternoon,  two  of 
the  preachers  went  to  the  mayor,  and  asked,  if  it  would  be  disagree- 
able to  him,  that  Mr.  Wesley  should  preach  on  the  Marsh?  He 
answered,  "  Sir,  I  will  have  no  more  mobs  and  riots."  One  of  them 
replied,  "Sir,  Mr.  Wesley  has  made  none."  He  then  spake  plainly, 
"Sir,  I  will  have  no  more  preaching.  And  if  Mr.  Wesley  attempts 
it,  I  am  prepared  for  him."  Here  was  a  chief  magistrate,  who,  if 
Mr.  Wesley  attempted  to  preach  and  instruct  the  people  in  their  duty 
to  God  and  man,  was  determined  to  make  a  riot  to  hinder  him  ! 

The  following  is  an  abstract  from  Mr.  Wesley's  Journal,  of  what 
took  place  afterwards,  at  Cork,  and  at  Bandon.  "  I  would  not  there- 
fore, attempt  to  preach  on  the  Marsh,  but  began  in  our  own  house 
about  five  (in  the  evening  on  the  same  day,  being  Sunday.)  The 
good  mayor,  mean  time,  was  walking  on  the  'Change,  and  giving 
orders  to  his  sergeants  and  the  town  drummers,  who  immediately  came 
down  to  the  house,  with  an  innumerable  mob  attending  him.  They 
continued  drumming,  and  I  continued  preaching,  till  I  had  finished 
my  discourse.  When  I  came  out,  the  mob  presently  closed  me  in. 
Observing  one  of  the  sergeants  standing  by  me,  I  desired  him  to  keep 
the  king's  peace.  But  he  replied,  '  Sir,  I  have  no  orders  to  do  that.' 
As  soon  as  I  came  into  the  open  street,  the  rabble  threw  whatever 
came  to  hand.  But  all  went  by  me,  or  over  my  head ;  nor  do  I' 
remember  that  any  thing  touched  me.  I  walked  straight  through  the 
midst  of  the  rabble,  looking  every  man  before  me  in  the  face ;  and 
they  opened  to  the  right  and  left,  till  I  came  near  Dant's  Bridge.  A 
large  party  had  taken  possession  of  this :  but  when  I  came  up,  they 
likewise  shrunk  back,  and  I  walked  through  them  to  Mr.  Jenkins's 

VOL.  n.  14 


158 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


house.  But  a  stout  Papist-woman  stood  just  within  the  door,  and 
would  not  let  me  come  in,  till  one  of  the  mob,  aiming  I  suppose  at  me, 
knocked  her  down  flat.  I  then  went  in,  and  God  restrained  the  wild 
beasts,  so  that  no  one  attempted  to  follow  me. 

But  many  of  the  congregation  were  more  roughly  handled  ;  par- 
ticularly Mr.  Jones,  who  was  covered  with  mud,  and  escaped  with 
his  life  almost  by  miracle.  Finding  the  mob  were  not  inclined  to 
disperse,  I  sent  to  Alderman  Pembrook,  who  immediately  desired 
Alderman  Wenthrop,  his  nephew,  to  go  down  to  Mr.  Jenkins's :  with 
whom  I  walked  up  the  street,  none  giving  an  unkind  or  disrespectful 
word. 

All  the  following  week  it  was  at  the  peril  of  his  life,  if  any  Meth- 
odist stirred  out  of  doors.  And  the  case  was  much  the  same,  during 
the  whole  mayoralty  of  Mr.  Crone.  But  the  succeeding  mayor, 
declared  in  good  earnest,  '  There  shall  be  no  more  mobs  or  riots  in 
Cork.'  And  he  did  totally  suppress  them.  So  that  from  that  time 
forward,  even  the  Methodists  enjoyed  the  same  liberty  with  the  rest 
of  his  majesty's  subjects. 

"  In  the  mean  time  the  work  of  God  went  on  with  little  opposition, 
both  in  other  parts  of  the  county  of  Cork,  and  at  Waterford,  and 
Limerick ;  as  well  as  in  Mountmelick,  Athlone,  Longford,  and  most 
parts  of  the  province  of  Leinster.  In  my  return  from  Cork,  I  had  an 
opportunity  of  visiting  all  these.  And  I  had  the  satisfaction  of 
observing,  how  greatly  God  had  blessed  my  fellow-laborers,  and  how 
many  sinners  were  saved  from  the  error  of  their  ways.  Many  of 
these  had  been  eminent  for  all  manner  of  sins  :  many  had  been  Roman 
Catholics.  And  I  suppose  the  number  of  these  (Roman-Catholics, 
converted)  would  have  been  far  greater,  had  not  the  good  Protestants, 
as  well  as  the  Popish  priests,  taken  true  pains  to  hinder  them." 

During  Mr.  Wesley's  stay  at  Cork,  and  in  its  neighborhood,  he 
observes,  All  this  time  God  gave  us  great  peace  at  Bandon,  notwith- 
standing the  unwearied  labors,  both  public  and  private  of  Dr.  B.  to 
stir  up  the  people.  But  Saturday  26,  many  were  under  great  appre- 
hensions, of  what  was  to  be  done  in  the  evening.  I  began  preaching 
in  the  main  street  at  the  usual  hour,  but  to  more  than  twice  the  usual 
congregation.  After  I  had  spoke  about  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  a  cler- 
gyman, who  had  planted  himself  near  me,  with  a  very  large  stick  in 
his  hand,  according  to  agreement  opened  the  scene.  Indeed  his  friends 
assured  me,  '  he  was  in  drink,  or  he  would  not  have  done  it.'  But 
before  he  had  uttered  many  words,  two  or  three  resolute  women,  by 
main  strength  pulled  him  into  an  house,  and  after  exposttilating  a  little, 
sent  him  away  through  the  garden. — The  next  champion  that  ap- 
peared, was  a  young  gentleman  of  the  town. — But  his  triumph  too 
was  short :  for  some  of  the  people  quickly  bore  him  away,  though 
with  much  gentleness  and  civility.  The  third  came  on  with  far 
greater  fury  :  but  he  was  encountered  by  a  butcher  of  the  town,  not 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


one  of  the  Methodists,  who  used  him  as  he  would  an  ox,  bestowing 
one  or  two  heavy  blows  on  his  head.  This  cooled  his  courage,  espe- 
cially as  none  took  his  part.    So  I  quietly  finished  my  discourse." 

Mr.  Wesley  continued  his  labors  in  Ireland,  till  July  22,  when  he 
set  sail  for  Bristol.  He  staid  here  only  a  few  days,  and  then  went  on 
to  visit  the  societies  through  the  West  of  England,  as  far  as  Cornwall ; 
in  which  service  he  spent  near  six  weeks.  August  15,  he  observes, 
"  By  reflecting  on  an  odd  book  which  I  had  read  in  this  journey, 
'  The  general  delusion  of  Christians  with  regard  to  prophecy,'  I  was 
fully  convinced  of  what  I  had  long  suspected  ;  1.  That  the  Montanists, 
in  the  second  and  third  centuries,  were  real  scriptural  Christians  :  and 
2.  That  the  grand  reason  why  the  miraculous  gifts  were  so  soon 
withdrawn,  was,  not  only  that  faith  and  holiness  were  well-nigh  lost, 
but  that  dry,  formal,  orthodox  men,  began  even  then  to  ridicule 
whatever  gifts  they  had  not  themselves,  and  to  decry  them  all,  as 
either  madness  or  imposture."* 

On  his  return  from  Cornwall,  he  preached  in  the  street  at  Shafts- 
bury  ;  but  none  made  any  noise,  or  spake  one  word,  while  he  called 
the  wicked  to  forsake  his  way.  When  he  was  returned  to  the  house 
where  he  lodged,  a  constable  came,  and  said,  "Sir,  the  mayor  dis- 
charges you  from  preaching  in  this  borough  any  more."  Mr.  Wesley 
replied,  "  While  King  George  gives  me  leave  to  preach,  I  shall  not 
ask  leave  of  the  mayor  of  Shaftsbury." 

Sept.  8,  he  came  to  London,  and  received  the  following  account  of 
the  death  of  one  of  the  travelling  preachers.  "  John  Jane  was  never 
well  after  walking  from  Epworth  to  Hainton,  on  an  exceeding  hot 
day,  which  threw  him  into  a  fever.  But  he  was  in  great  peace  and 
love,  even  to  those  who  greatly  wanted  love  lo  him.  He  was  some 
time  at  Alice  Shadforth's  house,  with  whom  he  daily  talked  of  the 
things  of  God  ;  spent  much  time  in  private  prayer;  and  joined  like- 
wise with  her  in  prayer  several  times  in  a  day  :  On  Friday,  Aug.  24, 
he  sat  in  the  evening  by  the  fire-side :  about  six  he  fetched  a  deep 
sigh,  and  never  spoke  more.  He  was  alive  till  the  same  time  on 
Saturday,  when  without  any  struggle  or  sign  of  pain,  with  a  smile 

*  The  Montanists  were  a  sect  of  Christians,  which  sprung  up  about  the  year  of  Christ 
171.  They  took  their  name  from  Montanus,  a  Phrygian  by  birth.  They  made  no  altera- 
tion in  the  creed,  or  articles  of  belief  then  commonly  received.  They  were  abstemious 
and  moral  in  their  conduct.  But  they  maintained  that  the  miraculous  gifts  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  were  not  withdrawn  from  the  faithful  and  pious  ;  and  that  they  had  among  them- 
selves the  gift  of  prophecy,  &c.  It  is  to  be  lamented,  that,  at  this  early  period  of  Chris- 
tianity, Christian  principles,  and  Christion  practice,  or  morality,  were  too  much  separated : 
and  that  whoever  differed  from  the  rulers  of  the  church,  were  immediately  branded  with 
the  name  of  Heretics  ;  their  principles  and  practices  represented  with  little  or  no  regard  to 
truth ;  and  all  manner  of  evil  was  spoken  of  them,  to  deter  the  people  from  going  near 
them.  I  wish  the  modern  professors  of  Christianity,  of  every  denomination,  with  all  their 
boasted  liberality  and  professions  of  candor,  were  wholly  free  from  this  contagious 
leprosy,  which  so  deforms  the  Christian  character,  and  leads  directly  to  persecution. 


160 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


on  his  face,  he  passed  away.  His  last  words  were,  '  I  find  the  love 
of  God  in  Christ  Jesus.' 

"  All  his  clothes,  linen,  and  woollen,  stockings,  hat,  and  wig,  are 
not  thought  sufficient  to  answer  his  funeral  expenses,  which  amount 
to  one  pound  seventeen  shillings  and  three-pence.  All  the  money  he 
had  was,  one  shilling  and  four-pence." — "Enough,"  adds  Mr.  Wes- 
ley, "for  any  unmarried  preacher  of  the  gospel,  to  leave  to  his  exec- 
utors."— Mr.  Wesley  spent  the  remainder  of  the  year  in  London, 
Bristol,  and  the  neighboring  places ;  and  in  preparing  several  books 
for  the  use  of  the  children  at  Kingswood  School. 

Mr.  Wesley  had  many  difficulties  to  encounter,  not  only  from  those 
who  openly  opposed  him ;  but  from  many  who  were  in  connexion 
with  him  :  especially  from  some  of  the  preachers,  who  already  began  to 
wish,  that  the  Methodists  might  become  a  distinct  and  complete  body, 
or  church,  among  themselves  ;  by  which  step,  they  would  have,  in  or- 
der to  support  their  own  existence,  a  separate  interest  to  maintain,  in 
opposition  to  the  established  church,  and  in  some  respects  to  every  de- 
nomination of  Dissenters.  This  was  in  flat  opposition  to  Mr.  Wesley's 
design  in  forming  the  Methodist  Societies,  which  was  to  promote  scrip- 
tural holiness  through  the  land,  without  any  particular  regard  to  the 
distinction  of  parties.  At  this  time,  and  for  some  years  afterwards,  he 
frequently  corresponded  with  Mr.  Edward  Perronet,  whom  he  sin- 
cerely esteemed,  and  to  whom  he  often  opened  his  mind  with  great 
freedom.  I  shall  make  an  extract  or  two,  from  the  letters  written  in 
the  present  year,^  relative  to  this  and  some  other  subjects. 

From  Ireland,  he  observes,  "I  have  abundance  of  complaints  to 
make,  as  well  as  to  hear.  I  have  scarce  an)'  on  whom  T  can  depend, 
v/hen  I  am  an  hundred  miles  off.  'Tis  well  if  I  do  not  run  away 
soon,  and  leave  them  to  cut  and  shuffle  for  themselves.  Here  is  a 
glorious  people.    But  O  !  where  are  the  shepherds  7 

"  The  society  at  Cork  have  fairly  sent  me  word,  that  they  will  take 
care  of  themselves,  and  erect  themselves  into  a  Dissenting  congrega- 
tion. I  am  v/eary  of  these  sons  of  Zeruiah  :  they  are  too  hard  for 
me.    Dear  Ted,  stand  fast,  whether  I  stand  or  fall." 

In  another  letter,  he  says,  "  Charles,f  and  you  behave  as  I  want 
you  to  do.  But  you  cannot,  or  will  not,  preach  where  I  desire.  Oth- 
ers, can  and  will  preach  where  I  desire :  but  they  do  not  behave  as  I 
want  them  to  do.  I  have  a  fine  time  between  the  one  and  the  other." 
And  again  in  the  third,  "I  think  both  Charles,  and  you  have,  in  the 
general,  a  right  sense  of  what  it  is  to  serve  as  sons  in  the  Gospel. 
And  if  all  our  helpers  had  had  the  same,  the  work  of  God  would 
have  prospered  better,  both  in  England  and  Ireland."   About  a  fort- 

*  The  letters  written  by  Mr.  "Wesley  to  IVIr.  Perronet,  came  into  the  hands  of  3Ir. 
Shrubsole,  after  IMr.  Perronet's  death ;  and  I  am  greatly  obliged  to  him  for  the  use  of 
them. 

t  Charles  Perronet,  the  brother  of  Edward. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


161 


night  afterwards,  he  writes  thus  on  the  same  subject,  "  You  put  the 
thing  right.  I  have  not  one  preacher  with  me,  and  not  six  in  Eng- 
land, whose  wills  are  broken  enough,  to  ser^^e  me  as  sons  in  the 
Gospel." 

On  the  subject  of  reproof,  and  of  remedying  things  that  were  amiss, 
he  observes  to  his  friend,  Come  on,  now  you  have  broke  the  ice,  and 
tell  me  the  other  half  of  your  mind.  I  always  blamed  you  for  speak- 
ing too  little,  not  too  much.  When  you  spoke  most  freely,  as  at 
Whitehaven,  it  was  best  for  us  both. 

"I  did  not  always  disbeUeve,  when  I  said  nothing.  But  I  would 
not  attempt  a  thing,  till  I  could  carry  it.  Tu  quod  scis,  nescis,  is  an 
useful  rule,  till  I  can  remedy  what  I  know.  As  you  observe,  many 
things  are  remedied  already :  and  many  more  will  be.  But  you  con- 
sider, I  have  none  to  second  me.  They  who  should  do  it,  start  aside 
as  a  broken  bow." 

The  following  abstract  from  a  letter  written  to  Mr.  Wesley  by  one 
who  loved  and  highly  esteemed  him,  may  show  us,  that  he  had  some 
friends  who  spake  their  minds  freely,  when  they  saw  any  thing  which 
in  their  judgment  deserved  censure  or  blame.  "I  love,  I  honor,  I 
reverence  you,"  says  the  writer,  "  for  your  great  worth,  wisdom  and 
high  office :  yet  I  have  not  that  fellowship  with  you,  that  I  once  had 
with  T.  S. — I  have  loved  your  company,  loved  your  conversation, 
admired  your  wisdom,  been  greatly  blessed  under  your  discourses 
and  exhortations  :  and  yet  we  are  two  spirits  ! — I  think  you  have  the 
knowledge  of  all  experience,  but  not  the  experience  of  all  you  know. 
You  know,  speaking  with  limitation,  the  heights  and  depths,  the 
beginning  and  the  end  of  true  religion.  You  know  the  fallen  state  of 
man,  his  inability  to  rise  again ;  the  freeness  of  redeeming  love,  and 
the  mighty  workings  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  You  know,  the  heaven  and 
happiness  of  man,  is  to  feel  a  change  of  nature,  to  enjoy  deep  com- 
munion with  God,  and  to  walk  in  love  with  all  around.  All  these 
things  you  know,  partly  by  the  information  of  others,  and  partly 
from  experience.  But  I  think  your  experience  is  buried  in  your  exten- 
sive knowledge.  I  think  you  feel  not,  abidingly,  a  deep  sense  of  your 
own  spiritual  weakness,  the  nearness  of  Christ  to  save,  nor  a  sweet 
communion  with  God,  by  fhe  Holy  Ghost.  You  have  the  appear- 
ance of  all  Christian  graces,  but  they  do  not,  I  think,  spring  from  a 
deep  experience,  or  change  of  nature.  A  good  nature  (temper  of 
mind)  with  great  abilities,  will  mimic  grace;  but  grace  is  more  than 
outward ;  it  brings  the  soul  to  a  deep  union  with  God,  and  its  fellow 
Christians.  One  outward  proof  from  which  I  think  I  judge  aright,  is, 
the  want  of  Sympathy  in  your  discourses  and  conversation.  Those 
who  attend  to  an  inward  work,  more  than  to  an  outward,  pass  through 
many  weighty  and  grievous  conflicts,  from  the  stubbornness  of  their 
own  nature,  or  the  subtilty  of  the  devil,  so  that  often  they  go  on 
lamenting  and  weeping,  and  yet  trusting  in  God.    When  do  you 

VOL.  n.  14*  21 


162 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


feelingly^  and  with  tears  address  yourself  unto  such? — That  the 
cause,  the  only  cause  of  my  disunion  with  you,  may  be  in  myself,  I 
cannot  but  allow.  My  ignorance,  my  weakness,  my  aptness  to  mis- 
take, is  great !  My  judgment  is  often  biassed  by  circumstances  too 
immaterial  to  be  the  ground  of  determination ;  and  therefore  often, 
yea  mostly,  rather  than  be  in  danger  of  judging  amiss,  I  remain  in 
doubtful  silence."    Signed,  W.  Briggs. 

January  30,  1751,  Mr.  Wesley  at  the  pressing  request  of  Dr.  Isham, 
then  rector  of  Lincoln-College,  set  out  early  in  the  morning  to  vote  for 
a  member  of  parliament.  It  was  a  severe  frost,  the  wind  north-west, 
full  in  his  face,  and  the  roads  so  slippery  that  the  horses  could  scarcely 
keep  their  feet.  Nevertheless  about  seven  in  the  evening,  he,  and 
those  with  him,  for  he  never  travelled  alone,  came  safe  to  Oxford.  A 
congregation  was  waiting  for  him,  whom  he  immediately  addressed 
in  those  awful  words,  "What  is  a  man  profited,  if  he  shall  gain  the 
whole  world  and  lose  his  own  soul." — The  next  day  he  went  to  the 
schools,  where  the  convocation  was  met.  "But,"  says  he,  "I  did 
not  find  that  decency  and  order  which  I  expected.  The  gentleman 
for  whom  I  voted,  was  not  elected :  yet  I  did  not  repent  of  my  com- 
ing ;  I  owe  much  more  than  this  to  that  generous,  friendly  man,  who 
now  rests  from  his  labors."  Mr.  Wesley  means  Dr.  Morley,  who  so 
generously  assisted  him  with  his  interest,  when  he  was  elected  Fel- 
low of  Lincoln-College/^ 

A  year  or  more,  before  this  period,  Mr.  Wesley  had  formed  a  reso- 
lution to  marry.  But  the  affair  coming  to  the  knowledge  of  Mr. 
Charles  Wesley  before  marriage  took  place,  he  found  means  to  prevent 
it;  for  reasons  which  appeared  to  him  of  sufficient  importance  to 
authorize  him  to  interfere  in  the  business.  Mr.  John  Wesley,  how- 
ever, thought  otherwise,  and  this  was  the  first  breach  of  that  union 
and  harmony  which  had  now  subsisted  between  the  two  brothers, 
without  interruption,  for  more  than  twenty  years.  Notwithstanding 
this  disappointment,  Mr.  Wesley  still  continued  in  the  resolution  to 
marry;  and  having  fixed  his  choice  of  a  partner,  he  proposed  the 
matter  to  the  Reverend  Mr.  Perronet,  of  Shoreham.  February  2,  he 
received  Mr.  Perronet's  answer,  who  wrote  as  a  Christian  minister 
ought  to  write,  in  favor  of  marriage.  In  %  few  days  after,  he  married 
Mrs.  Vizelle,  a  widow  lady  of  independent  fortune.  But  before  the 
marriage,  he  took  care  that  her  fortune  should  be  wholly  settled  upon 
herself,  refusing  to  have  the  command  of  one  shilling  of  her  property. 
Mr.  Wesley's  constant  habit  of  travelling  from  place  to  place,  through 
Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  the  number  of  persons  who  came  to  visit 
him  wherever  he  was,  and  his  extensive  correspondence  with  the 
members  of  the  society,  were  circumstances  unfavorable  to  that  social 
intercourse,  mutual  openness  and  confidence,  which  form  the  basis 
cf  happiness  .in  the  married  state.    These  circumstances,  indeed, 

See  vol.  i.  page  245. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


163 


would  not  have  been  so  very  unfavorable,  had  he  married  a  woman 
who  could  have  entered  into  his  views,  and  have  accommodated  her- 
self to  his  situation.  But  this  was  not  the  case.  Had  he  searched 
the  whole  kingdom  on  purpose,  he  would  hardly  have  found  a 
woman  more  unsuitable  in  these  respects,  than  she  whom  he  married. 

Some  years  before  his  marriage,  Mr.  Wesley  had  written  a  small 
tract  in  favor  of  celibacy.  Not  that  he  condemned,  or  even  disap- 
proved of  prudent  marriages,  but  he  thought  celibacy,  to  those  who 
could  live  comfortably  in  it,  more  favorable  to  religious  improvement 
thaa  a  state  of  matrimony.  He  considered  Paul's  advice  to  the 
church  at  Corinth,  as  a  standing  rule  in  all  circumstances  of  Chris- 
tians. It  is  really  wonderful  how  he  could  fall  into  this  error,  as  the 
Apostle  expressly  says,  that  he  gave  that  advice  <^Ki  tj^i]  ipeqsauv 
ui  ayxtjv,  <on  account  of  the  impending  distress ;'  that  is,  on  account  of 
the  persecutions  both  from  Jews  and  Gentiles,  which  already  threat- 
ened the  churches  ;  when  men  and  women  being  dragged  to  prison, 
or  to  death,  it  would  be  more  easy  and  convenient  not  to  be  entangled 
with  the  cares  of  a  family.  It  does  not  appear  however,  that  Mr. 
Wesley,  in  writing  that  tract,  had  any  reference  to  his  own  sit- 
uation in  particular ;  or,  that  he  had  formed  a  resolution  never  to 
marry.  But  had  even  this  been  the  case,  his  marriage  would  only 
show  the  truth  of  the  words  of  Horace,  Naturam  expellas  furca^  tamen 
usque  recurret.  You  may  repel  nature  by  violence,  but  still  she  will 
return  upon  you.  This  is  undoubtedly  true  of  those  propensities 
which  are  purely  natural  and  congenial  to  the  human  constitution. 
Juvenal,  indeed,  asserts  nearly  the  same  thing  of  vicious  habits, 
which  form  a  kind  of  secondary  nature  : 

■  ■  ■  ■    Tamen  ad  mores  natura  recunit 
Damnatos,  fixa  et  mutari  nescia  

This  might  perhaps  be  true,  without  the  light  of  the  gospel,  and  the 
interpositions  of  divine  grace. 

March  27,  Mr.  Wesley  set  out  on  his  northern  journey.  He  travel- 
led through  the  societies  as  far  as  Whitehaven,  and  April  20,  came 
to  Newcastle.  On  the  24th,  he  set  out  with  Mr.  Hopper,  to  pay  his 
first  visit  to  Scotland.  He  was  invited  thither  by  captain  (afterwards 
colonel)  Galatin,  who  was  then  quartered  at  Musselborough.  "  I  had 
no  intention,"  says  he,  "  to  preach  in  Scotland ;  not  imagining  that 
there  were  any  that  desired  I  should.  But  I  was  mistaken.  Curios- 
ity, if  nothing  else,  brought  abundance  of  people  together  in  the  even- 
ing. And  whereas  in  the  kirk,  Mrs.  Galatin  informed  me,  there  used 
to  be  laughing  and  talking,  and  all  the  marks  of  the  grossest  inatten- 
tion ;  it  was  far  otherwise  here.  They  remained  as  statues  from  the 
beginning  of  the  sermon  to  the  end.  I  preached  again  at  six  in  the 
evening,  on,  '  Seek  ye  the  Lord  while  he  may  be  found.'  I  used 
great  plainness  of  speech  towards  high  and  low :  and  they  all  re-  . 


164 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


ceived  it  in  love  :  so  that  the  prejudice  which  had  been  several  years 
planting,  was  torn  up  by  the  roots  in  one  hour.  After  preaching,  one 
of  the  bailiffs  of  the  town,  with  one  of  the  elders  of  the  kirk,  came  to 
me,  and  begged  I  would  stay  with  them  a  while  ;  nay,  if  it  were  but 
two  or  three  days,  and  they  would  fit  up  a  larger  place  than  the 
school,  and  prepare  seats  for  the  congregations.  Had  not  my  time 
been  fixed,  I  should  gladly  have  complied.  All  that  I  could  now  do, 
was  to  give  them  a  promise,  that  Mr.  Hopper  would  come  back  the 
next  week  and  spend  a  few  days  with  them.  And  it  was  not  with- 
out a  fair  prospect.  The  congregations  were  very  numerous  ;  many 
were  cut  to  the  heart ;  and  several  joined  together  in  a  little  society." 

May  15.  Mr.  Wesley  came  to  Leeds.  Here  he  held  a  conference 
with  about  thirty  of  the  preachers.  He  inquired  particularly  into 
their  qualifications,  as  to  their  grace  and  gifts  ;  and  into  the  fruits  of 
their  labors ;  and  tells  us  he  found  no  reason  to  doubt,  except  of  one 
only. 

Mr.  Wesley  had  now  been  married  upwards  of  three  months  :  and 
June  the  1st  he  resigned  his  fellowship.  His  letter  of  resignation  was, 
I  believe,  in  the  words  of  one  of  the  established  forms  of  the  college, 
for  that  purpose.  It  was  as  follows.  Ego  Johannes  Wesley,  Col- 
legii  Lincolniensis  in  Academia  Oxoniensi  Socius,  quicquid  mihi  juris 
est  in  praedicta  Societate,  ejusdem  Rectori  et  Sociis  sponte  ac  libera 
resigno :  illis  universis  et  singulis,  perpetuam  pacem,  ac  omnimodam 
in  Ohristo  felicitatem  exoptans." 


CHAPTER  III. 

OF  MR.  Wesley's  ministerial  labors,  and  the  spread  of  Methodism. 

TILL  the  conference  IN  1770  :  WITH  AN  EXTRACT  FROM  THE  LARGER 
MINUTES  ;  GIVING  A  VIEW  OF  VARIOUS  REGULATIONS  RESPECTING  THE 
PREACHERS,  &C.  &C. 

The  materials  for  this  life  are  so  abundant,  without  having  re- 
course to  Mr.  Wesley's  printed  works;  and  the  present  volume  begins 
to  fill  up  so  very  fast,  that  I  shall  be  obliged  in  future  to  take  but 
little  notice  of  the  journies  of  this  laborious  and  successful  minister  of 
Christ.  Many  papers  have  been  put  into  my  hands  since  the  first 
volume  of  this  work  was  published.  I  shall  not  therefore  be  able  to 
do  more  in  the  remaining  part  of  this  volume,  than  print  such  extracts 
from  the  materials  before  me,  as  may  exhibit  to  our  view  the  most 
striking  features  of  this  great  man's  character,  and  of  the  work  in 
which  he  was  engaged. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


165 


It  has  been  stated  above,  that  Mr.  Charles  Wesley,  in  the  course 
of  the  present  year,  went  into  Yorkshire,  with  a  commission  to  inquire 
more  particularly  into  the  character  and  moral  conduct  of  the  preach- 
ers in  their  several  stations.  He  found  one  or  two,  who  did  not  walk 
worthy  of  the  gospel;  and  several  more  whom  he  thought  utterly 
unqualified  to  preach.  In  the  execution  of  his  commission,  Mr.  John 
Wesley  wrote  to  him  very  frequently.  The  following  are  extracts 
from  some  of  his  letters  on  this  occasion. 

July  17.  "I  fear  for  C.  S  and  J.  C  more  and  more.  I 

have  heard  they  frequently  and  bitterly  rail  against  the  church." — 
On  this  Mr.  Charles  Wesley  puts  the  following  query:  "What  assu- 
rance can  we  have,  that  they  will  not  forsake  it,  at  least  when  we 
are  dead?  Ought  we  to  admit  any  man  for  a  preacher,  till  we  can 
trust  his  invariable  attachment  to  the  church?' 

July  20.  "  The  societies  both  must  and  shall  maintain  the  preach- 
ers we  send  among  them,  or  I  will  preach  among  them  no  more.  The 
least  that  I  can  say  to  any  of  these  preachers,  is,  '  Give  yourself 
wholly  to  the  work,  and  you  shall  have  food  to  eat,  and  raiment  to 
put  on.'  And  I  cannot  see  that  any  preacher  is  called  to  any  people, 
who  will  not  thus  maintain  him.  Almost  everything  depends  on 
you  and  me :  let  nothing  damp  or  hinder  us  :  only  let  us  be  alive,  and 
put  forth  all  our  strength." 

July  24.  "As  to  the  preachers,  my  counsel  is,  not  to  check  the 
young  ones  without  strong  necessity.  If  we  lay  some  aside,  we  must 
have  a  supply ;  and  of  the  two,  I  prefer  grace  before  gifts." — Mr. 
Charles  puts  a  query.  "  Are  not  both  indispensably  necessary  ?  Has 
not  the  cause  suffered,  in  Ireland  especially,  through  the  insufficiency 
— of  the  preachers  ?  Should  we  not  first  regulate,  reform,  and  bring 
into  discipline,  the  preachers  we  have,  before  we  look  for  morel 
Should  we  not  also  watch  and  labor,  to  prevent  the  mischiefs  which 
the  discarded  preachers  may  occasion  ?  " 

July  27.  "What  is  it,  that  has  eaten  out  the  heart  of  half  our 
preachers,  particularly  those  in  Ireland  ?  Absolutely  idleness ;  their 
not  being  constantly  employed.  I  see  it  plainer  and  plainer.  There- 
fore I  beg  you  will  inquire  of  each,  '  How  do  you  spend  your  time 
from  morning  to  evening?'  And  give  him  his  choice, '  Either  follow 
your  trade,  or  resolve  before  God,  to  spend  the  same  hours  in  reading, 
which  you  used  to  spend  in  working.'  " 

August  3.  "I  heartily  concur  with  you,  in  dealing  with  all  (not 
only  with  disorderly  walkers,  but  also)  triflers,  fiaXaxeg,  noXvnQayfiovag^ 

the  efleminate  and  busybodies,  as  with  M.  F  .    I  spoke  to  one 

this  morning,  so  that  I  was  even  amazed  at  myself" 

August  8.  "  We  must  have  forty  itinerant  preachers,  or  drop  some 
of  our  societies.  You  cannot  so  well  judge  of  this,  without  seeing  the 
letters  I  receive  from  all  parts." 

*  Vol.  i.  page  211. 


166 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   JOHN  WESLEY. 


August  15.  "  If  our  preachers  do  not,  nor  will  not,  spend  all  their 
time  in  study  and  saving  souls,  they  must  be  employed  close  in  other 
work,  or  perish." 

August  17.  "  C.  S  pleads  for  a  kind  of  aristocracy,  and  says 

you  and  I,  should  do  nothing  without  the  consent  of  all  the  preachers : 
otherwise  we  govern  arbitrarily,  to  which  they  cannot  submit. 
Whence  is  this?" 

August  24.  "0  that  you  and  I,  may  arise  and  stand  upright  !  I 
quite  agree  with  you :  let  us  have  but  six,  so  we  are  all  one.  I  have 
sent  one  more  home  to  his  work.  We  may  trust  God  to  send  forth 
more  laborers ;  only  be  not  unwilling  to  receive  them,  when  there  is 
reasonable  proof  that  he  has  sent  them." 

August  21,  Mr.  Wesley  wrote  thus  to  a  friend.  ''I  see  plainly  the 
spirit  of  Ham  if  not  of  Corah,  has  fully  possessed  several  of  our 
preachers.  So  much  the  more  freely  and  firmly,  do  I  acquiesce  in 
the  determination  of  my  brother,  '  That  it  is  far  better  for  us  to 
have  ten.  or  six  preachers  who  are  alive  to  God,  sound  in  the  faith, 
and  of  one  heart  with  us  and  with  one  another,  than  fifty  of  whom 
we  have  no  such  assurance.'  " 

In  August,  Mr.  Charles  Wesley  wrote  to  his  brother  under  great 
oppression  of  mind,  and  in  very  strong  language.  Wherever  he  saw 
some  things  wrong,  his  fears  suggested  to  him  that  there  might  be  many 
more  which  he  did  not  see  ;  and  the  natural  warmth  of  his  temper,  led 
him  to  use  expressions  abundantly  more  severe  than  the  case  required. 
But  the  preachers  against  whom  he  had  no  material  charge,  but  want 
of  qualifications  for  their  office,  had  nothing  more  to  do,  than  write  to 
Mr.  John  Wesley,  a  letter  of  humiliation  and  entire  submission,  and 
the  matter  was  settled  with  him,  and  he  would  give  them  fresh 
encouragement.  This  conduct  of  Mr.  John  Wesley,  made  his  brother 
appear  as  an  enemy  to  the  preachers,  and  himself  as  their  protector 
and  friend ;  which  was  another  means  of  weakening  the  union  that 
had  long  subsisted  between  them. 

Being  returned  to  London,  the  two  brothers  went  down  to  Shore- 
ham,  in  ^Vovember,  and  talked  the  matter  over  in  the  presence  of  Mr. 
Perronet.  They  both  expressed  their  entire  satisfaction  in  the  end 
which  each  had  in  view ;  namely,  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  salva- 
tion of  souls.  They  both  acknowledged  their  sincerity  in  desiring 
union  between  themselves,  as  the  means  to  that  end ;  and  after  much 
conversation,  they  both  agreed  to  act  in  concert  with  respect  to  the 
preachers,  so  that  neither  of  them  should  admit  or  refuse  any,  but 
such  as  both  admitted  or  refused. — About  six  weeks  afterwards,  they 
were  at  Shoreham  again,  and  then  signed  the  following  articles  of 
agreement : 

With  regard  to  the  preachers,  we  agree, 

1.  ''That  none  shall  be  permitted  to  preach  in  any  of  our  societies, 
till  he  be  examined,  both  as  to  his  grace  and  gifts ;  at  least  by  the 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


167 


assistant,  who  sending  word  to  us,  may  by  our  answer  admit  him  a 
local  preacher. 

2.  That  such  preacher  be  not  immediately  taken  from  his  trade, 
but  be  exhorted  to  follow  it  with  all  diligence. 

3.  "That  no  person  shall  be  received  as  a  travelling  preacher,  or 
be  taken  from  his  trade,  by  either  of  us  alone,  but  by  both  of  us  con- 
jointly, giving  him  a  note  under  both  our  hands. 

4.  "That  neither  of  us  will  re-admit  a  travelling  preacher  laid 
aside,  without  the  consent  of  the  other. 

5.  "  That  if  we  should  disagree  in  our  judgment,  we  will  refer  the 
matter  to  Mr.  Perronet. 

6.  "  That  we  will  entirely  be  patterns  of  all  we  expect  from  every 
preacher;  particularly  of  zeal,  diligence,  and  punctuality  in  the 
work:  by  constantly  preaching  and  meeting  the  society;  by  visiting 
yearly,  Ireland,  Cornwall,  and  the  north ;  and  in  general  by  superin- 
tending the  whole  work,  and  every  branch  of  it,  with  all  the  strength 
which  God  shall  give  us.  We  agree  to  the  above  written,  till  this 
day  next  year,  in  the  presence  of  Mr.  Perronet. 

"  John  Wesley, 

"  Charles  Wesley."=^ 

Mr.  John  Wesley  was  prevailed  upon,  with  some  difficulty,  to  sign 
these  articles.  But  though  he  did  at  length  sign  them,  they  produced 
no  good  effect.  Mr.  Wesley  would  not  submit  to  any  control  in 
admitting  preachers  into  the  connexion,  in  appointing  them  to  the 
different  circuits,  or  in  governing  the  societies.  It  appears  to  me, 
that,  after  the  first  difference  with  his  brother,  who  disappointed  his 
intended  marriage,  he  made  up  his  mind  not  to  suffer  either  a  supe- 
rior or  an  equal  in  these  respects.  From  that  time  he  seemed  deter- 
mined to  be,  aut  CcBsar  aut  nihil.  Mr.  Charles,  perceiving  his  broth- 
er's determination,  and  finding  that  the  preachers  became  more  and 
more  prejudiced  against  him,  thought  it  most  prudent  to  withdraw 
from  the  active  situation  he  had  hitherto  held  amongst  them ;  reserv- 
ing to  himself,  however,  the  right  of  speaking  his  mind  freely  to  his 
brother  in  a  friendly  correspondence,  on  various  occasions  through 
the  remaining  part  of  life. 

About  this  time  Mr.  Wesley  received  a  letter  from  the  Reverend 
Mr.  Milner,  who  had  been  at  Chester,  and  writes  as  follows,  on  the 
temper  of  the  bishop  towards  the  Methodists.  "  The  bishop,"  says 
he,  "I  was  told,  was  exceeding  angry  at  my  late  excursion  into  the 
north  in  your  company.  But  found  his  lordship  in  much  better  tem- 
per than  I  was  bid  to  expect  by  my  brother  Graves,  who  was  so 
prudent,  that  he  would  not  go  with  one  so  obnoxious  to  the  bishop's 
displeasure,  and  all  the  storm  of  anger  fell  upon  him.    When  he  told 

*  This  and  several  other  articles  that  will  be  inserted  in  this  volume,  have  been  trans- 
cribed from  Mr.  Charles  Wesley's  papers  written  in  short-hand ;  which  were  put  into  my 
hands  after  the  first  volume  was  published. 


168 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


me  how  he  had  been  treated,  for  speaking  in  your  de fence,  I  was  fully 
persuaded  all  the  bitterness  was  past,  and  accordingly  found  it. — 
I  told  his  lordship  that  God  was  with  you  of  a  truth ;  and  he  seemed 
pleased  with  the  relation  of  the  conversion  of  the  barber  at  Bolton : 
and  with  your  design  of  answering  Taylor's  book  on  Original  Sin. — 
I  have  made  no  secret  of  your  manner  of  proceeding,  to  any  with 
whom  I  have  conversed,  since  I  had  the  happiness  of  being  in  your 
company.  And  to  the  bishop  I  was  very  particular  in  telling  him, 
what  an  assembly  of  worshippers  there  is  at  Newcastle  :  how  plainly 
the  badge  of  Christianity,  love^  is  there  to  be  seen.  When  his  lordship 
talked  about  order,  I  begged  leave  to  observe  that  1  had  nowhere  seen 
such  a  want  of  it,  as  in  his  own  cathedral;  the  preacher  so  miserably 
at  a  loss,  that  the  children  took  notice  of  it :  and  the  choristers  so 
rude,  as  to  be  talking  and  thrusting  one  another  with  their  elbows. 
At  last  I  told  him,  there  was  need  of  some  extraordinary  messengers 
from  God,  to  call  us  back  to  the  doctrines  of  the  reformation ;  for  I 
did  not  know  one  of  my  brethren  in  Lancashire,  that  would  give  the 
church's  definition  of  faith,  and  stand  to  it. — And  alas,  I  had  sad 
experience  of  the  same  falUng  away  in  Cheshire :  for  one  of  his  son's 
curates  would  not  let  me  preach  for  him  because  of  that  definition  of 
faith." 

In  the  ensuing  year,  Mr.  Wesley  continued  his  labors  and  travels, 
with  the  same  vigor  and  diligence,  through  various  parts  of  England 
and  Ireland.  February,  1753,  he  makes  the  following  observations. 
"I  now  looked  over  Mr.  Prince's  history.  What  an  amazing  differ- 
ence is  there,  in  the  manner  wherein  God  has  carried  on  his  work  in 
England,  and  in  America !  There  above  an  hundred  of  the  estab- 
lished clergy,  men  of  age  and  experience,  and  of  the  greatest  note  for 
sense  and  learning  in  those  parts,  are  zealously  engaged  in  the  work. 
Here,  almost  the  whole  body  of  aged,  experienced,  learned  clergy, 
are  zealously  engaged  against  it :  and  few  but  a  handful  of  raw, 
young  men  engaged  in  it,  without  name,  learning,  or  eminent  sense ! 
And  yet  by  that  large  number  of  honorable  men,  the  work  seldom 
flourished  above  six  months  at  a  time,  and  then  followed  a  lamenta- 
ble and  general  decay,  before  the  next  revival  of  it :  whereas  that 
which  God  hath  wrought  by  these  despised  instruments,  has  contin- 
ually increased  for  fifteen  years  together :  and  at  whatever  time  it 
has  declined  in  any  one  place,  it  has  more  eminently  flourished  in 
others." 

In  April,  he  set  out  again  for  Scotland ;  not  indeed  for  Musselbo- 
rough,  but  to  Glasgow,  to  which  place  he  was  invited  by  the  pious 
and  laborious  Mr.  Gillies,  minister  at  the  college-kirk.  He  staid  here 
five  days,  preaching  to  very  large  and  attentive  congregations.  Soon 
after  he  left  Glasgow,  Mr.  Gillies  wrote  to  him  as  follows: — "The 
singing  of  hymns  here,  meets  with  greater  opposition  than  I  expected. 
Serious  people  are  much  divided.  Those  of  better  understanding  and 
education,  are  silent ;  but  many  others  are  so  prejudiced,  especially 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


169^ 


at  the  singing  publicly,  that  they  speak  openly  against  it,  and  look 
upon  me  as  left  to  do  a  very  wrong  or  sinful  thing.  I  beg  your 
advice,  whether  to  answer  them  only  by  continuing  in  the  practice 
of  the  thing,  with  such  as  have  freedom  to  join,  looking  to  the  Lord 
for  a  blessing  upon  his  own  ordinance  :  or,  if  I  should  publish  a  sheet 
of  arguments  from  reason,  and  Scripture,  and  the  example  of  the 
godly. — Your  experience  of  the  most  effectual  way  of  dealing  with 
people's  prejudices,  makes  your  advice  on  this  head  of  the  greater 
importance. 

"1  bless  the  Lord  for  the  benefit  and  comfort  of  your  acquaint- 
ance :  for  your  important  assistance  in  my  Historical  Collections,  and 
for  your  edifying  conversation  and  sermons  in  this  place.  May  our 
gracious  God  prosper  you  wherever  you  are.  O  my  dear  sir,  pray 
for  your  brother,  that  I  may  be  employed  in  doing  something  for  the 
advancement  of  his  glory,  who  has  done  so  much  for  me,  and  who 
is  my  only  hope." 

In  July,  after  one  of  the  preachers  had  been  there  for  some  time, 
Mr.  Wesley  crossed  over  from  Portsmouth  to  the  Isle  of  Wight. 
From  Cowes,  they  went  forward  to  Newport,  the  chief  town  of  the 
Isle.  Here  they  found  a  little  society  in  tolerable  order ;  several  of 
whom  had  found  peace  with  God,  and  walked  in  the  light  of  his 
countenance.  At  half  an  hour  after  six  he  preached  in  the  market- 
place to  a  numerous  congregation  :  but  many  of  them  were  remark- 
ably ill-behaved.  The  children  made  such  noise :  and  many  grown 
persons  were  talking  aloud  most  of  the  time  he  was  preaching. 
''There  was,"  says  Mr.  Wesley,  "a  large  congregation  again  at  five 
in  the  morning :  and  every  person  therein,  seemed  to  know  that  this 
was  the  word  whereby  God  would  judge  him  in  the  last  day.  In 
the  evening  the  congregation  was  more  numerous,  and  far  more  seri- 
ous than  the  night  before ;  only  one  drunken  man  made  a  little  dis- 
turbance, but  the  mayor  ordered  him  to  be  taken  away.  In  October. 
I  visited  them  again,  and  spent  three  or  four  days  with  much  com- 
fort; finding  those  who  had  before  professed  to  find  peace,  had 
walked  suitably  to  their  profession." 

To  know  the  whole  of  a  man's  character,  it  is  not  sufficient  to 
view  him  as  he  always  appears  before  the  public ;  we  wish  to  see 
him  in  his  more  retired  moments,  and  particularly  in  his  private  cor^ 
respondence.  The  two  following  letters  will  show  Mr.  Wesley's 
temper  in  answering  charges  that  were  privately  brought  against 
him,  either  from  prejudice  or  misapprehension.  "  You  give,"  says  he, 
"five  reasons  why  the  Reverend  Mr.  P.  will  come  no  more  amongst 
us:  1.  '  Because  we  despise  the  ministers  of  the  Church  of  England.* 
— ^This  I  flatly  deny.  I  am  answering  letters  this  very  post,  which 
bitterly  blame  me  for  just  the  contrary.  2.  '  Because  so  much  back- 
biting, and  evil-speaking  is  suffered  amongst  our  people.' — It  is  not 
suffered :  all  possible  means  are  used,  both  to  prevent  and  remove  it. 

VOL.  n.  15  22 


170  THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 

3.  '  Because  I,  who  have  written  so  much  against  hoarding  up  money, 
have  put  out  seven  hundred  pounds  to  interest.' — I  never  put  sixpence 
out  to  interest  since  I  was  born ;  nor  had  I  ever  one  hundred  pounds 
together,  my  own,  since  I  came  into  the  world.  4.  '  Because  our 
lay-preachers  have  told  many  stories  of  my  brother  and  me.' — If 
they  did  I  am  sorry  for  them :  when  I  hear  the  particulars  I  can 
answer,  and  perhaps  make  those  ashamed  who  believed  them.  5. 
'  Because  we  did  not  help  a  friend  in  distress.' — We  did  help  him  as 
far  as  we  were  able.  '  But  we  might  have  made  his  case  known  to 
Mr.  G — ,  lady  H — ,  &c.'  So  we  did  more  than  once;  but  we  could 
not  pull  money  from  them  whether  they  would  or  no.  Therefore 
these  reasons  are  of  no  weight. — You  conclude  with  praying  that 
God  would  remove  pride  and  malice  from  amongst  us.  Of  pride  1 
have  too  much;  of  malice  I  have  none:  however  the  prayer  is  good 
and  I  thank  you  for  it." 

The  other  letter  from  which  I  shall  give  an  extract,  was  written 
apparently  to  a  gentleman  of  some  rank  and  influence.  "  Some  time 
since,"  says  Mr.  Wesley,  "I  was  considering  what  you  said,  concerning 
the  want  of  a  plan  in  our  societies.  There  is  a  good  deal  of  truth  in 
this  remark.  For  though  we  have  a  plan,  as  to  our  spiritual  economy 
(the  several  branches  of  which  are  particularly  recited  in  the  plain 
account  of  the  people  called  Methodists)  yet  it  is  certain,  we  have 
barely  the  first  outlines  of  a  plan  with  regard  to  our  temporal  concerns. 
The  reason  is,  I  had  no  design  for  several  years,  to  concern  myself 
with  temporals  at  all :  and  when  I  began  to  do  this,  it  was  wholly 
and  solely  with  a  view  to  relieve,  not  employ,  the  poor ;  except  now 
and  then,  with  respect  to  a  small  number;  and  even  this  I  found  was 
too  great  a  burden  for  me,  as  requiring  more  money,  more  time,  and 
more  thought,  than  I  could  possibly  spare.  I  say,  than  I  could  pos- 
sibly spare  :  for  the  whole  weight  lay  on  me.  If  I  left  it  to  others,  it 
surely  came  to  nothing.  They  wanted  either  understanding,  or 
industry,  or  love,  or  patience,  to  bring  any  thing  to  perfection. 

^'  Thus  far  I  thought  it  needful  to  explain  myself  with  regard  to 
the  economy  of  our  society.  I  am  still  to  speak  of  your  case,  of  my 
own,  and  of  some  who  are  dependent  upon  me. 

"I  do  not  recollect,  for  I  kept  no  copy  of  my  last,  that  I  charged 
you  with  want  of  humility,  or  meekness.  Doubtless  these  may  be 
found  in  the  most  splendid  palaces.  But  did  they  ever  move  a  man 
to  build  a  splendid  palace  ?  Upon  what  motive  you  did  this,  I  know 
not :  but  you  are  to  answer  it  to  God,  not  to  me. 

If  your  soul  is  as  much  ahve  to  God,  if  your  thirst  after  pardon 
and  holiness  is  as  strong,  if  you  are  as  dead  to  the  desire  of  the  eye 
and  the  pride  of  life,  as  you  were  six  or  seven  years  ago,  I  rejoice ;  if 
not,  I  pray  God  you  may ;  and  then  you  will  know  how  to  value  a 
real  friend. 

"  With  regard  to  myself,  you  do  well  to  warn  me  against  '  popu- 
larity, a  thirst  of  power,  and  of  applause  ;  against  envy,  producing  a 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


171 


seeming  contempt  for  the  conveniences  or  grandeur  of  this  life  ;  against 
an  affected  hiimiUty ;  against  sparing  from  myself  to  give  to  others, 
from  no  other  motive  than  ostentation.'  I  am  not  conscious  to  myself 
that  this  is  my  case.  However,  the  warning  is  always  friendly ;  and 
it  is  always  seasonable,  considering  how  deceitful  my  heart  is,  and 
how  many  the  enemies  that  surround  me. — What  follows  I  do  not 
understand.  You  behold  me  in  the  ditch,  wherein  you  helped, 
though  innocently,  to  cast  me,  and  with  a  levitical  pity,  '  passing  by  on 
the  other  side.' — '  He  and  you,  sir,  have  not  any  merit,  though  Prov- 
idence should  permit  all  these  sufferings  to  work  together  for  my 
good.' — I  do  not  comprehend  one  line  of  this,  and  therefore  cannot 

plead  either  guilty,  or  not  guilty.  1  presume,  they  are  some  that 

are  dependent  on  me,  '  Who,  you  say,  keep  not  the  commandments 
of  God;  who  show  a  repugnance  to  serve  and  obey;  who  are  as  full 
of  pride  and  arrogance,  as  of  filth  and  nastiness ;  who  do  not  pay 
lawful  debts,  nor  comply  with  civil  obligations ;  who  make  the  wait- 
ing on  the  otficers  of  religion,  a  plea  for  sloth  and  idleness;  who  after 
I  had  strongly  recommended  them,  did  not  perform  their  moral  duty, 
but  increased  the  number  of  those  incumbrances  which  they  forced 
on  you,  against  your  will.' — To  this,  I  can  only  say,  1.  I  know  not 
whom  you  mean ;  I  am  not  certain  that  I  can  so  much  as  guess  at 
one  of  them.  2.  Whoever  they  are,  had  they  followed  my  instruc- 
tions, they  would  have  acted  in  a  quite  different  manner.  3.  If  you 
will  tell  me  them  by  name,  1  will  renounce  all  fellowship  with  them." 
— This  letter  gives  us  a  pleasing  view  of  the  command  Mr.  Wesley 
had  acquired  over  his  own  temper;  nothing  but  kindness  and  civility 
appear  in  it ;  there  is  no  keen  retort  for  any  charge  brought  against 
himself;  and  nothing  but  tender  concern  for  those  who  had  not  acted 
worthy  of  the  character  which  he  had  given  them. 

October  19,  Mr.  Wesley  returned  to  London,  and  the  next  day  found 
himself  out  of  order.  In  a  short  time  his  complaint  put  on  the  appear- 
ance of  an  ague.  Before  he  was  perfectly  recovered,  he  once  or 
twice  catched  cold,  and  was  presently  threatened  with  a  rapid  con- 
sumption. November  26,  Dr.  Fothergill  told  him  he  must  not  stay  in 
town  one  day  longer:  that  if  any  thing  would  do  him  good,  it  must 
be  the  country  air,  with  rest,  ass's  milk,  and  riding  daily.  In  con- 
sequence of  this  advice  he  retired  to  Lewisham.  Here,  not  knowing 
how  it  might  please  God  to  dispose  of  him,  and  wishing  "  to  prevent 
vile  panegyrick  "  in  case  of  death,  he  wrote  as  follows : 

"  Here  lieth 
The  body  of  John  Wesley, 
A  brand  plucked  out  of  the  burning : 
Who  died  of  a  consumption  in  the  fifty-first  year  of  his  age. 
Not  leaving,  after  his  debts  are  paid,  ten  pounds  behind  him : 

Praying, 

God  be  merciful  to  me  an  unprofitable  servant !  " 


172 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


''He  ordered  that  this,  if  any  inscription,  should  be  placed  on  his 
tomb-stone." 

January  1,  1754,  he  returned  to  London,  and  the  next  day  set  out 
for  the  Hot  Wells,  near  Bristol,  to  drink  the  water.  On  the  6th,  he 
began  writing  notes  on  the  New  Testament;  "A  work,"  says  he, 
"  I  should  scarce  ever  have  attempted,  had  I  not  been  so  ill  as  not  to 
be  able  to  travel  or  preach,  and  yet  so  well  as  to  be  able  to  read  and 
write." — In  April,  he  returned  to  London,  and  immediately  retired  to 
Paddington.  Here  he  observes,  "In  my  hours  of  walking,  I  read 
Dr.  Calamy's  Abridgment  of  Mr.  Baxter's  Life."^  What  a  scene  is 
opened  here  !  In  spite  of  all  the  prejudice  of  education,  I  could  not 
but  see,  that  the  poor  Nonconformists  had  been  used  without  either 
justice  or  mercy :  and  that  many  of  the  Protestant  bishops  of  King 
Charles,  had  neither  more  religion  nor  humanity,  tlian  the  Popish 

*  Richard  Baxter,  an  eminent  divine  among  the  Nonconformists,  was  born  at  Rowton 
in  Shropshire,  November  12,  1615.  He  distinguished  himself  by  his  examplary  life,  his 
pacific  and  moderate  principles,  and  his  numerous  writings.  Upon  the  opening  of  the  long 
parliament,  he  was  chosen  vicar  of  Kidderminster.  When  Oliver  Cromwell  was  made 
Protector,  he  would  by  no  means  comply  with  his  measures,  though  he  preached  once 
before  him.  He  came  to  London  just  before  the  deposing  of  Richard  Cromwell,  and 
preached  before  the  parliament,  the  day  before  they  voted  the  return  of  King  Charles  H. 
who,  upon  his  restoration,  appointed  him  one  of  his  chaplains  in  ordinary.  He  assisted  at 
the  Conference  in  the  Savoy,  as  one  of  the  commissioners  for  stating  the  fundamentals  in 
religion,  and  then  drew  up  a  reformed  Liturgy.  He  was  offered  the  bishoprick  of  Here- 
ford ;  but  this  he  refused,  desiring  no  higher  preferment  than  to  be  continued  the  minister 
of  Kidderminster.  He  did  not  obtain,  however,  his  humble  request,  being  not  permitted  to 
preach  there,  above  twice  or  thrice  after  the  restoration.  In  1662,  Mr.  Baxter  was  married 
to  Margaret  Charleton,  the  daughter  of  Francis  Charleton,  Esq.  of  the  county  of  Salop, 
who  was  esteemed  one  of  the  best  justices  of  the  peace  in  the  county.  She  was  a  woman 
of  great  piety,  and  fully  entered  into  her  husband's  views  of  religion.  In  1682,  he  was 
seized  for  coming  within  five  miles  of  a  corporation  :  and  in  the  reign  of  King  James  II. 
he  was  committed  to  the  King's  Bench  prison,  and  tried  before  the  infamous  Jefiries  for 
his  paraphrase  on  the  New  Testament,  Avhich,  in  the  true  spirit  of  the  times,  was  called  a 
scandalovs  and  seditious  book  against  the  government.  He  continued  in  prison  two  years, 
when  he  was  discharged,  and  had  his  fine  remitted  by  the  king.  He  died  in  December, 
1691. 

Mr.  Baxter  was  honored  with  the  friendship  of  some  of  the  greatest  and  best  men  in  the 
kingdom  ;  as  the  earl  of  Balcarras,  lord  chief  justice  Hales.  Dr.  Tillotson,  &c.  He  wrote 
above  one  hundred  and  twenty  books,  and  had  above  sixty  written  against  him.  The 
former,  however,  were  greatly  superior  to  the  latter,  since  Dr.  Barrow,  an  excellent  judge, 
says,  that  "His  practical  writings  were  never  mended,  his  controversial  seldom  refuted." 

Mr.  Granger  says,  "  Richard  Baxter  was  a  man  famous  for  weakness  of  body  and 
strength  of  mind  ;  for  having  the  strongest  sense  of  religion  himself,  and  exciting  a  sense 
of  it  in  the  thoughtless  and  profligate.  He  spoke,  disputed,  and  wrote  with  ease  ;  and 
discovered  the  same  intrepidity,  when  he  reproved  Cromwell  and  expostulated  with 
Charles  II.  as  when  he  preached  to  a  congregation  of  mechanics.  He  was  just  the  same 
man  before  he  went  into  a  prison,  while  he  was  in  it,  and  when  he  came  out  of  it.  This 
is  a  very  imperfect  sketch  of  Mr.  Baxter's  character :  men  of  his  size  are  not  to  be  drawn 
in  miniature."  Among  his  most  famous  works  were,  1.  The  Saint's  Everlasting  Rest. 
2.  Call  to  the  unconverted,  of  which  twenty  thousand  were  sold  in  one  year;  and  it  was 
translated,  not  only  into  all  the  European  tongues,  but  into  the  Indian.  3.  Poor  Man's 
Family  Book.  4.  Dying  Thoughts.  5.  A  Paraphrase  on  the  New  Testament.  His 
practical  works  have  been  printed  in  four  volumes,  folio. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   JOHN  WESLEY. 


173 


bishops  of  Queen  Mary." — On  reading  Mr.  Baxter's  history  of  the 
councils,  Mr.  Wesley  uses  very  strong  words  indeed.  ''It  is  utterly 
astonishing,"  says  he,  "  and  would  be  wholly  incredible,  but  that  his 
vouchers  are  beyond  all  exception.  What  a  company  of  execrable 
wretches  have  they  been  (one  cannot  give  them  a  milder  title)  who 
have,  almost  in  every  age  since  St.  Cyprian,  taken  upon  them  to 
govern  the  Church  !  How  has  one  council  been  perpetually  cursing 
another ;  and  delivering  all  over  to  satan,  whether  predecessors  or 
cotemporaries  who  did  not  implicitly  receive  their  determinations, 
though  generally  trifling,  sometimes  false,  and  frequently  unintelligi- 
ble, or  self-contradictory!  Surely  Mahometanism  was  let  loose  to 
reform  the  Christians  !  I  know  not,  but  Constantinople  has  gained  by 
the  change." — It  is  natural  to  observe  here  what  the  history  of  man- 
kind uniformly  shows,  that,  where  the  people  have  no  balance  of 
power  in  the  government  of  the  church,  or  of  religious  societies,  to  be 
used  as  a  check  against  any  undue  influence  of  their  teachers,  the 
ministers,  or  preachers  of  the  gospel,  become  in  the  end  haughty, 
tyrannical,  and  intolerant;  and  their  councils,  assemblies,  or  confer- 
ences, degenerate  into  mere  combinations  against  the  natural  rights 
and  liberties  of  those  over  whom  they  assume  any  authority. 

May  6,  1755,  the  Conference  began  at  Leeds.  "The  point,"  says 
Mr.  Wesley,  "on  which  we  desired  all  the  preachers  to  speak  their 
minds  at  large,  was,  whether  we  ought  to  separate  from  the  church  7 
What  was  advanced  on  one  side  or  the  other,  was  seriously  and 
calmly  considered :  and  on  the  third  day  we  were  all  fully  agreed  in 
that  general  conclusion,  That  whether  it  was  lawful  or  not,  it  was 
no  ways  expedient." 

On  the  13th,  he  rode  on  to  Newcastle,  where  he  did  not  find  things 
in  the  order  he  expected.  "  Many,"  says  he.  "  were  on  the  point  of 
leaving  the  church,  which  some  had  done  already ;  and  as  they  sup- 
posed on  my  authority !  O  how  much  discord  is  caused  by  one 
jarring  string  !  How  much  trouble  by  one  man.  who  does  not  walk 
by  the  same  rule,  and  agree  in  the  same  judgment  with  his  brethren." 
— It  appears  from  these  words,  that  some  unjustifiable  arts  had  already 
been  made  use  of,  to  unsettle  the  minds  of  the  people.  How  infectious 
is  such  a  disease !    Yet  I  hope  it  has  not  become  epidemic. 

Mr.  Wesley  proceeds.  "August  6,1  mentioned  to  our  congrega- 
tion in  London,  a  means  of  increasing  serious  religion,  which  had 
been  frequently  practised  by  our  forefathers,  the  joining  in  a  cove- 
nant to  serve  God  with  all  our  heart  and  with  all  our  soul.  I 
explained  this  for  several  mornings  following;  and  on  Friday  many 
of  us  kept  a  fast  unto  the  Lord,  beseeching  him  to  give  us  wisdom 
and  strength,  that  we  might  'promise  unto  the  Lord  our  God  and 
keep  it.'  On  Monday  at  six  in  the  evening  we  met  for  that  purpose, 
at  the  French  church  in  Spital fields.  After  I  had  recited  the  tenor  of 
the  covenant  proposed,  in  the  words  of  that  blessed  man,  Richard 
15^ 


m 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


Allerij  all  the  people  stood  up,  in  token  of  assent,  to  the  number  of 
about  eighteen  hundred.  Such  a  night  I  scarce  ever  knew  before. 
Surely  the  fruit  of  it  shall  remain  forever." — The  covenant  has  been 
renewed  once  every  year,  I  believe,  since  this  period. 

January,  1756.  The  general  expectation  of  public  calamities  in 
the  ensuing  year,  spread  a  general  seriousness  over  the  nation.  "We 
endeavored,"  says  Mr.  Wesley,  ''in  every  part  of  the  kingdom,  to 
avail  ourselves  of  the  apprehensions  which  we  frequently  found  it 
was  impossible  to  remove,  in  order  to  make  them  conducive  to  a 
nobler  end,  to  that  '  fear  of  the  Lord  which  is  the  beginning  of 
wisdom.'  And  at  this  season  I  wrote,  'An  Address  to  the  Clergy,' 
which,  considering  the  situation  of  public  affairs,  I  judged  would  be 
more  seasonable,  and  more  easily  borne,  at  this  time  than  at  any 
other." — February  6,  "The  fast-day  was  a  glorious  day,  every 
church  in  the  city  was  more  than  full :  and  a  solemn  seriousness  sat 
on  every  face.  Surely  God  heareth  the  prayer :  and  there  will  yet 
be  a  '  lengthening  of  our  tranquillity.' — Even  the  Jews  observed  this 
day  with  a  peculiar  solemnity.  The  form  of  prayer  which  was  used 
in  their  synagogue,  began,  'Come  and  let  us  return  unto  the  Lord; 
for  he  hath  torn  and  he  will  heal  us;'  and  concluded  with  those 
remarkable  words :  '  Incline  the  heart  of  our  sovereign  lord  King 
George,  as  well  as  the  hearts  of  his  lords  and  counsellors,  to  use  us 
kindly,  and  all  our  brethren  the  children  of  Israel :  that  in  his  days 
and  in  our  days  we  may  see  the  restoration  of  Judah,  and  that  Israel 
may  dwell  in  safety,  and  the  Redeemer  may  come  to  Zion.  May  it 
be  thy  will !    And  we  all  say  Amen." 

In  the  latter  end  of  March,  he  visited  Ireland  again,  and  after  see- 
ing the  societies  in  Leinster  and  Munster,  went  with  Mr.  Walsh  into 
the  province  of  Connaught.  July  19,  he  first  set  foot  into  the  pro- 
vince of  Ulster.  But  several  of  the  preachers  had  been  laboring  in 
various  parts  of  it  for  some  years,  and  had  seen  much  fruit  of  their 
labors.  Many  sinners  had  been  convinced  of  the  error  of  their  ways; 
many,  truly  converted  to  God  :  and  a  considerable  number  of  these, 
had  united  together  in  order  to  strengthen  each  other's  hands  in  God. 

August  25,  Mr.  Wesley  came  to  Bristol,  where  he  found  about  fifty 
preachers,  who  had  come  from  various  parts  of  the  country  to  hold 
a  Conference,  which  was  opened  the  next  day.  The  rules  of  the 
society,  the  band  rules,  and  the  rules  of  Kings  wood  School,  were  sev- 
erally read  and  re-considered,  and  it  was  agreed  to  observe  and 
enforce  them. 

The  first  and  leading  principle  in  the  economy  of  Methodism,  from 
its  commencement  to  the  present  time,  was  not  to  form  the  people 
into  a  separate  party ;  but  to  leave  every  individual  member  of  the 
society  at  full  liberty  to  continue  in  his  former  religious  connexion : 
nay,  leaving  every  one  under  a  kind  of  necessity  of  doing  so,  for  the 
ordinance  of  baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper.    Having  established 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


175 


their  societies  on  this  principle,  the  Methodists  became  a  kind  of 
middle  link  between  all  the  religious  parties  in  the  nation,  gently 
drawing  them  nearer  together  by  uniting  them  all  in  the  interests  of 
experimental  religion  and  scriptural  holiness.  They  formed  a  kind 
of  central  point,  from  which  the  rays  of  gospel  light  issued  forth,  not 
in  one  direction  alone,  to  eradiate  only  one  point  of  their  circumfer- 
ence, but  in  all  directions,  equally  enlightening  every  part  of  their 
periphery.  But  two  or  three  of  the  preachers,  who  had  acquired 
some  influence  with  the  people,  had  for  some  time  been  dissatisfied 
with  this  middle  situation  ;  the  being  no  party,  but  standing  in  an 
equal  relation  to  all,  as  felloio-helpers  to  the  truth.  We  may  observe, 
that  this  dissatisfaction  originated  with  a  few  ambitious  preachers, 
and  from  them  spread,  like  a  contagious  disease,  to  the  people.  This 
was  the  case  at  first,  and  has  always  been  the  case  since,  wherever 
the  people  have  desired  any  alteration  in  the  original  constitution  of 
the  Methodist  societies.  The  method  of  proceeding,  even  to  the 
present  time,  to  effect  their  purpose,  is  rather  curious,  and  shows  to 
what  wretched  means  men  will  sometimes  resort,  to  support  a  bad 
cause.  For  as  soon  as  these  preachers  had  by  various  arts,  influ- 
enced a  few  persons  in  any  society  to  desire  to  receive  the  Lord's 
Supper  from  them,  they  pleaded  this  circumstance  as  a  reason  why 
the  innovation  should  take  place ;  pretending  they  only  wished  to 
satisfy  the  desires  of  the  people,  not  their  own  restless  ambition.  As 
a  vast  majority  in  these  societies  were  members  of  the  Church  of 
England,  so  the  forming  of  the  Methodists  into  a  separate  party,  was 
called  a  separating  them  from  the  church;  though  it  evidently 
implied  a  change  in  their  relative  situation  to  all  denominations  of 
Dissenters,  as  much  as  to  the  church.  The  clamor,  however,  for  a 
separation  from  the  church,  had  been  raised  so  high  by  a  few  of  the 
preachers,  that  the  subject  was  fully  discussed  for  two  or  three  days 
together,  at  this  Conference;  and  Mr.  Wesley  observes,  "My  brother 
and  I  closed  the  Conference  by  a  solemn  declaration  of  our  purpose 
never  to  separate  from  the  church." 

The  regular  clergy,  who  had  embraced  the  leading  doctrines  of  the 
Methodists,  generally  disapproved  of  lay-preachers,  and  of  the  plan 
of  itinerancy ;  fearing,  with  the  rest  of  the  clergy,  that  in  the  end  a 
large  rent  would  be  made  from  the  established  church.  In  Septem- 
ber, Mr.  Wesley  received  a  letter  on  this  subject  from  the  reverend 
and  pious  Mr.  Walker  of  Truro,  pressing  him  to  get  the  ablest 
preachers  ordained,  and  to  fix  the  rest  in  different  societies,  not  as 
preachers  but  as  readers,  and  thus  break  up  the  itinerant  plan.  Mr. 
Wesley  answered,  "  I  have  one  point  in  view,  to  promote,  so  far  as  I 
am  able,  vital,  practical  religion ;  and  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  beget, 
preserve,  and  increase,  the  life  of  God  in  the  souls  of  men.  On  this 
single  principle  I  have  hitherto  proceeded,  and  taken  no  step  but  in 
subserviency  to  it.    With  this  view,  when  I  found  it  to  be  absolutely 


176 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


necessary  for  the  continuance  of  the  work  which  God  had  begun  in 
many  souls  (which  their  regular  pastors  generally  used  all  possible 
means  to  destroy)  I  permitted  several  of  their  brethren,  whom  I 
believed  God  had  called  thereto,  and  qualified  for  the  work,  to  com- 
fort, exhort,  and  instruct  those  who  were  athirst  for  God,  or  who 
walked  in  the  light  of  his  countenance.  But  as  the  persons  so  qual- 
ified were  few,  and  those  who  wanted  their  assistance  very  many,  it 
followed  that  most  of  them  were  obliged  to  travel  continually  from 
place  to  place;  and  this  occasioned  several  regulations  from  time  to 
time,  which  were  chiefly  made  at  our  Conferences. 

"  So  great  a  blessing  has  from  the  beginning  attended  the  labors 
of  these  itinerants,  that  we  have  been  more  and  more  convinced  every 
year,  of  the  more  than  lawfulness  of  this  proceeding.  And  the 
inconveniences,  most  of  which  we  foresaw  from  the  very  first,  have 
been  both  fewer  and  smaller  than  we  expected. — But  the  question  is, 
'  How  may  these  (preachers)  be  settled  on  such  a  footing,  as  one 
would  wish  they  might  be  after  my  death ;'  it  is  a  weighty  point,  and 
has  taken  up  many  of  my  thoughts  for  several  years :  but  I  know 
nothing  yet.  The  steps  I  am  now  to  take  are  plain  ;  I  see  broad 
light  shining  upon  them ;  but  the  other  part  of  the  prospect  I  cannot 
see:  clouds  and  darkness  rest  upon  it. 

"  Your  general  advice  on  this  head,  '  To  follow  my  own  conscience, 
without  any  regard  to  consequences  or  prudence,  so  called,  is  unques- 
tionably right.  And  it  is  a  rule  which  I  have  closely  followed  for 
many  years,  and  hope  to  follow  to  my  life's  end.  The  first  of  your 
particular  advice  is,  '  To  keep  in  full  view  the  interests  of  Christ's 
church  in  general,  and  of  practical  religion ;  not  considering  the 
Church  of  England,  or  the  cause  of  Methodism,  but  as  subordinate 
thereto.'  This  advice  I  have  punctually  observed  from  the  begin- 
ning, as  well  as  at  our  late  Conference.  You  advise,  2.  '  To  keep  in 
view  also,  the  unlawfulness  of  a  separation  from  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land.' To  this  likewise  I  agree.  It  cannot  be  lawful  to  separate 
from  it,  unless  it  be  unlawful  to  continue  in  it.  You  advise,  3.  '  Fully 
to  declare  myself  on  this  head,  and  to  suffer  no  dispute  concerning  it.' 
The  very  same  thing  I  wrote  to  my  brother  from  Ireland :  and  we 
have  declared  ourselves  without  reserve. — Your  last  advice  is,  'That 
as  many  of  our  preachers  as  are  fit  for  it,  be  ordained;  and  that  the 
others  be  fixed  to  certain  societies,  not  as  preachers,  but  as  readers  or 
inspectors.' — But  is  that  which  you  propose  a  better  way  (than  our 
itinerant  plan)  ?    This  should  be  coolly  and  calmly  considered. 

"If  I  mistake  not,  there  are  now  in  the  county  of  Cornwall,  about 
four  and  thirty  of  these  little  societies,  part  of  whom  now  experience 
the  love  of  God;  part  are  more  or  less  earnestly  seeking  it.  Four 
preachers,  Peter  Jaco,  Thomas  Johnson,  W.  Crabb,  and  Will.  Atwood, 
design  for  the  ensuing  year,  partly  to  call  other  sinners  to  repentance; 
but  chiefly  to  feed  and  guide  those  few  feeble  sheep :  to  forward  them, 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY.  ITT 

as  the  ability  which  God  giveth,  in  vital,  practical  religion.  Now 
suppose  we  can  effect  that  P.  Jaco,  and  T.  Johnson,  be  ordained 
and  settled  in  the  curacies  of  Buryan,  and  St.  Just :  and  suppose  W. 
Crabb,  and  W.  Atwood,  fix  at  Launceston  or  the  Dock,  as  readers 
and  inspectors ;  will  this  answer  the  end  which  I  have  in  view,  so 
well  as  travelling  through  the  country  ? 

"  It  will  not  answer  so  well,  even  with  regard  to  those  societies  with 
whom  P.  Jaco,  and  T.  Johnson,  have  settled.  Be  their  talents  ever 
so  great,  they  will  ere  long,  grow  dead  themselves,  and  so  will  most 
of  those  who  hear  them.  I  know,  were  I  myself  to  preach  one  whole 
year  in  one  place,  I  should  preach  both  myself  and  most  of  my  con- 
gregation asleep.  Nor  can  I  believe,  it  was  ever  the  will  of  our  Lord, 
that  any  congregation  should  have  only  one  teacher.  We  have  found 
by  long  and  constant  experience,  that  a  frequent  change  of  teachers 
is  best.  This  preacher  has  one  talent,  that  another.  No  one  whom 
I  ever  yet  knew,  has  all  the  talents  which  are  needful  for  beginning, 
continuing,  and  perfecting  the  work  of  grace  in  a  whole  congregation. 

"  But  suppose  this  would  better  answer  the  end  with  regard  to  those 
two  societies,  would  it  answer  in  those  where  W.  Atwood,  and  W. 
Crabb,  were  settled  as  inspectors  or  readers  ?  First,  who  shall  feed 
them  with  the  milk  of  the  word?  The  ministers  of  their  parishes? 
Alas,  they  cannot :  they  themselves  neither  know,  nor  live,  nor  teach 
the  gospel.  These  readers'?  Can  then,  either  they,  or  I,  or  you, 
always  find  something  to  read  to  our  congregation,  which  will  be  as 
exactly  adapted  to  their  wants,  and  as  much  blessed  to  them  as  our 
preaching?  and  there  is  another  difficulty  still;  what  authority  have 
I  to  forbid  their  doing  what,  I  believe,  God  has  called  them  to  do  ?  I 
apprehend,  indeed,  that  there  ought,  if  possible,  to  be  both  an  outward 
and  inward  call  to  this  work :  yet  if  one  of  the  two  be  supposed  want- 
ing, I  had  rather  want  the  outward  than  the  inward  call. 

"  But  waving  this,  and  supposing  these  four  societies  to  be  bet- 
ter provided  for  than  they  were  before ;  what  becomes  of  the  other 
thirty  ?  Will  they  prosper  as  well  when  they  are  left  as  sheep  with- 
out a  shepherd  ?  The  experiment  has  been  tried  again  and  again ; 
and  always  with  the  same  event :  even  the  strong  in  faith  grew  weak 
and  faint ;  many  of  the  weak  made  shipwreck  of  the  faith ;  the 
awakened  fell  asleep ;  and  sinners,  changed  for  a  while,  returned  as  a 
dog  to  his  vomit.  And  so,  by  our  lack  of  service,  many  souls  perished 
for  whom  Christ  died.  Now  had  we  willingly  withdrawn  our  ser- 
vice from  them,  by  voluntarily  settling  in  one  place,  what  account  of 
this  could  we  have  given  to  the  great  Shepherd  of  all  our  souls  ?  I 
cannot  therefore  see,  how  any  of  those  four  preachers,  or  any  others 
in  like  circumstances,  can  ever,  while  they  have  health  and  strength, 
ordained  or  unordained,  fix  in  one  place  without  a  grievous  wound 
to  their  own  conscience,  and  damage  to  the  general  work  of  God." 

On  the  same  day,  that  he  wrote  the  above  letter,  he  also  wrote  to 

VOL.  n.  23 


178 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


Mr.  Norton,  who,  in  a  letter  written  about  a  week  before,  had  charged 
him  with  1.  "  Self-inconsistency,  in  tolerating  lay-preaching,  and  not 
tolerating  lay-administering :  and  2.  With  showing  a  spirit  of  perse- 
cution, in  denying  his  brethren  the  liberty  of  acting,  as  well  as  think- 
ing, according  to  their  own  conscience." 

With  regard  to  the  first,  Mr.  Wesley  allowed  the  charge,  but  denied 
the  consequence.  He  declared,  that  he  acted  on  the  same  principle, 
in  tolerating  the  one,  and  in  prohibiting  the  other.  "  My  principle," 
said  he,  is  this.  I  submit  to  every  ordinance  of  man,  wherever  I  do 
not  conceive  there  is  an  absolute  necessity  for  acting  contrary  to  it. 
Consistently  with  this,  I  do  tolerate  lay-preaching,  because  I  conceive 
there  is  an  absolute  necessity  for  it,  inasmuch  as  were  it  not,  thou- 
sands of  souls  would  perish ;  yet  I  do  not  tolerate  lay-administering, 
because  I  do  not  conceive  there  is  any  such  necessity  for  it." 

With  regard  to  the  second,  Mr.  Wesley  observes,  I  again  allow 
the  fact ;  but  deny  the  consequence.  I  mean,  I  allow  the  fact  thus 
far :  some  of  our  preachers  who  are  not  ordained,  think  it  quite  right 
to  administer  the  Lord's  supper,  and  believe  it  would  do  much  good. 
I  think  it  quite  wrong,  and  believe  it  would  do  much  hurt.  Here- 
upon I  say,  I  have  no  right  over  your  conscience,  nor  you  over  mine  ; 
therefore  both  you  and  I  must  follow  our  own  conscience.  You 
believe,  it  is  a  duty  to  administer  :  do  so,  and  herein  follow  your  own 
conscience.  I  verily  believe  it  is  a  sin  :  which  consequently,  I  dare 
not  tolerate :  and  herein  I  follow  mine.  Yet  this  is  no  persecution, 
were  I  to  separate  from  our  society,  those  who  practise  what  I  believe 
is  contrary  to  the  word  and  destructive  of  the  work  of  God." 

In  December,  Mr.  Wesley  wrote  to  a  friend  as  follows :  "  I  do  not 
see  that  diocesian  episcopacy  is  necessary,  but  I  do,  that  it  is  highly 
expedient.  But  whether  it  were  or  no,  the  spirit  shown  in  those 
verses,  is  wrong  from  end  to  end. 

Neither  J.  E  nor  any  other  separatist,  can  ever  be  expected  to 

own  prejudice,  pride,  or  interest,  to  be  his  motive.  Nevertheless,  I  do 
and  must  blame  every  one  of  them,  for  the  act  of  separating.  After- 
wards, I  leave  them  to  God. 

"  The  Apostles  had  not  the  lordships,  or  the  revenues,  but  they  had 
the  office  of  diocesan  bishops.  But  let  that  point  sleep :  we  have 
things  to  think  of,  which  are,  magis  ad  nos.  Keep  from  proselyting 
others  ;  and  keep  your  opinion  till  doomsday  ;  stupid,  self-inconsistent, 
unprimitive,  and  unscriptural  as  it  is. 

"  I  have  spoken  my  judgment  concerning  lay-administering,  at 

large,  both  to  C.  P  and  N.  Norton.    I  went  as  far  as  I  could  with 

a  safe  conscience.  I  must  follow  my  conscience,  and  they  their  own. 
They  who  dissuade  people  from  attending  the  church  and  sacrament, 
do  certainly,  '  draw  them  from  the  church.'  " 

Mr.  Wesley's  travels  and  labors  of  love,  in  preaching  the  gospel  of 
peace  through  most  parts  of  the  three  kingdoms,  were  continued  with 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


179 


the  same  unremitting  diligence,  while  the  duties  of  his  situation  in 
some  other  respects,  increased  every  year  upon  him.  New  societies 
were  frequently  formed  in  various  places ;  which  naturally  called  for 
an  increase  of  preachers.  These,  however,  were  more  easily  pro- 
cured, than  a  stranger  would  imagine.  The  class  and  hand  meetings 
were  a  fruitful  nursery,  where  the  most  zealous  and  pious  young  men 
soon  grew  up  to  the  requisite  standard,  to  be  transplanted  into  a 
higher  situation,  among  the  local  or  itinerant  preachers.  But  as  the 
body  increased,  it  became  a  more  difficult  task  to  regulate  its  economy, 
so  as  to  preserve  an  equilibrium  through  all  its  parts,  on  which  the 
health  and  vigor  of  the  whole  depended.  The  body  became  like  a 
large  machine,  whose  movements  were  exceedingly  complex  :  and  it 
depended  on  Mr.  Wesley,  not  only  to  give  the  necessary  impulse  to 
put  the  whole  in  motion,  but  also  everywhere  to  govern  and  direct  its 
motions  to  the  purposes  intended.  This  required  great  and  continued 
attention,  and  a  very  extensive  correspondence  both  with  preachers 
and  people  through  the  whole  connexion.  All  this,  however,  he  per- 
formed, by  allotting  to  every  hour  of  the  day,  wherever  he  was,  its  due 
proportion  of  labor. — From  the  present  year,  I  find  little  more  than  a 
recurrence  of  circumstances  similar  to  those  already  related,  till  we 
come  to  the  year  1760;  when  reUgious  experience,  or  at  least  the  pro- 
fession of  it,  began  to  assume  an  appearance  among  the  Methodists, 
in  some  respects  quite  new.  The  doctrine  of  justification,  from  1738, 
had  always  been  well  understood  among  them  ;  and  from  the  time  Mr. 
Wesley  preached  his  sermon  on  the  '  circumcision  of  the  heart,'  in  1733, 
before  he  understood  the  nature  of  justification,  he  had  always  held 
the  doctrine  of  christian  perfection ;  which  he  explained  by,  loving 
God  with  all  our  heart,  and  our  neighbor  as  ourselves:  that  a  person 
in  this  state  felt  nothing,  in  all  situations,  but  the  pure  love  of  God, 
and  perfect  submission  to  his  will ;  and  nothing  but  benevolence,  or 
good-will  to  men.  He  never  called  this  a  state  of  sinless  perfection, 
because  he  believed  there  might  still  be  errors  in  conduct  arising  from 
ignorance,  which  yet  were  consistent  with  pure  love  to  God,  and  good- 
will to  men.  He  did  not  suppose,  that  any  man  could  stand  for  one 
moment  accepted  of  God,  but  by  faith  in  Christ  Jesus,  through  whom 
alone,  his  person  and  his  actions,  in  the  highest  state  of  perfection 
attainable  in  this  life,  can  be  accepted  of  God. 

But,  though  Mr.  Wesley  had  so  long  held  the  doctrine  of  christian 
perfection,  he  had  not  always  held  that  this  state  might  be  attained 
in  one  moment ;  much  less  that  a  person  might  attain  it  in  his  no- 
vitiate :  nor  do  I  know  that  there  were  any  professors  of  it  before  this 
time,  except  when  death  was  approaching.  In  the  beginning  of  this 
year,  however,  there  being  a  great  revival  of  a  religious  concern 
among  the  societies  in  Yorkshire,  several  professed,  that  at  once, 
during  prayer,  their  hearts  were  cleansed  from  all  sin  :  that  they  were 
cleansed  from  all  unrighteousness,  or  perfected  in  love :  all  which, 


180 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  EEV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


"were  with  them  synonymous  phrases.  Here,"  says  Mr.  Wesley, 
began  that  glorious  work  of  sanctification,  which  had  been  nearly  at 
a  stand  for  twenty  years.  But  from  time  to  lime  it  spread,  first 
through  various  parts  of  Yorkshire,  afterwards  in  London ;  then 
through  most  parts  of  England :  next  through  Dublin,  Limerick,  and 
all  the  South  and  West  of  Ireland.  And  wherever  the  work  of  sanc- 
tification increased,  the  whole  work  of  God  increased  in  all  its 
branches.  Many  were  convinced  of  sin  ;  many  justified;  and  many 
backsliders  healed." 

We  may  observe  that  Mr.  Wesley,  believing  these  professors  of  an 
instantaneous  deliverance  from  all  sin  were  sincere,  gave  full  credit 
to  their  report ;  and  upon  this,  and  the  concurring  testimony  of 
others  which  soon  followed,  he  seems  to  have  built  his  doctrine  of  an 
instantaneous  attainment  of  christian  perfection.  Against  the  doctrine 
itself,  as  explained  above,  there  does  not  seem  to  lie  any  just  objec- 
tion :  but  this  instantaneous  manner  of  attaining  perfection  in  the 
Christian  temper,  seems  to  have  no  foundation  in  Scripture :  it  even 
appears  contrary  to  reason,  and  to  the  constitution  and  order  which 
God  has  established  through  all  animated  nature,  where  we  see  no 
instance  of  any  thing  arriving  at  perfection  in  a  moment.  And 
though  there  can  be  no  doubt  but  some  of  those  who  made  profession 
of  this  happy  state  were  both  sincere  and  deeply  pious,  perhaps  be- 
yond most  of  their  brethren,  yet  there  seems  just  reason  to  affirm  they 
were  mistaken  in  the  judgment  they  formed  of  their  own  attainments. 

In  the  spring  and  summer  of  this  year,  Mr.  Wesley  spent  several 
months  in  Ireland.  He  staid  about  twenty  days  in  Dublin,  and  then 
visited  most  parts  of  the  kingdom.  Dr.  Barnard,  then  Bishop  of 
Derry,  was  a  warm  friend  to  religion,  and  being  convinced  of  Mr. 
Wesley's  sincerity  in  his  indefatigable  labors  to  promote  it,  had  a 
very  sincere  regard  for  him.  The  bishop  being  disappointed  in  not 
seeing  him  when  in  Dublin,  sent  him  the  following  letter. 

Reverend  Sir, 

"  It  would  have  given  me  a  very  sincere  pleasure  to  have  seen  you 
during  your  stay  in  Dublin ;  and  I  am  concerned  to  find,  that  your 
having  entertained  any  doubt  of  it,  deprived  me  of  that  satisfaction. 
Indeed  I  did  not  expect  your  stay  would  have  been  so  short. 

"  Whether  your  expression,  of  our  meeting  no  more  on  this  side  of 
eternity,  refers  to  your  design  of  quitting  your  visits  to  Ireland,  or  to 
any  increase  of  bodily  weakness,  I  do  not  read  it  without  tender 
regret :  however,  that  must  be  submitted  to  the  disposal  of  Provi- 
dence.— I  pray  God  to  bless  you,  and  supply  every  want,  and  sanc- 
tify every  suffering. 

I  am.  Reverend  Sir, 

Your  loving  brother  and  servant, 

W.  Derry." 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   JOHN  WESLEY. 


181 


In  March,  1761,  Mr.  Wesley  set  out  for  the  North.  In  these  jonrnies 
he  generally  took  a  very  large  circuit,  passing  through  the  principal 
societies  in  most  of  the  counties.  He  now  visited  several  parts  of  Scot- 
land, as  far  as  Aberdeen  :  was  favorably  received,  and,  in  England, 
especially,  saw  the  work  in  which  he  was  engaged  every  where  in- 
creasing. In  the  beginning  of  July,  he  came  to  York,  on  his  return, 
and  was  desired  to  call  on  a  poor  prisoner  in  the  castle.  "  I  had  for- 
merly," says  Mr.  Wesley,  "occasion  to  take  notice  of  an  hideous 
monster,  called  a  Chancery  Bill :  I  now  saw  the  fellow  to  it,  called  a 
Declaration.  The  plain  fact  was  this.  Some  time  since,  a  man  who 
lived  near  Yarm,  assisted  others  in  running  some  brandy.  His  share 
was  worth  near  four  pounds.  After  he  had  wholly  left  off  that  bad 
work,  and  was  following  his  own  business,  that  of  a  weaver,  he  was 
arrested,  and  sent  to  York  gaol.    And  not  long  after  comes  down  a 

declaration,  '  That  Jac.  Wh          had  landed  a  vessel  laden  wnth 

brandy  and  geneva,  at  the  port  of  London,  and  sold  them  there, 
whereby  he  was  indebted  to  his  Majesty  five  hundred  and  seventy- 
seven  pounds,  and  upwards.'  And  to  tell  this  worthy  story,  the  law- 
yer takes  up  thirteen  or  fourteen  sheets  of  treble  stampt  paper. 

"  O  England,  England  !   Will  this  reproach  never  be  rolled  away 
from  thee  ?    Is  there  any  thing  like  this  to  be  found,  either  among 
Papists,  Turks,  or  Heathens?    In  the  name  of  justice,  mercy,  and 
I  common  sense,  I  ask,  1.  Why  do  men  lie,  for  lying  sake?    Is  it  only 
!  to  keep  their  hands  in  7    What  need  else  of  saying  it  was  the  port  of 
I  London  ?  when  every  one  knew  the  brandy  was  landed,  above  three 
I  hundred  miles  from  thence.    What  a  monstrous  contempt  of  truth 
does  this  show,  or  rather  hatred  to  it?    2.  Where  is  the  justice  of 
:  swelling  four  pounds,  into  five  hundred  and  seventy-seven?  3.  Where 
j  is  the  common  sense,  of  taking  up  fourteen  sheets  to  tell  a  story,  that 
may  be  told  in  ten  lines  ?    4.  Where  is  the  mercy  of  thus  grinding  the 
I  face  of  the  poor  ?    Thus  sucking  the  blood  of  a  poor  beggared  pris- 
I  oner.    Would  not  this  be  execrable  villany,  if  the  paper  and  writing 
together  were  only  sixpence  a  sheet,  when  they  have  stript  him  al- 
I  ready  of  his  little  all,  and  not  left  him  fourteen  groats  in  the  world?" 

It  is  certain  that  nothing  can  be  fairly  said  in  defence  of  some  of  our 
'law  proceedings.    They  are  often  absurd,  highly  oppressive  to  the 
subject,  and  disgraceful  to  a  civilized  nation.    In  criminal  cases,  how 
often  does  the  indictment  magnify  and  exaggerate  both  the  crime  and 
;  every  circumstance  connected  with  it,  beyond  all  the  bounds  of  truth 
I  and  probability  ?   Hence  it  becomes  extremely  difficult  for  jurymen  to 
discharge  their  duty  with  a  good  conscience  ;  and  we  seldom  see  pun- 
ishments duly  proportioned  to  the  crimes  committed.    What  shall  we 
jSay  in  other  cases,  where  the  tautology  and  circumlocution  peculiar  to 
the  language  of  our  law,  the  delay  of  judgment  in  some  of  the  courts, 
and  the  chicanery  permitted  through  the  whole  proceedings,  render  it 
almost  impossible  for  an  honest  subject  in  a  middling  situation,  to 
VOL.  n.  16 


182 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   JOHN  WESLEY. 


obtain  his  right  against  a  villain,  without  the  utmost  danger  of  being 
ruined?  A  man  who  robs  on  the  highway  is  hanged;  but  a  villain 
who  robs  by  means  of  the  chicaneryj  delay,  and  expense  of  the  law, 
escapes  with  impunity.  The  grievances  so  loudly  complained  of  at 
present,  appear  to  me,  in  comparison  of  this,  like  a  mole-hill  com- 
pared with  a  mountain. 

The  doctrine  of  an  instantaneous  attainment  of  christian  perfection 
spread  rapidly,  and  numerous  professors  of  it  almost  instantly  sprung, 
up.  in  various  parts  of  the  kingdom.    But  the  imprudent  zeal,  andi 
rash  expressions  of  some  of  the  preachers  concerniug  it,  soon  begani 
to  give  offence.    July  23,  Mr.  Grimshaw  wrote  to  Mr.  Wesley  on  the;: 
subject,  and  after  apologizing  for  not  attending  the  Conference  thenii 
held  at  Leeds,  he  observes,  "  The  disappointment  is  more  my  owni 
loss  than  yours:  for  there  are  several  things  which  have  for  some  1 
time  been  matter  of  so  much  uneasiness  to  me,  that  I  thought,  could 
they  not  at  this  time  be  some  how  accommodated.  I  should  be  obliged  j 
to  recede  from  the  connexion ;  which  to  do,  would  have  been  one  of 
the  most  disagreeable  things  in  the  world  to  me.— I  would  fain  live 
and  die  in  this  happy  relation  I  have  for  many  years  borne,  and  still 
bear  to  you. 

"  Two  of  the  most  material  points  were,  concerning  imputed  right- 
eousness, and  christian  perfection.  But  as  to  the  former,  what  you 
declared  to  be  your  notion  of  it,  at  Heptonstal,  is  so  near  mine  that  I 
am  well  satisfied.  And  as  to  the  other,  your  resolutions  in  Confer- 
ence are  such,  if  John  Emmot  informs  me  right,  as  seem  to  afford  me 
sufficient  satisfaction. 

"There  are  other  matters  more,  but  to  me  not  of  equal  importance, 
to  which,  notwithstanding,  I  cannot  be  reconciled.  Such  as  asserting, 
'  a  child  of  God  to  be  again  a  child  of  the  devil,  if  he  give  away  to  a 
temptation. — That  he  is  a  child  of  the  devil  who  disbelieves  the  doc- 
trine of  sinless  perfection. — That  he  is  no  true  Christian,  who  has  not 
attained  to  it,'  &c.  &Cc  These  are  assertions  very  common  with  some 
of  our  preachers,  though  in  my  apprehension  too  absurd  and  ridicu- 
lous to  be  regarded,  and  therefore  by  no  means  of  equal  importance 
with  what  is  above  said;  and  yet  have  a  tendency,  as  the  effect  has 
already  shown,  to  distract  and  divide  our  societies. — You  will  perhaps 
say,  '  Why  did  you  not  admonish  them  7  Why  did  you  not  endeavor 
to  convince  them  of  the  error  of  such  absurd  assertions  ? ' — In  some 
degree  I  have,  thought  perhaps  not  so  fully  or  freely  as  I  ought  or 
could  have  wished  to  have  done  :  for  I  feared  to  be  charged  by  them, 
perhaps  secretly  to  yourself,  with  opposing  them  or  their  doctrines. — 
These  things  I  mentioned  to  brother  Lee,  who  declared,  and  I  could 
not  but  believe  him,  that  you  did.  and  would  utterly  reject  any  suoh 
expressions.  I  am  therefore,  in  these  respects  more  easy ;  and  shall 
if  such  occasions  require,  as  I  wish  they  never  may,  reprove  and : 
prevent  them  with  plainness  and  freedom.  I 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


183 


"  Sinless^  perfection  is  a  grating  term  to  many  of  our  dear  breth- 
ren; even  to  those  who  are  as  desirous  and  sohcitous  to  be  truly  holy 
in  heart  and  life,  as  any  perhaps  of  them  who  affect  to  speak  in  this 
unscriptural  way.  Should  we  not  discountenance  the  use  of  it,  and 
advise  its  votaries  to  exchange  it  for  terms  less  offensive,  but  suffi- 
ciently expressive  of  true  christian  holiness  7  By  this  I  mean  (and 
why  may  I  not  tell  you  what  I  mean  7)  all  that  holiness  of  heart  and 
life,  which  is  literally,  plainly,  abundantly,  taught  us  all  over  the 
Bible  ;  and  without  which  no  man,  however  justified  through  faith  in 
the  righteousness  of  Christ,  can  ever  expect  to  see  the  Lord. — This  is 
that  holiness,  that  christian  perfection,  that  sanctification,  which, 
without  affecting  strange,  fulsome,  offensive,  unscriptural  expressions 
and  representations,  I,  and  I  dare  say  every  true  and  sincere-hearted 
member  in  our  societies,  and  I  hope  in  all  others,  ardently  desire  and 
strenuously  labor  to  attain. — This  is  attainable — for  this  therefore  let 
us  contend  :  to  this  let  us  diligently  exhort  and  excite  all  our  brethren 
daily ;  and  this  the  more  as  we  see  the  day,  the  happy,  the  glorious 
day  approaching. 

"  I  have  only  to  add,  that  I  am  determined  through  the  help  of  God, 
so  far  as  I  know,  or  see  at  present,  to  continue  in  close  connexion 
with  you,  even  unto  death :  and  to  be  as  useful  as  I  am  able,  or  as 
consistent  with  my  parochial,  and  other  indispensable  obligations  : 
chiefly  in  this  round  (circuit)  and  at  times  abroad ;  to  strengthen 
your  hands  in  the  great  and  glorious  work  of  our  Lord,  which  you 
have  evidently  so  much  at  heart,  elaborately  so  much  in  hand,  and  in 
which,  He,  blessed  forever  be  his  name,  has  so  extensively  and  won- 
derfully prospered  you." 

Immediately  on  the  receipt  of  this  letter,  before  the  Conference  quite 
broke  up,  Mr.  Wesley  took  an  opportunity  of  preaching  from  those 
words,  '  In  many  things  we  offend  all.'  On  this  occasion  he  observed, 
1.  "As  long  as  we  live,  our  soul  is  connected  with  the  body.  2.  As 
long  as  it  is  thus  connected,  it  cannot  think  but  by  the  help  of  bodily 
organs.  3.  As  long  as  these  organs  are  imperfect,  we  are  liable  to 
mistakes,  both  speculative  and  practical:  4.  Yea,  and  a  mistake 
may  occasion  my  loving  a  good  man  less  than  I  ought ;  which  is  a 
defective,  that  is,  a  wrong  temper.  5.  For  all  these  we  need  the 
atoning  blood,  as  indeed  for  every  defect  or  omission.  Therefore,  6. 
All  men  have  need  to  say  daily,  Forgive  us  our  trespasses." 

During  the  following  years,  there  was  much  noise  throughout  the 
societies  concerning  perfection  :  but  more  especially  in  London,  where 
two  or  three  persons  who  stood  at  the  head  of  those  professing  to 
have  attained  that  state,  fell  into  some  extravagant  notions  and  ways 
of  expression,  more  proper  to  be  heard  in  Bedlam  than  in  a  religious 
society.    One  of  the  persons  here  alluded  to,  was  George  Bell,  who 

*  It  is  observed  above,  that  Mr.  Wesley  himself  never  used  the  term  sinless  perfection. 


184 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


was  favored  by  Mr.  Maxfield  ;  and  they  soon  made  a  party  in  their 
favor. — When  the  plain  declarations  of  Scripture  are  disregarded,  or 
even  tortured  by  ingenuity  or  a  wild  imaginatioa  to  a  false  meaning, 
what  opinions  can  be  so  absurd,  either  in  religion  or  philosophy,  as 
not  to  find  advocates  for  them?  But  this  affords  no  just  ground  of 
objection  against  scriptural  Christianity,  or  true  christian  experience ; 
any  more  than  against  sound  philosophy.  In  the  history  of  philoso- 
phers and  of  philosophy,  we  find  opinions  maintained,  as  absurd  as 
the  most  ilUterate  enthusiast  in  religion  ever  published;  nay  as  absurd 
as  transubstantiation  itself  And  when  religion  has  had  the  misfor- 
tune to  fall  under  the  sole  direction  of  these  philosophers,  and  been 
constrained  by  violence  to  put  on  their  philosophic  dress,  she  has  had 
just  cause  to  complain  of  as  great  an  insult  as  ever  she  experienced 
from  the  most  ignorant  enthusiast.  So  little  justice  is  there  in  the 
proud  claim  of  reason  in  her  present  imperfect  state,  to  assume  the 
whole  direction  of  our  most  holy  religion  !  And  so  little  cause  has 
she,  to  triumph  over  the  errors  of  a  few  mistaken  professors  of  chris- 
tian experience ! 

Mr.  Wesley  did  not,  at  first,  resist  these  extravagances  with  suffi- 
cient firmness ;  by  which  the  persons  who  favored  them  daily  increased 
in  number.  At  length,  however,  he  found  it  absolutely  necessary  to 
give  an  effectual  check  to  the  party :  but  now  it  was  too  late  to  be 
done,  without  the  risk  of  a  separation  in  the  society.  This,  being  the 
least  of  the  two  evils,  accordingly  took  place  :  Mr.  Maxfield  withdrew 
from  his  connexion  with  Mr.  Wesley,  and  carried  near  two  hundred 
of  the  people  with  him. 

During  this  contest,  Mr.  Wesley  being  at  Canterbury,  wrote  to  Mr. 
Maxfield,  telling  him  very  freely  what  he  approved,  and  what  he 
disapproved  in  his  doctrine  or  behavior.  Among  a  variety  of  other 
things,  Mr.  Wesley  tells  him,  "  I  like  your  doctrine  of  perfection,  or 
pure  love. — I  dislike  the  saying,  This  was  not  known  or  taught 
among  us,  till  within  two  or  three  years." — On  this,  I  shall  just 
observe,  that  the  doctrine  of  perfection,  or  perfect  love,  was  undoubt- 
edly taught  among  the  Methodists  from  the  beginning:  but  the  man- 
ner in  which  it  was  now  preached,  pressing  the  people  to  expect  what 
was  called  the  destruction  of  the  root  of  sin,  in  one  moment,  was 
most  certainly  new ;  I  can  find  no  trace  of  it  before  the  period  at 
which  I  have  fixed  its  introduction.=^ 

*  It  will  be  proper  before  we  proceed  any  further,  to  give  a  short  account  of  that  excel- 
lent man,  and  successful  minister  of  Christ,  the  Rev.  IMr.  Grimshaw.  He  was  bom  in 
September,  1708,  at  Brindle,  six  miles  from  Preston  in  Lancashire,  and  educated  at  the 
schools  of  Blackburn  and  Heskin,  in  the  same  county.  Even  then,  the  thoughts  of  death 
and  judgment  made  some  impression  upon  him.  At  the  age  of  eighteen  he  was  sent  to 
Christ's-College  in  Cambridge ;  where  bad  example  so  carried  him  away,  that  he  utterly 
lost  all  sense  of  seriousness.  In  1731,  he  was  ordained  deacon,  and  seemed  much  affected 
with  the  importance  of  the  ministerial  office.  This  was  increased  by  conversing  with  some 
serious  people  at  Rochdale  ;  but  on  his  removal  to  Todmorden  soon  after,  he  dropped  his 


THE  LIFE  OF   THE  REV.   JOHN  WESLEY. 


185 


At  this  time  the  societies  were  so  multipHed,  and  so  widely  spread, 
that  they  formed  twenty-five  extensive  circuits  in  England,  eight  in 
Ireland,  four  in  Scotland,  and  two  in  Wales :  on  which,  I  suppose, 
about  ninety  preachers  were  daily  employed  in  propagating  knowl- 
edge and  christian  experience,  among  the  lower  orders  of  the  people. 

March  12,  Mr.  Wesley  left  London,  and  on  the  16th  came  to  Bris- 
tol, where  he  met  several  serious  clergymen.  He  observes,  ^'I  have 
long  desired  that  there  might  be  an  open,  avowed  union,  between  all 
who  preach  those  fundamental  truths,  original  sin,  and  justification 
by  faith,  producing  inward  and  outward  holiness.  But  all  my 
endeavors  have  been  hitherto  ineffectual." — In  April,  however,  he 
made  one  more  attempt  to  promote  so  desirable  an  union.  He  wrote 
the  following  letter,  which  after  some  time  he  sent  to  between  thirty 
and  forty  clergymen,  with  the  little  preface  annexed. 

pious  acquaintance,  conformed  to  the  world,  followed  all  its  diversions,  and  contented  him- 
self with  doing  his  duty  on  Sundays. 

About  the  year  1734,  he  began  to  think  seriously  again.  He  left  off  all  diversions,  began 
to  catechise  the  young  people,  to  preach  the  absolute  necessity  of  a  devout  life,  and  to  visit 
his  parishioners,  to  press  them  to  seek  the  salvation  of  their  souls.  At  this  period  also,  he 
began  to  pray  in  secret  four  times  a  day :  and  the  God  of  all  grace,  who  prepared  his 
heart  to  pray,  soon  gave  the  answer  to  his  prayer.  Not  indeed  as  he  expected  :  not  in  joy 
or  peace,  but  by  bringing  upon  him  strong  and  painful  convictions  of  his  own  guilt,  help- 
lessness, and  misery  J  by  discovering  to  him  what  he  did  not  suspect  before,  that  his  heart 
was  deceitful  and  desperately  wicked  ;  and,  what  was  more  afflicting  still,  that  all  his 
duties  and  labors  could  not  procure  him  pardon,  or  give  him  a  title  to  eternal  life.  In 
this  trouble  he  continued  more  than  three  years,  not  acquainting  any  one  with  the  distress 
he  suffered.  But  one  day,  in  1742,  being  in  the  utmost  agony  of  mind,  he  had  so  strong 
and  clear  a  view  of  Jesus  Christ  in  his  mediatorial  character,  that  he  was  enabled  to  believe 
on  him  with  the  heart  unto  righteousness ;  and  in  a  moment  all  his  fears  vanished  away, 
and  he  was  filled  with  joy  unspeakable.  '*  I  was  now,"  says  he,  "  willing  to  renounce 
myself,  and  to  embrace  Christ  for  my  all  in  all." — All  this  time  he  was  an  entire  stranger 
to  the  people  called  Blethodists,  and  also  to  their  writings,  till  he  came  to  Haworth.  Mr. 
Grimshaw  was  now  too  happy  himself  in  the  knowledge  of  Christ  to  rest  satisfied,  without 
taking  every  method  he  thought  likely,  to  spread  the  knowledge  of  his  God  and  Saviour. 
For  the  sake  of  the  very  indigent,  who  wanted  clothes  to  appear  decent  at  church  in  the 
day-time,  he  contrived  a  lecture  on  the  Sunday  evenings,  though  he  had  before  preached 
twice  in  the  day.  The  next  year  he  began  a  method,  which  he  continued  till  death,  of 
preaching  in  each  of  the  four  hamlets  under  his  care,  three  times  every  month.  By  this 
means,  the  old  and  infirm,  had  the  truth  of  God  brought  to  their  houses.  The  success  of 
his  labors,  soon  brought  many  persons  from  the  neighboring  parishes  to  attend  on  his 
ministry  ;  and  the  benefit  they  obtained,  brought  upon  him  many  earnest  entreaties  to 
come  to  their  houses,  and  expound  the  word  of  God  to  souls  as  ignorant  as  they  had  been 
themselves.  This  request  he  did  not  dare  to  refuse ;  so  that,  while  he  provided  abun- 
dantly for  his  own  flock,  he  annually  found  opportunity  of  preaching  near  three  hundred 
times,  to  congregations  in  other  parts. 

For  a  course  of  fifteen  years,  or  upwards,  he  used  to  preach  every  week,  fifteen,  twenty, 
and  sometimes  thirty  times,  besides  visiting  the  sick,  and  other  occasional  duties  of  his 
function.  In  sixteen  years  he  was  only  once  suspended  from  his  labors  by  sickness, 
though  he  dared  all  weather  upon  the  bleak  mountains,  and  used  his  body  with  less  com- 
passion, than  a  merciful  man  would  use  his  beast.  He  was  exceedingly  beloved  by  all  his 
parishioners,  many  of  whom  could  not  hear  his  name  mentioned  after  his  death  without 
shedding  tears.  Triumphing  in  Him  who  is  the  resurrection  and  the  life,  he  died,  April 
7th,  1762,  in  the  fifty-fourth  year  of  his  age,  and  the  twenty-first  of  eminent  usefulness. 

VOL.  II.  16=^  24 


186 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


"  Reverend  Sir, 

"  Near  two  years  and  a  half  ago,  I  wrote  the  following  letter.  You 
will  please  to  observe,  1.  That  I  propose  no  more  therein,  than  is  the 
bounden  duty  of  every  Christian  :  2.  That  you  may  comply  with  this 
proposal,  whether  any  other  does  or  not.  I  myself  have  endeavored 
so  to  do  for  many  years,  though  I  have  been  almost  alone  therein ; 
and  although  many,  the  more  earnestly  I  talk  of  peace  the  more 
zealously  make  themselves  ready  for  battle.    I  am, 

Reverend  Sir, 

Your  affectionate  brother, 

John  Wesley." 

Dear  Sir, 

'•'It  has  pleased  God  to  give  you  both  the  will  and  the  power  to  do 
many  things  for  his  glory,  although  you  are  often  ashamed  you  have 
done  so  little,  and  wish  you  could  do  a  thousand  times  more.  This 
induces  me  to  mention  to  you,  what  has  been  upon  my  mind  for 
many  years :  and  what  I  am  persuaded  would  be  much  for  the  glory 
of  God,  if  it  could  once  be  effected.  And  I  am  in  great  hopes  it 
will  be,  if  you  heartily  undertake  it,  trusting  in  him  alone. 

'•Some  years  since  God  began  a  great  work  in  England;  but  the 
laborers  were  few.  At  first  those  few  were  of  one  heart :  but  it  was 
not  so  long.  First  one  fell  off,  then  another  and  another,  till  no  two  of 
us  were  left  together  in  the  work,  besides  my  brother  and  me.  This 
prevented  much  good,  and  occasioned  much  evil.  It  grieved  our 
spirits,  and  weakened  our  hands.  It  gave  our  common  enemies  huge 
occasion  to  blaspheme.  It  perplexed  and  puzzled  many  sincere  Chris- 
tians. It  caused  many  to  draw  back  to  perdition.  It  grieved  the 
holy  spirit  of  God. 

"As  laborers  increased,  disunion  increased.  Offences  were  multi- 
phed.  And  instead  of  coming  nearer  to,  they  stood  further  and  fur- 
ther off  from  each  other:  till  at  length,  those  who  were  not  only 
brethren  in  Christ,  but  fellow-laborers  in  his  gospel,  had  no  more 
connexion  or  fellowship  with  each  other,  than  Protestants  have  with 
Papists. 

"  But  ought  this  to  be  ?  Ought  not  those  who  are  united  to  one 
common  head,  and  employed  by  him  in  one  common  work,  to  be 
united  to  each  other  7  I  speak  now  of  those  laborers,  who  are  minis- 
ters of  the  Church  of  England.  These  are  chiefly — Mr.  Perronet, 
Romaine,  Newton,  Shirley  :  Mr.  Downing.  Jesse,  Adam:  Mr.  Talbot, 
Ryland,  Stillingfleet,  Fletcher:  Mr.  Johnson,  Baddeley,  Andrews, 
Jane:  Mr.  Hart,  Symes,  Brown,  Roquet:  Mr.  Sellon,  Venn,  Rich- 
ardson, Burnet,  Furley,  Crook :  Mr.  Eastwood,  Conyers.  Bentley, 
Kong:  Mr.  Berridge,  Hicks,  G.  W.,  J.  W.,  C.  W.,  John  Richardson, 
Benjamin  Colley. — Not  excluding  any  other  clergyman,  who  agrees 
in  these  essentials, 

"  I.  Original  sin.  II.  Justification  by  faith.  III.  Holiness  of 
,  heart  artd  life :  provided  his  life  be  answerable  to  his  doctrine. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


But  whai  miion  would  you  desire  among  these?  Not  an  union 
in  opinions.  They  might  agree  or  disagree,  touching  absolute 
decrees  on  the  one  hand,  and  perfection  on  the  other. — Not  an  union 
in  expressions.  Those  may  still  speak  of  the  imputed  righteousness^ 
and  these  of  the  merits  of  Christ.  Not  an  union  with  regard  to 
outward  order.  Some  may  still  remain  quite  regular ;  some  quite 
irregtdar ;  and  some  partly  regidar^  and  partly  irregular.  But 
these  things  being  as  they  are,  as  each  is  persuaded  in  his  own  mind, 
is  it  not  a  most  desirable  thing,  that  we  should, 

"  1.  Remove  hindrances  out  of  the  way?  Not  judge  one  another, 
not  despise  one  another,  not  envy  one  another  7  Not  be  displeased 
at  one  another's  gifts  or  success^  even  though  greater  than  our  own? 
Not  wait  for  one  another's  halting,  mucli  less  wish  for  it.  or  rejoice 
therein? — Never  speak  disrespectfully,  slightly,  coldly,  or  unkindly 
of  each  other :  never  repeat  each  other's  faults,  mistakes,  or  infirmi- 
ties, much  less  listen  for  and  gather  them  up :  never  say  or  do  any- 
thing to  hinder  each  other's  usefulness,  either  directly  or  indirectly. 

"Is  it  not  a  most  desirable  thing,  that  we  should,  2.  Love  as 
brethrenl:  Think  well  of,  and  Ao/zor  one  another?  Wish  all  good, 
all  grace,  all  gifts,  all  success,  yea  greater  than  our  own,  to  each 
other?  Expect  God  will  answer  our  wish,  rejoice  in  every  appear- 
ance thereof,  and  praise  him  for  it?  Readily  believe  good  of  each 
other,  as  readily  as  we  once  believed  evil  ? — Speak  respectfully,  hon- 
orably, kindly,  of  each  other :  defend  each  other's  character :  speak 
all  the  good  we  can  of  each  other :  recommend  one  another  where 
we  have  influence :  each  help  the  other  on  in  his  work,  and  enlarge 
his  influence  by  all  the  honest  means  we  can. 

"This  is  the  union  which  I  have  long  sought  after.  And  is  it  not  the 
duty  of  every  one  of  us  so  to  do  ?  Would  it  not  be  far  better  for  ourselves  ? 
A  means  of  promoting  both  our  holiness  and  happiness  ?  Would  it 
not  remove  much  guilt  from  those  who  have  been  faulty  in  any  of 
these  instances  ?  And  much  pain  from  those  who  have  kept  them- 
selves pure?  Would  it  not  be  far  better  for  the  people  7  who  suflfer 
severely  from  the  clashings  of  their  leaders,  which  seldom  fail  to 
occasion  many  unprofitable,  yea  hurtful  disputes  among  them. 
Would  it  not  be  better  for  the  poor,  blind  icorld^  robbing  them  of 
their  sport?  O  they  cannot  agree  among  themselves !  Would  it  not 
be  better  for  the  whole  loork  of  God,  which  would  then  deepen  and 
widen  on  every  side  ? 

"  'But  it  will  never  be:  it  is  utterly  impossible.'  Certainly  it  is 
with  men.  Who  imagines  we  can  do  this  ?  That  it  can  be  efiected 
by  any  human  power?  All  nature  is  against  it,  every  infirmity, 
every  wrong  temper  and  passion  ;  love  of  honor  and  praise,  of  power, 
of  preeminence ;  anger,  resentment,  pride  ;  long-contracted  habit,  and 
prejudice,  lurking  in  ten  thousand  forms.  The  devil  and  his  angels 
are  against  it.    For  if  this  takes  place,  how  shall  his  kingdom  stand? 


188 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  EEV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


All  the  worlds  all  that  know  not  God  are  against  it,  though  they  may- 
seem  to  favor  it  for  a  season.  Let  us  settle  this  in  our  hearts,  that 
we  may  he  utterly  cut  off  from  all  dependence  on  our  own 
strength  or  wisdom. 

"But  surely  'with  God  all  things  are  possible.'  Therefore  'all 
things  are  possible  to  him  that  believeth.'  And  this  union  is  proposed 
only  to  them  that  believe,  and  show  their  faith  by  their  works. 

1  am,  dear  sir, 

Your  affectionate  servant, 

Scarborough,  April  19,  1764.  ^ 

This  letter  shows  Mr.  Wesley's  tolerant  principles  in  a  strong 
light.  Happy  would  it  have  been  for  the  professors  of  religion,  had  the 
same  spirit  of  brotherly-love  and  mutual  forbearance,  prevailed  in  the 
hearts  of  all  who  preached  the  essential  doctrines  of  the  gospel.  But 
this  was  not  the  case :  of  all  the  clergymen  to  whom  this  desirable 
union  was  proposed,  only  three  vouchsafed  to  return  him  an  answer! 

Mr.  Wesley  continued  his  travels  and  labors,  with  the  usual  dili- 
gence and  punctuaHty  through  all  the  societies  in  Great  Britain,  Ire- 
land, and  Wales;  and  his  health  and  strength  were  wonderfully 
preserved.  In  October,  1765,  he  observes,  "I  breakfasted  with  Mr. 
Whitefield,  who  seemed  to  be  an  old,  old  man,  being  fairly  worn  out 
in  his  Master's  service,  though  he  has  hardly  seen  fifty  years.  And 
yet  it  pleases  God,  that  I,  who  am  now  in  my  sixty-third  year,  find 
no  disorder,  no  weakness,  no  decay,  no  difference  from  what  I  was  at 
five  and  twenty  :  only  that  I  have  fewer  teeth,  and  more  grey  hairs! " 
— Soon  after  he  adds,  Mr.  Whitefield  called  upon  me.  He  breathes 
nothing  but  peace  and  love.  Bigotry,  cannot  stand  before  him,  but 
hides  its  head  wherever  he  comes." 

Mr.  Wesley  received  sixty  pounds  per  annum,  from  the  society  in 
London,  which  is  the  salary  that  every  clergyman  receives,  who 
ofiiciates  among  them.  But  individuals  in  various  places  frequently 
gave  him  money ;  legacies  were  sometimes  left  him,  and  the  produce 
of  his  books,  in  the  latter  part  of  life  was  considerable.  It  is  well 
known,  however,  that  he  hoarded  nothing  at  the  end  of  the  year. 
He  even  contracted  his  expenses  as  much  as  possible,  and  gave  the 
surplus  to  the  poor,  and  those  who  might,  through  misfortunes,  be  in 
want.  His  charitable  disposition  may  appear  from  the  following 
little  circumstance,  which  strongly  points  out  the  tender  feelings  of 
his  mind,  under  a  consciousness  that  he  had  not  given  in  proportion 
to  the  person's  want.  In  November,  1766,  a  foreigner  in  distress 
called  upon  him,  and  gave  him  a  Latin  letter,  begging  some  relief. 
Shortly  after,  Mr.  Wesley  reflecting  on  the  case,  wrote  on  the  back 
of  the  letter,  "I  let  him  go  with  five  shillings:  I  fear  he  is  starving. 
Alas!" 

The  world  has  seldom  seen  a  man  of  strong  powers  of  mind,  of 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY.  189 

first-rate  talents,  who  has  not  labored  under  some  peculiar  weakness, 
or  mental  infirmity;  which  men  of  little  minds,  capable  only  of 
observing  defects,  have  frequently  made  the  object  of  ridicule. 
Numerous  instances  might  easily  be  produced,  both  among  philoso- 
phers and  divines.  Mr.  Wesley's  chief  weakness  was,  a  too  great 
readiness  to  credit  the  testimony  of  others,  when  he  believed  them 
sincere,  without  duly  considering  whether  they  had  sufiicient  ability 
and  caution  to  form  a  true  judgment  of  the  things  concerning  which 
they  bore  testimony.  In  matters,  therefore,  which  depended  wholly 
on  the  evidence  of  other  persons,  he  was  often  mistaken.  Mr.  Charles 
Wesley,  was  in  the  opposite  extreme;  full  of  caution  and  suspicion. 
But  he  was  fully  sensible  both  of  his  own,  and  of  his  brother's 
weakness,  and  in  the  present  year,  wrote  to  him  as  follows;  "  When 
you  fear  the  worst,  your  fears  should  be  regarded :  and  when  I  hope 
the  best,  you  may  almost  believe  me. — As  to  several  of  our  preachers, 
I  fear  with  yoii^  '  The  salt  has  lost  its  savor.'  Where  is  their  single 
eye  now?  Their  zeal,  humility,  and  love?  And  what  can  we  do 
with  them,  or  for  them?"  And  again,  some  years  afterwards,  "Your 
defect  of  mistrust,  needs  my  excess  to  guard  it.  You  cannot  be 
taken  by  storm,  but  you  may  by  surprise.  We  seem  designed  for 
each  other.  If  we  could  and  would  be  oftener  together,  it  might  be 
better  for  both. — Let  us  be  useful  in  our  lives,  and  at  our  death  not 
divided." 

It  was  owing  to  the  weakness  above  mentioned,  that  Mr.  Wesley  so 
easily  believed  most  of  the  stories  he  heard,  concerning  witchcraft  and 
apparitions.  And  though  this  is  by  many  deemed  a  subject  of  ridi- 
cule rather  than  of  serious  argument,  yet  it  is  but  just  to  let  Mr.  Wes- 
ley plead  his  own  cause,  and  assign  the  reasons  of  his  faith  in  the 
persons  who  have  stated  the  appearance  of  departed  spirits  as  a  mat- 
ter of  fact,  of  which  they  themselves  were  the  witnesses.  This  he 
did  in  1768.  After  stating,  that  there  were  several  things  in  these 
appearances  which  he  did  not  comprehend,  he  adds,  "  But  this  is 
with  me  a  very  slender  objection.  For  what  is  it  which  I  do  not 
comprehend,  even  of  the  things  I  see  daily  ?  Truly  not  '  the  small- 
est grain  of  sand,  or  spire  of  grass.' — What  pretence  have  I  then  to 
deny  well-attested  facts,  because  I  cannot  comprehend  them  ? 

"  It  is  true  likewise,  that  the  English  in  general,  and  most  of  the 
men  of  learning  in  Europe,  have  given  up  all  accounts  of  witches  and 
apparitions,  as  mere  old  wives'  fables.  I  am  sorry  for  it :  and  I  wil- 
lingly take  this  opportunity  of  entering  my  solemn  protest  against  this 
violent  compliment,  which  so  many  that  believe  the  Bible,  pay  to 
those  who  do  not  believe  it.  I  owe  them  no  such  service.  I  take 
knowledge,  these  are  at  the  bottom  of  the  outcry  which  has  been 
raised,  and  with  such  insolence  spread  throughout  the  nation  in 
direct  opposition  not  only  to  the  Bible,  but  to  the  suffrage  of  the  wisest 
and  best  of  men  in  all  ages  and  nations.    They  well  know,  whether 


190 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


Christians  know  it  or  not,  that  the  giving  up  witchcraft,  is  in  effect 
giving  up  the  Bible.  And  they  know  on  the  other  hand,  that  if  but 
one  account  of  the  intercourse  of  men  with  separate  spirits  be  admit- 
ted, their  whole  castle  in  the  air,  Deism,  Atheism,  Materialism,  falls 
to  the  ground.  I  know  no  reason  therefore,  why  we  should  suffer 
even  this  weapon  to  be  wrested  out  of  our  hands.  Indeed  there  are 
numerous  arguments  besides,  which  abundantly  confute  their  vain 
imaginations.  But  we  need  not  be  hooted  out  of  one  :  neither  reason 
or  religion  require  this. 

One  of  the  capital  objections  to  all  these  accounts,  which  I  have 
known  urged  over  and  over,  is  this,  '  Did  you  ever  see  an  apparition 
yourself?'  No:  nor  did  I  ever  see  a  murder.  Yet  I  believe  there  is 
such  a  thing.  Therefore  I  cannot  as  a  reasonable  man  deny  the  fact; 
although  I  never  saw  it,  and  perhaps  never  may.  The  testimony  of 
unexceptionable  witnesses  fully  convinces  me  both  of  the  one  and  the 
other." 

I  am  very  far  from  giving  credit  to  the  common  reports  of  appa- 
ritions. Many  of  them,  no  doubt,  are  the  mere  creatures  of  imagin- 
ation. We  may  observe,  however,  that  no  man  ever  did,  or  ever  can 
prove  by  sound  argument,  the  impossibility  of  disembodied  spirits 
appearing  to  men,  or  that  they  never  have  appeared  to  individuals. 
All  then,  which  the  most  able  and  determined  skeptic  can  do,  is,  to 
oppose  his  own  dark  and  uncertain  conjectures  to  the  uniform  tes- 
timony of  all  ages  and  of  all  nations.  He  has  not  therefore,  so  much 
cause  for  triumph  as  he  would  have  the  world  to  suppose.  I  cannot 
do  better  than  conclude  this  subject  with  the  words  of  Dr.  Johnson, 
in  his  Rasselas,  Prince  of  Abyssinia.  "  If  all  your  fear  be  of  appa- 
ritions, (said  the  prince,)  I  will  promise  you  safety :  there  is  no 
danger  from  the  dead ;  he  that  is  once  buried  will  be  seen  no  more." 

"  That  the  dead  are  seen  no  more  (said  Imlac)  I  will  not  undertake 
to  maintain  against  the  concurrent  and  unvaried  testimony  of  all  ages, 
and  of  all  nations.  There  is  no  people,  rude  or  learned,  among  whom 
apparitions  of  the  dead  are  not  related  and  believed.  This  opinion, 
which  prevails  as  far  as  human  nature  is  diffused,  could  become 
universal  only  by  its  truth  :  those  that  never  heard  of  one  another, 
"would  not  have  agreed  in  a  tale  which  nothing  but  experience  can 
make  credible.  That  it  is  doubted  by  single  cavillers,  can  very  little 
weaken  the  general  evidence  :  and  some  who  deny  it  with  their 
tongues,  confess  it  by  their  fears." 

In  September  this  year,  Mr.  Wesley  wrote  the  following  letter  to 
Mr.  James  Morgan,  on  a  point  of  doctrine.  "I  have  been  thinking 
much  of  you,"  says  Mr.  Wesley,  "  and  why  should  I  not  tell  you  all 
I  think  and  all  I  fear  concerning  you  ? 

"  I  think  all  that  you  said  at  the  conference,  upon  the  subject  at  the 
late  debates,  was  right.  And  it  amounted  to  no  more  than  this  :  '  The 
general  rule  is,  they  who  are  in  the  favor  of  God,  know  they  are  so. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


191 


But  there  may  be  some  exceptions.  Some  may  fear  and  love  God, 
and  yet  not  be  clearly  conscious  of  his  favor:  at  least  they  may  not 
dare  to  affirm,  that  their  sins  are  forgiven.'  If  you  put  the  case  thus, 
I  think  no  man  in  his  senses  will  be  under  any  temptation  to  contra- 
dict you.  For  none  can  doubt,  but  whoever  loves  God,  is  in  the  favor 
of  God.  But  is  not  this  a  little  mis-stating  the  case  7  I  do  not  con- 
ceive  the  question  turned  here.  But  you  said,  or  was  imagined  to 
say,  '  All  penitents  are  in  God's  favor  ;'  or  '  All  who  mourn  after  God, 
are  in  the  favor  of  God.'  And  this  was  what  many  disliked :  because 
tliey  thought  it  was  unscriptural,  and  unsafe,  as  well  as  contrary  to 
what  we  have  always  taught.  That  this  is  contrary  to  what  we 
always  taught  is  certain,  as  all  our  hymns  as  well  as  other  writings 
testify :  so  that  (whether  it  be  true  or  not)  it  is  without  all  question, 
a  new  doctrine  among  the  Methodists.  We  have  always  taught,  that 
a  penitent  mourned  or  was  pained  on  this  very  account,  because  he  felt, 
he  was  'not  in  the  favor  of  God,'  but  had  the  wrath  of  God  abiding 
on  him.  Hence  we  supposed  the  language  of  his  heart  to  be,  '  Lost 
and  undone  for  aid  I  cry  !'  And  we  believed  he  really  was  '  lost  and 
undone,'  till  God  did 

'  Peace,  joy,  and  righteousness  impart 
And  speak  himself  into  his  heart.' 

"And  I  still  apprehend  this  to  be  scriptural  doctrine;  confirmed 
not  by  a  few  detached  texts,  but  by  the  whole  tenure  of  Scripture; 
and  more  particularly  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.  But  if  so,  the 
contrary  to  it  must  be  unsafe,  for  that  general  reason,  because  it  is 
unscriptural.  To  which  one  may  add  the  particular  reason,  that  it 
naturally  tends  to  lull  mourners  to  sleep :  to  make  them  say,  '  Peace, 
peace  to  their  souls,  when  there  is  no  peace.'  It  directly  tends  to  damp 
and  stifle  their  conviction,  and  to  encourage  them  in  sitting  down  con- 
tented, before  Christ  is  revealed  in  them,  and  before  his  spirit 
witnesses  with  their  spirit  that  they  are  children  of  God.  But  it  may 
be  asked,  '  Will  not  this  discourage  mourners?'  Yes,  it  will  discour- 
age them  from  stopping  where  they  are,  it  will  discourage  them  from 
resting  before  they  have  the  witness  in  themselves,  before  Christ  is 
revealed  in  them.  But  it  will  encourage  them,  to  seek  him  in  the 
gospel  way :  to  ask  till  they  receive  pardon  and  peace.  And  we  are  to 
encourage  them,  not  by  telling  them,  they  are  in  the  favor  of  God, 
though  they  do  not  know  it;  (such  a  word  as  this  we  should  never 
utter  in  a  congregation,  at  the  peril  of  our  souls ;)  but  by  assuring 
them  '  every  one  that  seeketh,  findeth ;  every  one  that  asketh 
receiveth.' 

"I  am  afraid  you  have  not  been  sufficiently  wary  in  this ;  but  have 
given  occasion  to  them  that  sought  occasion.  But  this  is  not  all.  I 
doubt  you  did  not  see  God's  hand  in  Shimei's  tongue.  Unto  you  it 
was  given  to  suflfer  a  little,  of  what  you  extremely  wanted,  obloquy, 
and  evil  report.    But  you  did  not  acknowledge  either  the  gift  or 


192 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


the  giver :  you  saw  only  T.  O.  not  God.  O  Jemmy,  you  do  not  know 
yourself.  You  cannot  bear  to  be  continually  steeped  in  poison : 
in  the  esteem  and  praise  of  men.  Therefore,  I  tremble  at  your  stay 
in  Dublin.  It  is  the  most  dangerous  place  for  you  under  heaven. 
All  I  can  say  is,  God  can  preserve  you  in  the  fiery  furnace,  and  I 
hope  will." 

On  Friday,  August  4,  1769,  Mr.  Wesley  read  the  following  paper 
in  the  Conference,  containing  the  outlines  of  a  plan  for  the  future 
union  of  the  Methodist  preachers. 

"  It  has  long  been  my  desire,  that  all  those  ministers  of  the  church 
who  believe  and  preach  salvation  by  faith,  might  cordially  agree 
between  themselves,  and  not  hinder,  but  help  one  another.  After 
occasionally  pressing  this  in  private  conversation,  wherever  I  had 
opportunity,  I  wrote  down  my  thoughts  on  this  head,  and  sent  them 
to  each  in  a  letter.  Only  three  vouchsafed  to  give  me  an  answer. 
So  I  give  this  up.  I  can  do  no  more.  They  are  a  rope  of  sand :  and 
such  they  will  continue. 

But  it  is  otherwise  with  the  travelling  preachers  in  our  connexion. 
You  are  at  present  one  body  :  you  act  in  concert  with  each  other,  and 
by  united  counsels.  And  now  is  the  time  to  consider  what  can  be 
done,  in  order  to  continue  this  union?  Indeed,  as  long  as  I  live, 
there  will  be  no  great  difficulty :  I  am,  under  God,  a  centre  of  union 
to  all  our  travelling,  as  well  as  local  preachers. 

"  They  all  know  me,  and  my  communication.  They  all  love  me 
for  my  work's  sake :  and  therefore,  were  it  only  out  of  regard  to  me, 
they  will  continue  connected  with  each  other.  But  by  what  means 
may  this  connexion  be  preserved,  when  God  removes  me  from  you  ? 

"I  take  it  for  granted,  it  cannot  be  preserved  by  any  means, 
between  those  who  have  not  a  single  eye.  Those  who  aim  at  any 
thing  but  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  salvation  of  souls ;  who  desire,  or 
seek  any  earthly  thing,  whether  honor,  profit,  or  ease;  will  not,  can- 
not continue  in  the  connexion;  it  will  not  answer  their  design. =^ 
Some  of  them,  perhaps  a  fourth  of  the  whole  number,  will  procure 
preferment  in  the  church  ;  others  will  turn  Independents,  and  get 
separate  congregations.  Lay  your  accounts  with  this,  and  be  not 
surprised,  if  some  you  do  not  suspect,  be  of  this  number. 

"  But  what  method  can  be  taken  to  preserve  a  firm  union  between 
those  who  choose  to  remain  together?! 

*Mr.  Wesley,  through  the  whole  of  this  extract,  speaks  of  the  preachers  continuing  in 
connexion  with  each  other,  on  the  original  plan  of  Methodism.  But  if  some  among  the 
preachers,  should  begin  to  ordain  one  another,  to  alter  the  relative  situation  of  the  societies 
to  the  established  church,  and  all  denominations  of  Dissenters,  and  form  themselves  into 
an  independent  body  ;  and  if  the  other  preachers  connive  at  this,  and  do  not  separate  from 
them,  in  order  to  continue  the  original  plan ;  then  it  may  answer  the  designs  of  the  ambi- 
tious, to  preserve  the  connexion  among  the  preachers,  though  they  seek  earthly  things, 
and  their  eye  be  not  single  as  at  the  beginning. 

f  That  is,  upon  the  original  plan  of  Methodism. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


193 


"  Perhaps  you  might  take  some  such  steps  as  these. — On  notice  of 
my  death,  let  all  the  preachers  in  England  and  Ireland,  repair  to 
London,  within  six  weeks. — Let  them  seek  God  by  solemn  fasting  and 
prayer. — Let  them  draw  up  articles  of  agreement,  to  be  signed  by 
those  who  choose  to  act  in  concert. — Let  those  be  dismissed  who  do 
not  choose  it,  in  the  most  friendly  manner  possible. — Let  them  choose 
by  votes,  a  committee  of  three,  five,  or  seven,  each  of  whom  is  to  be 
moderator  in  his  turn. — Let  the  committee  do  what  I  do  now ;  propose 
preachers  to  be  tried,  admitted,  or  excluded :  fix  the  place  of  each 
preacher  for  the  ensuing  year,  and  the  time  of  the  next  Conference. 

Can  any  thing  be  done  now,  in  order  to  lay  a  foundation  for  this 
future  union  ?  Would  it  not  be  well  for  any  that  are  willing,  to  sign 
some  articles  of  agreement,  before  God  calls  me  hence?  Suppose 
something  like  these : 

"  We,  whose  names  are  underwritten,  being  thoroughly  convinced 
of  the  necessity  of  a  close  union  between  those  whom  God  is  pleased  to 
use  as  instruments  in  this  glorious  work,  in  order  to  preserve  this 
union  between  ourselves,  are  resolved,  God  being  our  helper,  L  To 
devote  ourselves  entirely  to  God;  denying  ourselves,  taking  up  our 
cross  daily,  steadily  aiming  a.t  one  thing,  to  save  our  own  souls,  and 
them  that  hear  us.  II.  To  preach  the  old  Methodist  doctrines,  and  no 
other ;  contained  in  the  minutes  of  the  Conferences.  III.  To  observe 
and  enforce,  the  whole  Methodist  discipline,  laid  down  in  the  said 
Minutes." — These  articles,  I  believe,  were  then  signed  by  many  of 
the  preachers.  But  some  years  afterwards,  the  mystery  of  innova- 
tions began  to  work  secretly  in  the  minds  of  several  of  the  preachers, 
who  hoped  to  exalt  themselves  above  all  that  had  been  known  before 
among  them.  They  knew  Mr.  Wesley  did,  and  would  let,  or  hinder, 
till  he  was  taken  out  of  the  way :  they  had  influence  enough,  however, 
to  prevail  upon  him  to  relinquish  the  present  plan,  and  leave  the  mode 
of  union  among  the  preachers  after  his  death,  to  their  own  delibe- 
rations. 

Two  preachers  had  gone  over  to  America  some  time  before ;  though, 
I  apprehend,  not  by  Mr.  Wesley's  authority.  At  the  Conference, 
however,  this  year  he  sent  two,  Mr.  Boardman,  and  Pillmoor,  to 
preach  and  take  charge  of  the  societies  in  America,  where  Methodism 
began  soon  to  flourish. 

Mr.  Wesley  saw  the  work  in  which  he  was  engaged,  spread  on 
every  side.  In  1770,  he  was  able  to  reckon  forty-nine  circuits  in 
England,  Scotland,  Ireland,  and  Wales  :  and  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
two  itinerant  preachers  under  his  direction  ;  besides  about  double  the 
number  of  local  preachers,  who  did  not  quit  their  usual  occupationsv 

This  year,  the  larger  Minutes  of  Conference,  were  printed.  The 
following  abstract  from  them,  will  nearly  complete  our  view  of  the 
economy  of  the  Methodist  societies. 

Q.  1.  "Have  our  Conferences  been  as  useful  as  they  might  have  been?; 

VOL.  n.  17  25 


194 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


A.  "  No :  we  have  been  continually  straitened  for  time.  Hence 
scarce  any  thing  has  been  searched  to  the  bottom.  To  remedy  this, 
let  every  Conference  last  nine  days,  concluding  on  Wednesday  in  the 
second  week. 

Q.  2.  ''What  may  we  reasonably  believe  to  be  God's  design,  in 
raising  up  the  preachers  called  Methodists  7 

A.  "Not  to  form  any  new  sect;  but  to  reform  the  nation,  particu- 
larly the  church :  and  to  spread  scriptural  holiness  over  the  land. 

Q.  3.  "  Is  it  advisable  for  us  to  preach  in  as  many  places  as  we  can, 
without  forming  any  societies? 

A.  "By  no  means ;  we  have  made  the  trial  in  various  places :  and 
that  for  a  considerable  time.  But  all  the  seed  has  fallen  as  by  the 
highway-side.    There  is  scarce  any  fruit  remaining. 

Q.  4.  "Where  should  we  endeavor  to  preach  most? 

A.  1.  "Where  there  is  the  greatest  number  of  quiet  and  willing 
hearers :  2.  Where  there  is  most  fruit. 

Q.  5.  "  Is  field-preaching  unlawful  ? 

A.  "  We  conceive  not.  We  do  not  know  that  it  is  contrary  to  any 
law  either  of  God  or  man. 

Q.  6.  "  Have  we  not  used  it  too  sparingly? 

A.  "It  seems  we  have:  1.  Because  our  call  is,  to  save  that  which 
is  lost.  Now  we  cannot  expect  them  to  seek  us.  Therefore  we  should 
go  and  seek  them.  2.  Because  we  are  particularly  called,  by  going 
into  the  highways  and  hedges  (which  none  else  will  do)  to  compel 
them  to  come  in.  3.  Because  that  reason  against  it  is  not  good,  '  The 
house  will  hold  all  that  come.'  The  house  may  hold  all  that  come 
to  the  house ;  but  not  all  that  would  come  to  the  field. 

"  The  greatest  hinderance  to  this  you  are  to  expect  from  rich,  or 
cowardly,  or  lazy  Methodists.  But  regard  them  not,  neither  stewards, 
leaders,  nor  people.  Whenever  the  weather  will  permit,  go  out  in  God's 
name  into  the  most  public  places,  and  call  all  to  repent  and  believe 
the  gospel :  every  Sunday,  in  particular ;  especially  where  there  are 
old  societies,  lest  they  settle  upon  their  lees. 

"  The  stewards  will  frequently  oppose  this,  lest  they  lose  their  usual 
collection.  But  this  is  not  a  suflicient  reason  against  it.  Shall  we 
barter  souls  for  money  ? 

Q.  7.  "  Ought  we  not  diligently  to  observe,  in  what  places  God  is 
pleased  at  any  time  to  pour  out  his  Spirit  more  abundantly? 

A.  "  We  ought :  and  at  that  time  to  send  more  laborers  than  usual 
into  that  part  of  the  harvest. 

"  But  whence  shall  we  have  them?  1.  So  far  as  we  can  afford  it, 
we  will  keep  a  reserve  of  preachers  at  Kingswood :  2.  Let  an  exact 
list  be  kept  of  those  who  are  proposed  for  trial,  but  not  accepted. 

Q.  8.  "  How  often  shall  we  permit  strangers  to  be  present  at  the 
meeting  of  the  society  ? 

A.  "  At  every  other  meeting  of  the  society  in  every  place,  let  no 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


195 


stranger  be  admitted.  At  other  times  they  may ;  but  the  same  person 
not  above  twice  or  thrice.  In  order  to  this,  see  that  all  in  every  place 
show  their  tickets  before  they  come  in.  If  the  stewards  and  leaders 
are  not  exact  herein,  employ  others  that  have  more  resolution. 

Q.  9.  "  Can  any  thing  further  be  done,  in  order  to  make  the  meet- 
ings of  the  classes  lively  and  profitable? 

A.  1.  " Change  improper  leaders: 

2.  "  Let  the  leaders  frequently  meet  each  other's  classes. 

3.  "  Let  us  observe,  which  leaders  are  the  most  useful,  and  let  these 
meet  the  other  classes  as  often  as  possible. 

4.  "  See  that  all  the  leaders  be  not  only  men  of  sound  judgment, 
but  men  truly  devoted  to  God. 

Q.  10.  "  How  can  we  further  assist  those  under  our  care? 

A.  1.  By  meeting  the  married  men  and  women  together,  the  first 
Sunday  after  the  visitation ;  the  single  men  and  women  apart,  on 
the  two  following,  in  all  the  large  societies :  this  has  been  much 
neglected. 

2.  "By  instructing  them  at  their  own  houses.  What  unspeakable 
need  is  there  of  this  ?  The  world  say,  '  The  Methodists  are  no  better 
than  other  people.'  This  is  not  true.  But  it  is  nearer  the  truth,  than 
we  are  willing  to  believe. 

"N.  B.  For  1.  Personal  religion  either  toward  God  or  man,  is 
amazingly  superficial  among  us. 

"  I  can  but  just  touch  on  a  few  generals.  How  little  faith  is  there 
among  us  ?  How  little  communion  with  God  ?  How  little  living  in 
heaven,  walking  in  eternity,  deadness  to  every  creature  ?  How  much 
love  of  the  world  ?    Desire  of  pleasure,  of  ease,  of  getting  money  ? 

"  How  little  brotherly-love  ?  What  continual  judging  one  another? 
What  gossipping,  evil-speaking,  tale-bearing?  What  want  of  moral 
honesty  ?    To  instance  only  in  one  or  two  particulars. 

"Who  does  as  he  would  be  done  by,  in  buying  and  selling?  Par- 
ticularly in  selling  horses  ?  Write  him  knave  that  does  not.  And 
the  Methodist  knave  is  the  worst  of  all  knaves. 

"2.  Family  religion  is  shamefully  wanting,  and  almost  in  every 
branch. 

"  And  the  Methodists  in  general  will  be  little  the  better,  till  we  take 
quite  another  course  with  them.  For  what  avails  public  preaching 
alone,  though  we  could  preach  like  angels? 

"  We  must,  yea  every  travelling  preacher,  must  instruct  them  from 
house  to  house.  Till  this  is  done,  and  that  in  good  earnest,  the  Meth- 
odists will  be  little  better  than  other  people. 

"  Let  every  preacher,  having  a  catalogue  of  those  in  each  society, 
go  to  each  house.  Deal  gently  with  them,  that  the  report  of  it  may 
move  others  to  desire  your  coming.  Give  the  children,  '  the  instruc- 
tions for  children,'  and  encourage  them  to  get  them  by  heart.  Indeed 
you  will  find  it  no  easy  matter  to  teach  the  ignorant  the  principles  of 


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THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


religion.  So  true  is  the  remark  of  Archbishop  Usher.  'Great 
scholars  may  think  this  work  beneath  them.  But  they  should  con- 
sider, the  laying  the  foundation  skilfully,  as  it  is  of  the  greatest 
importance,  so  it  is  the  master-piece  of  the  wisest  builder.  And  let 
the  wisest  of  us  all  try,  whenever  we  please,  we  shall  find,  that  to 
lay  this  ground  work  rightly,  to  make  the  ignorant  understand  the 
grounds  of  religion,  will  put  us  to  the  trial  of  all  our  skill.' 

"Perhaps  in  doing  this  it  may  be  well,  after  a  few  loving  words 
spoken  to  all  in  the  house,  to  take  each  person  singly  into  another 
room,  where  you  may  deal  closely  with  him,  about  his  sin,  and  mis- 
ery, and  duty. — Set  these  home,  or  you  lose  all  your  labor :  do  this  in 
earnest,  and  you  will  soon  find  what  a  work  you  take  in  hand,  in 
undertaking  to  be  a  travelling  preacher. 

Q.  11.  "  How  shall  we  prevent  improper  persons  from  insinuating 
themselves  into  the  society  7 

A.  1.  "  Give  tickets  to  none  till  they  are  recommended  by  a  leader, 
with  whom  they  have  met  at  least  two  months  on  trial.  2.  Give 
notes  to  none  but  those  who  are  recommended  by  one  you  know,  or 
till  they  have  met  three  or  four  times  in  a  class.  3.  Give  them  the 
rules  the  first  time  they  meet.    See  that  this  be  never  neglected. 

Q.  12.  "Should  we  insist  on  the  band-rules?  Particularly  with 
regard  to  dress  ? 

A.  "By  all  means.  This  is  no  time  to  give  any  encouragement  to 
superfluity  of  apparel.  Therefore  give  no  band-tickets  to  any,  till 
they  have  left  ofi*  superfluous  ornaments.  In  order  to  this,  1.  Let 
every  assistant  read  the  thoughts  upon  dress,  at  least  once  a  year,  in 
every  large  society.  2.  In  visiting  the  classes,  be  very  mild,  but  very 
strict.  3.  Allow  no  exempt  case,  not  even  of  a  married  woman. 
Better  one  suflfer  than  many.  4.  Give  no  tickets  to  any  that  wear 
calashes,  high-heads,  or  enormous  bonnets. 

"  To  encourage  meeting  in  band,  1.  In  every  large  society,  have  a 
love-feast  quarterly  for  the  bands  only.  2.  Never  fail  to  meet  them 
once  a  week.  3.  Exhort  every  believer  to  embrace  the  advantage. 
4.  Give  a  band -ticket  to  none  till  they  have  met  a  quarter  on  trial. 

"Observe  !  You  give  none  a  band  ticket,  beforehe  meets,  but  after 
he  has  met. 

Q.  13.  "Do  not  Sabbath-breaking,  dram-drinking,  evil-speaking, 
unprofitable  conversation,  lightness,  expensiveness  or  gaiety  of 
apparel,  and  contracting  debts  without  due  care  to  discharge  them^ 
still  prevail  in  several  places  ?    How  may  these  evils  be  remedied  ? 

A.  1.  "  Let  us  preach  expressly  on  each  of  these  heads.  2.  Read 
in  every  society  the  sermon  on  evil-speaking.  3.  Let  the  leaders 
closely  examine  and  exhort  every  person  to  put  away  the  accursed 
thing.  4.  Let  the  preacher  warn  every  society,  that  none  who  is 
guilty  herein  can  remain  with  us.  5.  Extirpate  smuggling,  buying, 
or  selling  uncustomed  goods,  out  of  every  society.    Let  none  remain 


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197 


with  us,  who  will  not  totally  abstain  from  every  kind  and  degree 
of  it.  Speak  tenderly,  but  earnestly  and  frequently  of  it,  in  every 
society  near  the  coasts.  And  read  to  them,  and  diligently  dis- 
perse among  them,  '  The  Word  to  a  Smuggler.'  6.  Extirpate  bribery, 
receiving  any  thing,  directly  or  indirecctly,  for  voting  in  any  election. 
Show  no  respect  of  persons  herein,  but  expel  all  that  touch  the 
accursed  thing.  Largely  show,  both  in  public  and  private,  the  wick- 
edness of  thus  selling  our  country.  And  every  where  read  '  The 
Word  to  a  Freeholder,'  aud  disperse  it  with  both  hands. 

Q.  14.  "What  shall  we  do  to  prevent  scandal,  when  any  of  our 
members  become  bankrupt  1 

A.  "  Let  the  assistant  talk  with  him  at  large.  And  if  he  has  not 
kept  fair  accounts,  or  has  been  concerned  in  that  base  practice,  of 
raismg  money  by  coining  notes  (commonly  called  the  bill-trade)  let 
him  be  expelled  immediately. 

Q.  15.  "  What  is  the  office  of  a  Christian  minister? 

A.  "  To  watch  over  souls,  as  he  that  must  give  account. 

Q.  16.  "In  what  view  may  we  and  our  helpers  be  considered? 

A.  "  Perhaps  as  extraordinary  messengers  (i.  e.  out  of  the  ordinary 
way)  designed,  1.  To  provoke  the  regular  ministers  to  jealousy. 
To  supply  their  lack  of  service,  toward  those  who  are  perishing  for 
want  of  knowledge.  But  how  hard  is  it  to  abide  here?  Who  does 
not  wish  to  be  a  little  higher?   Suppose,  to  be  ordained f 

Q.  17.  "  What  is  the  office  of  an  helper? 

A.  "In  the  absence  of  a  minister,  to  feed  and  guide  the  flock :  in 
particular, 

1.  "To  preach  morning  and  evening.  (But  he  is  never  to  begin 
later  in  the  evening  than  seven  o'clock,  unless  in  particular  cases.) 

2.  "To  meet  the  society  and  the  bands  weekly. 

3.  "To  meet  the  leaders  weekly. 

"  Let  every  preacher  be  particularly  exact  in  this,  and  in  the  morn- 
ing-preaching. If  he  has  twenty  hearers  let  him  preach.  If  not, 
let  him  sing  and  pray. 

"N.  B.  We  are  fully  determined,  never  to  drop  the  morning- 
preaching  :  and  to  continue  preaching  at  five,  wherever  it  is  practi- 
cable, particularly,  in  London  and  Bristol. 

Q.  18.  "What  are  the  rules  of  an  helper? 

A.  1.  "Be  diligent.  Never  be  unemployed  a  moment.  Never  be 
triflingly  employed.  Never  while  away  time :  neither  spend  any 
more  time  at  any  place  than  is  strictly  necessary. 

2.  "Be  serious.  Let  your  motto  be,  holiness  to  the  Lord.  Avoid 
all  lightness,  jesting,  and  foolish  talking. 

3.  "  Converse  sparingly  and  cautiously  with  women  :  particularly 
with  young  women. 

4.  "  Take  no  step  toward  marriage,  without  first  consulting  with 
your  brethren. 

17* 


198 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEV. 


5.  Believe  evil  of  no  one  :  unless  you  see  it  done,  take  heed  how 
you  credit  it.  Put  the  best  construction  on  every  thing.  You  know 
the  judge  is  always  supposed  to  be  on  the  prisoner's  side. 

6.  "  Speak  evil  of  no  one :  else  your  word  especially,  would  eat  as 
doth  a  canker :  keep  your  thoughts  within  your  own  breast,  till  you 
come  to  the  person  concerned. 

7.  "  Tell  every  one  what  you  think  wrong  in  him,  and  that  plainly 
as  soon  as  may  be :  else  it  will  fester  in  your  heart.  Make  all  haste 
to  cast  the  fire  out  of  your  bosom. 

8.  "Do  not  affect  the  gentleman.  You  have  no  more  to  do  with 
this  character,  than  with  that  of  a  dancing-master.  A  preacher  of 
the  gospel  is  the  servant  of  all. 

9.  "  Be  ashamed  of  nothing  but  sin  :  not  of  fetching  wood  (if  time 
permit)  or  drawing  water :  not  of  cleaning  your  own  shoes,  or  your 
neighbor's. 

10.  '-Be  punctual.  Do  every  thing  exactly  at  the  time.  And  in 
general  do  not  mend  our  rules,  but  keep  them :  not  for  wrath,  but  for 
conscience-sake. 

11.  "  You  have  nothing  to  do,  but  to  save  souls.  Therefore  spend 
and  be  spent  in  this  work.  And  go  always,  not  only  to  those  that 
want  you,  but  to  those  that  want  you  most. 

"Observe.  It  is  not  your  business,  to  preach  so  many  times,  and 
to  take  care  of  this  or  that  society :  but  to  save  as  many  souls  as  you 
can ;  to  bring  as  many  sinners  as  you  possibly  can  to  repentance,  and 
with  all  your  power  to  build  them  up  in  that  hoHness,  without  which 
they  cannot  see  the  Lord.  And  remember !  A  Methodist  preacher 
is  to  mind  every  point,  great  and  small,  in  the  Methodist  discipline! 
Therefore  you  will  need  all  the  sense  you  have :  and  to  have  all  your 
wits  about  you ! 

12.  "  Act  in  all  things,  not  according  to  your  own  will,  but  as  a  son 
in  the  gospel.  As  such  it  is  your  part  to  employ  your  time,  in  the 
manner  which  we  direct :  partly  in  preaching  and  visiting  from  house 
to  house :  partly  in  reading,  meditation,  and  prayer.  Above  all,  if 
you  labor  with  us  in  our  Lord's  vineyard,  it  is  needful  that  you 
should  do  that  part  of  the  work  which  we  advise,  at  those  times  and 
places  which  we  judge  most  for  his  glory. 

Q.  19.  "  What  power  is  this,  which  you  exercise  over  both  the 
preachers  and  societies  7 

A.  1.  "In  November,  1738,  two  or  three  persons  who  desired  to 
flee  from  the  wrath  to  come,  and  then  a  few  more  came  to  me  in 
London,  and  desired  me  to  advise,  and  pray  with  them.  I  said,  '  If 
you  will  meet  me  on  Thursday  night,  I  will  help  you  as  well  as  I 
can.'  More  and  more  then  desired  to  meet  with  them,  till  they  were 
increased  to  many  hundreds.  The  case  was  afterwards  the  same  at 
Bristol,  Kmgswood,  Newcastle,  and  many  other  parts  of  England, 
Scotland,  and  Ireland.    It  may  be  observed,  the  desire  was  on  their 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


199 


part,  not  mine.  My  desire  was,  to  live  and  die  in  retirement.  But 
I  did  not  see,  that  I  could  refuse  them  my  help,  and  be  guiltless 
before  God. 

"  Here  commenced  my  power;  namely,  a  power  to  appoint  when, 
and  where,  and  how  they  should  meet ;  and  to  remove  those  whose 
lives  showed  that  they  had  not  a  desire  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to 
come.  And  this  power  remained  the  same,  whether  the  people  meet- 
ing together  were  twelve,  or  twelve  hundred,  or  twelve  thousand. 

2.  "In  a  few  days  some  of  them  said,  'Sir,  we  will  not  sit  under 
you  for  nothing:  we  will  subscribe  quarterly.'  I  said,  'I  will  have 
nothing  ;  for  I  want  nothing.  My  fellowship  supplies  me  with  all  I 
want.'  One  replied,  '  Nay,  but  you  want  an  hundred  and  fifteen 
pounds  to  pay  for  the  lease  of  the  Foundery :  and  likewise  a  large 
sum  of  money,  to  put  it  into  repair.'  On  this  consideration  I  suffered 
them  to  subscribe.  And  when  the  society  met,  I  asked,  '  Who  will 
take  the  trouble  of  receiving  this  money,  and  paying  it,  where  it  is 
needful?'  One  said,  'I  will  do  it,  and  keep  the  account  for  you.' 
So  here  was  the  first  steward.  Afterwards  I  desired  one  or  two  more 
to  help  me  as  stewards,  and  in  process  of  time,  a  greater  number. 

"  Let  it  be  remarked,  it  was  I  myself,  not  the  people,  who  chose 
these  stewards,  and  appointed  to  each  the  distinct  work,  wherein  he 
was  to  help  me,  as  long  as  I  desired.  And  herein  I  began  to  exercise 
another  sort  of  power,  namely,  that  of  appointing  and  removing 
stewards. 

3.  "  After  a  time  a  young  man  named  Thomas  Maxfield,  came  and 
desired  to  help  me  as  a  son  in  the  gospel.  Soon  after  came  a  second, 
Thomas  Richards,  and  then  a  third,  Thomas  Westall.  These  sever- 
ally desired  to  serve  me  as  sons,  and  to  labor  when  and  Avhere  I 
should  direct.  Observe.  These  likewise  desired  me,  not  I  them. 
But  I  durst  not  refuse  their  assistance.  And  here  commenced  my 
power,  to  appoint  each  of  these,  when,  and  where,  and  how  to  labor: 
that  is,  while  he  chose  to  continue  with  me.  For  each  had  a  power 
to  go  away  when  he  pleased  :  as  I  had  also  to  go  away  from  them, 
or  any  of  them,  if  I  saw  sufficient  cause.  The  case  continued  the 
same,  when  the  number  of  preachers  increased.  I  had  just  the  same 
power  still,  to  appoint  when,  and  where,  and  how  each  should  help 
me ;  and  to  tell  any  (if  I  saw  cause)  'I  do  not  desire  your  help  any 
longer.'  On  these  terms,  and  no  other,  we  joined  at  first:  on  these 
we  continue  joined.  But  they  do  me  no  favor  in  being  directed  by 
me.  It  is  true,  my  reward  is  with  the  Lord.  But  at  present  I  have 
nothing  from  it  but  trouble  and  care ;  and  often  a  burden,  I  scarce 
know  how  to  bear. 

4.  "  In  1744,  I  wrote  to  several  clergymen,  and  to  all  who  then 
served  me  as  sons  in  the  gospel ;  desiring  them  to  meet  me  in  Lon- 
don, and  to  give  me  their  advice,  concerning  the  best  method  of  car- 
rying on  the  work  of  God.    And  when  their  number  increased,  so 


300  THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 

that  it  was  not  convenient  to  invite  them  all,  for  several  years  I  wrote 
to  those  with  whom  I  desired  to  confer,  and  they  only  met  me  at 
London,  or  elsewhere:  till  at  length  I  gave  a  general  permission, 
which  I  afterwards  saw  cause  to  retract. 

"  Observe.  I  myself  sent  for  these  of  my  own  free  choice.  And  I 
sent  for  them  to  advise^  not  to  govern  me.  Neither  did  I  at  any  time 
divest  myself  of  any  part  of  the  power  above  described,  which  the 
providence  of  God  had  cast  upon  me,  without  any  design  or  choice 
of  mine. 

5.  '-What  is  that  poicer?  It  is  a  power  of  admitting  into  and 
excluding  from  the  societies  under  my  care:  of  choosing  and 
removing  stewards :  of  receiving  or  not  receiving  helpers :  of  appoint- 
ing them  when,  ivhere,  and  how  to  help  me,  and  of  desiring  any  of 
them  to  confer  with  me  when  I  see  good.  And  as  it  was  merely  in 
obedience  to  the  Providence  of  God,  and  for  the  good  of  the  people, 
that  I  at  first  accepted  this  power,  which  I  never  sought :  so  it  is  on 
the  same  consideration,  not  for  profit,  honor,  or  pleasure,  that  I  use 
it  at  this  day. 

6.  "But  '  several  gentlemen  are  offended  at  your  having  50  mt/ch 
power.''  I  did  not  seek  any  part  of  it.  But  when  it  was  come  una- 
wares, not  daring  to  bury  that  talent,  I  used  it  to  the  best  of  my 
judgment.  Yet  I  never  was  fond  of  it.  I  always  did,  and  do  now, 
bear  it  as  my  burden;  the  burden  which  God  lays  upon  me,  and 
therefore  I  dare  not  lay  it  down. 

"  But  if  you  can  tell  me  any  one,  or  any  five  men,  to  whom  I  may 
transfer  this  burden,  who  can  and  will  do  just  what  I  do  now,  I  will 
heartily  thank  both  them  and  you. 

Q.  20.  "  What  reasons  can  be  assigned  why  so  many  of  our 
preachers  contract  nervous  disorders? 

A.  "  The  chief  reason,  on  Dr.  Cadogan's  principles,  is  either  indo- 
lence or  intemperance,  1.  Indolence.  Several  of  them  use  too  little 
exercise,  far  less  than  when  they  wrought  at  their  trade.  And  this 
will  naturally  pave  the  way  for  many,  especially  nervous  disorders. 
2.  Intemperance,  (though  not  in  the  vulgar  sense.)  They  take  more 
food  than  they  did  when  they  labored  more.  And  let  any  man  of 
reflection  judge,  how  long  this  will  consist  with  health.  Or  they  use 
more  sleep  than  when  they  labored  more.  And  this  alone  will 
destroy  the  firmness  of  the  nerves.  If  then  our  preachers  would 
avoid  nervous  disorders,  let  them,  I.  Take  as  little  meat,  drink,  and 
sleep,  as  nature  will  bear :  and  2.  Use  full  as  much  exercise  daily  as 
they  did  before  they  were  preachers. 

Q.  21.  "  What  general  method  of  employing  our  time  would  you 
advise  us  to? 

A.  "We  advise  you,  1.  As  often  as  possible  to  rise  at  four.  2. 
From  four  to  five  in  the  morning,  and  from  five  to  six  in  the  evening, 
to  meditate,  pray,  and  read,  partly  the  Scripture  with  the  notes,  partly 
the  closely-practical  parts  of  what  we  have  published.    3.  From  six 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


201 


in  the  morning  till  twelve  (allowing  an  hour  for  breakfast)  to  read  in 
order,  with  much  prayer,  first,  the  Christian  library,  and  the  other 
books  which  we  have  published  in  prose  and  verse,  and  then  those 
which  we  recommended  in  our  rules  of  Kings  wood-School. 
Q.  22.  "  Should  our  helpers  follow  trades? 

A.  "The  question  is  not.  Whether  they  may  occasionally  work 
with  their  hands,  as  St.  Paul  did :  but  whether  it  be  proper  for  them 
to  keep  shop  or  follow  merchandize  7  After  long  consideration,  it 
was  agreed  by  all  our  brethren,  that  no  preacher  who  will  not  relin- 
quish his  trade  of  buying  and  selling  (though  it  were  only  pills, 
drops,  or  balsams)  shall  be  considered  as  a  travelling  preacher  any 
longer. 

Q.  23.  "  Why  is  it  that  the  people  under  our  care  are  no  better? 

A.  "Other  reasons  may  concur:  but  the  chief  is,  because  we  are 
not  more  knowing  and  more  holy. 

Q.  24.  "  But  why  are  we  not  more  knowing? 

A.  "Because  we  are  idle.  We  forget  our  very  first  rule,  'Be 
diligent.  Never  be  unemployed  a  moment.  Never  be  triflingly 
employed.  Never  while  away  time ;  neither  spend  any  more  time  at 
any  place  than  is  strictly  necessary.' 

"I  fear  there  is  altogether  a  fault  in  this  matter,  and  that  few  of 
us  are  clear.  Which  of  you  spends  as  many  hours  a  day  in  God's 
work,  as  you  did  formerly  in  man's  work?  We  talk,  talk, — or  read 
history,  or  what  comes  next  to  hand.  We  must,  absolutely  must, 
cure  this  evil,  or  betray  the  cause  of  God. 

"But  how?  1.  Read  the  most  useful  books,  and  that  regularly 
and  constantly.  Steadily  spend  all  the  morning  in  this  employ,  or  at 
least  five  hours  in  four  and  twenty. 

"  'But  I  read  only  the  Bible.'  Then  you  ought  to  teach  others  to 
read  only  the  Bible,  and  by  parity  of  reason,  to  hear  only  the  Bible ; 
but  if  so,  you  need  preach  no  more.  Just  so  said  George  Bell.  And 
what  is  the  fruit  ?  Why,  now  he  neither  reads  the  Bible,  nor  any- 
thing else. 

"  This  is  rank  enthusiasm.  If  you  need  no  book  but  the  Bible, 
you  are  got  above  St.  Paul.  He  wanted  others  too.  '  Bring  the 
books,'  says  he,  'but  especially  the  parchments,'  those  wrote  on 
parchment. 

"  'But  I  have  no  taste  for  reading.'  Contract  a  taste  for  it  by  use, 
or  return  to  your  trade. 

"  'But  I  have  no  books.'  I  will  give  each  of  you  as  fast  as  you 
will  read  them,  books  to  the  value  of  five  pounds.  And  I  desire  the 
assistants  would  take  care,  that  all  the  large  societies  provide  our 
works,  or  at  least  the  notes,  for  the  use  of  the  preachers. 

2.  "In  the  afternoon,  follow  Mr.  Baxter's  plan.  Then  you  will 
have  no  time  to  spare :  you  will  have  work  enough  for  all  your  time. 
Then  likewise  no  preacher  will  stay  with  us  who  is  as  salt  that  has 

VOL.  n.  26 


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THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


lost  its  savor.  For  to  such,  this  employment  would  be  mere  drudgery. 
And  in  order  to  it,  you  will  have  need  of  all  the  knowledge  you  have, 
or  can  procure. 

"The  sum  is,  go  into  every  house  in  course,  and  teach  every  one 
therein,  young  and  old,  if  they  belong  to  us,  to  be  Christians, 
inwardly  and  outwardly. 

"Make  every  particular  plain  to  their  understanding;  fix  it  in 
their  memory ;  write  it  in  their  heart.  In  order  to  this,  there  must 
be  '  line  upon  line,  precept  upon  precept.'  What  patience,  what  love, 
what  knowledge  is  requisite  for  this  I 

Q.  25.  ''In  what  particular  method  should  we  instruct  them? 

A.  "You  may  as  you  have  time,  read,  explain,  enforce,  1.  The 
rules  of  the  society :  2.  Instructions  for  children :  3.  The  fourth  vol- 
ume of  sermons,  and  4.  Philip  Henry's  method  of  family  prayer. 
We  must  needs  do  this,  were  it  only  to  avoid  idleness.  Do  we  not 
loiter  away  many  hours  in  every  week  ?  Each  try  himself :  no  idle- 
ness can  consist  with  growth  in  grace.  Nay  without  exactness  in 
redeeming  time,  you  cannot  retain  the  grace  you  received  in  justifi- 
cation. 

"  But  what  shall  we  do  for  the  rising  generation?  Unless  we 
take  care  of  this,  the  present  revival  will  be  res  unius  cetatis :  it  will 
last  only  the  age  of  a  man.  Who  will  labor  herein?  Let  him  that 
is  zealous  for  God  and  the  souls  of  men  begin  now. 

1.  "Where  there  are  ten  children  in  a  society,  meet  them  at  least 
an  hour  every  week :  2.  Talk  with  them  every  time  you  see  any  at 
home :  3.  Pray  in  earnest  for  them :  4.  Diligently  instruct  and  vehe- 
mently exhort  all  parents  at  their  own  houses  :  5.  Preach  expressly  on 
education,  particularly  at  midsummer,  when  you  speak  of  Kings- 
wood.  '  But  I  have  no  gift  for  this.'  Gift  or  no  gift  you  are  to  do  it; 
else  you  are  not  called  to  be  a  Methodist  preacher.  Do  it  as  you  can, 
till  you  can  do  it  as  you  would.  Pray  earnestly  for  the  gift,  and  use 
the  means  for  it.  Particularly,  study  the  instructions  and  lessons  for 
children. 

Q.  26.  "Why  are  not  we  more  holy?  Why  do  not  we  live  in 
eternity?  Walk  with  God  all  the  day  long?  Why  are  we  not  all 
devoted  to  God  ?    Breathing  the  whole  spirit  of  missionaries  ? 

A.  "Chiefly  because  we  are  enthusiasts;  looking  for  the  end, 
without  using  the  means. 

"  To  touch  only  upon  two  or  three  instances. 

"  Who  of  you  rises  at  four  in  summer  ?  Or  even  at  five,  when  he 
does  not  preach  ? 

"  Do  you  recommend  to  all  our  societies,  the  five  o'clock  hour  for 
private  prayer  ?  Do  you  observe  it  ?  Or  any  other  fixt  time  ?  Do 
not  you  find  by  experience,  that  a7iy  time  is  no  time  7 

"Do  you  know  the  obligation  and  the  benefit  of  fasting?  How 
often  do  you  practise  it  ? 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


203 


Q.  27.    What  is  the  best  general  method  of  preaching? 

A.  "  1.  To  invite  :  2.  To  convince  :  3.  To  offer  Christ:  4.  To  build 
up;  and  to  do  this  in  some  measure  in  every  sermon. 

Q.  28.  "  Have  not  some  of  us  been  led  off  from  practical  preaching 
by  (what  was  called)  preaching-  Christ? 

A.  "Indeed  we  have.  The  most  effectual  way  of  preaching 
Christ,  is  to  preach  him  in  all  his  offices,  and  to  declare  his  laio  as 
well  as  his  gospel,  both  to  believers  and  unbelievers.  Let  us  strongly 
and  closely  insist  upon  inward  and  outward  holiness,  in  all  its 
branches. 

Q.  29.  "  How  shall  we  guard  against  formality  in  public  worship? 
Particularly  in  singing? 

A.  "  1.  By  preaching  frequently  on  the  head  :  2.  By  taking  care  to 
speak  only  what  we  feel :  3.  By  choosing  such  hymns  as  are  proper 
for  the  congregation  :  4.  By  not  singing  too  much  at  once :  seldom 
more  than  five  or  six  verses:  5.  By  suiting  the  tune  to  the  words: 
6.  By.  often  stopping  short  and  asking  the  people,  '  Now !  Do  you 
know  what  you  said  last  ?    Did  you  speak  no  more  than  you  felt  ? ' 

"  After  preaching,  take  a  little  lemonade,  mild  ale,  or  candied 
orange-peel.  All  spirituous  liquors,  at  that  time  especially,  are  deadly 
poison. 

Q.  30.  "  Who  is  the  assistant? 

A.  "  That  preacher  in  each  circuit,  who  is  appointed  from  time  to 
time,  to  take  charge  of  the  societies  and  the  other  preachers  therein. 

Q.  31.  "  How  should  an  assistant  be  qualified  for  his  charge? 

A.  "  By  walking  closely  with  God,  and  having  his  work  greatly 
at  heart:  by  understanding  and  loving  discipline,  ours  in  particular; 
and  by  loving  the  Church  of  England,  and  resolving  not  to  separate 
from  it.  Let  this  be  well  observed.  I  fear,  when  the  Methodists 
leave  the  church,  God  will  leave  them.  But  if  they  are  thrust  out  of 
it,  they  will  be  guiltless. 

Q.  32.     What  is  the  business  of  an  assistant  ? 

A.  "  1.  To  see  that  the  other  preachers  in  his  circuit  behave  well, 
and  want  nothing :  2.  To  visit  the  classes  quarterly,  regulate  the 
bands,  and  deliver  tickets  :  3.  To  take  in,  or  put  out  of  the  society  or 
the  bands  :  4.  To  keep  watch-nights  and  love-feasts :  5.  To  hold 
quarterly  meetings,  and  therein  diligently  to  inquire  both  into  the 
temporal  and  spiritual  state  of  each  society  :  6.  To  take  care  that 
every  society  be  duly  supplied  with  books :  particularly  with  Kempis, 
and  Instructions  for  Children,  which  ought  to  be  in  every  house :  O 
why  is  not  this  regarded?  7.  To  send  from  every  quarterly  meeting 
a  circumstantial  account  (to  London)  of  every  remarkable  conversion, 
and  remarkable  death :  8.  To  take  exact  lists  of  his  societies  every 
quarter,  and  send  them  up  to  London :  9.  To  meet  the  married  men 
and  women,  and  the  single  men  and  women  in  the  large  societies  once 
a  quarter  :  10.  To  overlook  the  accounts  of  all  the  stewards. 


204 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


Q.  33.  "  Has  the  office  of  an  assistant  been  well  executed? 

A.  "  No,  not  by  half  the  assistants.  1.  Who  has  sent  me  word, 
whether  the  other  preachers  behave  well  or  ill  7  2.  Who  has  visited 
all  the  classes,  and  regulated  the  bands  quarterly?  3.  Love-feasts 
for  the  bands  have  been  neglected ;  neither  have  persons  been  duly 
taken  in,  and  put  out  of  the  bands  :  4.  The  societies  are  not  half  sup- 
plied with  books ;  not  even  with  those  above  mentioned.  O  exert 
yourselves  in  this !  Be  not  weary !  Leave  no  stone  unturned ! 
5.  How  few  accounts  have  I  had,  either  of  remarkable  deaths,  or 
remarkable  conversions !  6.  How  few  exact  lists  of  the  societies ! 
7.  How  few  have  met  the  married  and  single  persons  once  a  quarter  ! 

Q.  34.  -'Are  there  any  other  advices,  which  you  would,  give  the 
assistants  ? 

A.  "  Several.  1.  Take  a  regular  catalogue  of  your  societies,  as 
they  live,  in  house-row :  2.  Leave  your  successor  a  particular  ac- 
count of  the  state  of  the  circuit:  3.  See  that  every  band  leader  has 
the  rules  of  the  bands :  4.  Vigorously,  but  calmly  enforce  the  rules 
concerning  needless  ornaments,  drams,  snuff,  and  tobacco.  Give  no 
band-ticket  to  any  man  or  woman,  who  does  not  promise  to  leave 
them  off :  5.  As  soon  as  there  are  four  men  or  women  believers  in 
any  place,  put  them  into  a  band  :  6.  Suffer  no  love-feast  to  last  above 
an  hour  and  a  half;  and  instantly  stop  all  breaking  the  cake  with 
another :  7.  Warn  all  from  time  to  time,  that  none  are  to  remove  from 
one  society  to  another,  without  a  certificate  from  the  assistant  in  these 
words  (else  he  will  not  be  received  in  other  societies)  'A.  B.  the 
bearer,  is  a  member  of  our  society  in  C.  I  believe  he  has  sufficient 
cause  for  removing.'  I  beg  every  assistant  to  remember  this.  8.  Every 
where  recommend  decency  and  cleanliness.  Cleanliness  is  next  to 
godliness.  9.  Exhort  all  that  were  brought  up  in  the  church,  to  con- 
tinue therein.  Set  the  example  yourself:  and  immediately  change 
every  plan  that  would  hinder  their  being  at  church,  at  least  two 
Sundays  in  four.  Carefully  avoid  whatever  has  a  tendency  to  sepa- 
rate men  from  the  church :  and  let  all  the  servants  in  our  preaching- 
houses  go  to  church  once  on  Sunday  at  least. 

"Is  there  not  a  cause?  Are  we  not  unawares  by  little  and  little 
sliding  into  a  separation  from  the  church  ?  O  use  every  means  to 
prevent  this  !  1.  Exhort  all  our  people  to  keep  close  to  the  church 
and  sacrament :  2.  Warn  them  against  niceness  in  hearing,  a  prevail- 
ing evil !  3.  Warn  them  also  against  despising  the  prayers  of  the 
church  :  4.  Against  calling  our  society  the  church  :  5.  Against  calling 
our  preachers,  ministers,  our  houses  meeting-houses ;  call  them  plain 
preaching-houses  or  chapels:  6.  Do  not  license  them  as  Dissenters; 
the  proper  paper  to  be  sent  in  at  the  assize's  sessions,  or  bishop's 
court,  is  this  :  '  A.  B.  has  set  apart  his  house  in  C.  for  public  worship, 
of  which  he  desires  a  certificate.' — N.  B.  The  justices  do  not  license 
the  house,  but  the  act  of  parliament.    7.  Do  not  license  yourself  till 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


205 


you  are  constrained ;  and  then  not  as  a  Dissenter,  but  a  Methodist. 
It  is  time  enough  when  you  are  prosecuted,  to  take  the  oaths.  And 
by  so  doing  you  are  Hcensed. 

Q.  35.  "  But  are  we  not  Dissenters? 

A.  "  No.  Ahhough  we  call  sinners  to  repentance  in  all  places  of 
God's  dominion  ;  and  although  we  frequently  use  extempore  prayer, 
and  unite  together  in  a  religious  society  :  yet  we  are  not  Dissenters 
in  the  only  sense  which  our  law  acknowledges,  namely  those  who 
renounce  the  service  of  the  church.  We  do  not :  we  dare  not  sepa- 
rate from  it.  We  are  not  Seceders,  nor  do  we  bear  any  resemblance 
to  them.  We  set  out  upon  quite  opposite  principles.  The  Seceders 
laid  the  very  foundation  of  their  work  in  judging  and  condemning 
others.  We  laid  the  foundation  of  our  work,  in  judging  and  con- 
demning ourselves.  They  begin  every  where,  with  showing  their 
hearers  how  fallen  the  church  and  ministers  are.  We  begin  every 
where,  with  showing  our  hearers,  how  fallen  they  are  themselves. 
What  they  do  in  America,  or  what  their  minutes  say  on  this  subject, 
is  nothing  to  us.    We  will  keep  in  the  good  old  way. 

"  And  never  let  us  make  light  of  going  to  church,  either  by  word  or 
deed.  Remember  Mr.  Hook,  a  very  eminent,  and  a  zealous  Papist. 
When  I  asked  him,  '  Sir,  what  do  you  do  for  public  worship  here, 
where  you  have  no  Romish  service?'  He  answered,  'Sir,  I  am  so 
fully  convinced,  it  is  the  duty  of  every  man  to  worship  God  in  pub- 
he,  that  I  go  to  church  every  Sunday.  If  I  cannot  have  such  worship 
as  I  would,  I  will  have  such  worship  as  I  can.' 

''But  some  may  say,  'Our  own  service  is  public  worship.'  Yes  ; 
but  not  such  as  supersedes  the  church  service  :  it  presupposes  public 
prayer,  like  the  sermons  at  the  university.  If  it  were  designed  to  be 
instead  of  the  church-service,  it  would  be  essentially  defective.  For, 
it  seldom  has  the  four  grand  parts  of  public  prayer,  deprecation, 
petition,  intercession,  and  thanksgiving. 

"  If  the  people  put  ours  in  the  room  of  the  church-service,  we  hurt 
them  that  stay  with  us,  and  ruin  them  that  leave  us.  For  then  they 
will  go  no  where,  but  lounge  the  Sabbath  away,  without  any  public 
worship  at  all. 

Q.  36.  "  Nay,  but  is  it  not  our  duty,  to  separate  from  the  church, 
considering  the  wickedness  both  of  the  clergy  and  the  people  ? 

A.  "We  conceive  not,  1.  Because  both  the  priests  and  the  people 
were  full  as  wicked  in  the  Jewish  church.  And  yet  it  wa&  not  the 
duty  of  the  holy  Israelites  to  separate  from  them :  2.  Neither  did  our 
Lord  command  his  disciples  to  separate  from  them :  he  rather  com- 
manded the  contrary.  3.  Hence  it  is  clear,  that  could  not  be  the 
meaning  of  St.  Paul's  words,  '  Come  out  from  among  them,  and  be  ye 
separate.' 

Q.  37.  ^'  But  what  reasons  are  there,  why  we  should  not  separate 
from  the  church  ? 

VOL.  II.  18 


206 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   JOHN  WESLEY. 


A.  "  Among  others,  those  which  were  printed  above  twenty  years 
ago,  entitled  '  Reasons  against  a  separation  from  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land!' 

"  We  allow  two  exceptions.  1.  If  the  parish  minister  be  a  no- 
toriously wicked  man  :  2.  If  he  preach  Socinianism,  Arianism,  or  any 
other  essentially  false  doctrine. 

Q.  38.  "  Do  we  sufficiently  watch  over  our  helpers  7 

A.  "  We  might  consider  those  that  are  with  us  as  our  pupils  :  into 
whose  behavior  and  studies  we  should  inquire  every  day. 

"  Should  we  not  frequently  ask  each.  '  Do  you  walk  closely  with 
God  7  Have  you  now  fellowship  with  the  Father  and  the  Son  7  At 
what  hour  do  you  rise  7  Do  you  punctually  observe  the  morning  and 
evening  hour  of  retirement  7  Do  you  spend  the  day  in  the  manner 
which  we  advise  7  Do  you  converse  seriously,  usefully,  and  closely  7 
Do  you  use  all  the  means  of  grace  yourself,  and  enforce  the  use  of 
them,  on  all  other  persons  7'  &c.  6cc. 

Q.  39.  "  What  can  be  done,  in  order  to  a  closer  union  of  our  help- 
ers with  each  other  7 

A.  "  1.  Let  them  be  deeply  convinced  of  the  want  there  is  of  it  at 
present,  and  the  absolute  necessity  of  it:  2.  Let  them  pray  for  a 
desire  of  union .  3.  Let  them  speak  freely  to  each  other :  4.  W^hen 
they  meet,  let  them  never  part  without  prayer :  5.  Let  them  beware 
how  they  despise  each  other's  gifts  :  6.  Let  them  never  speak  slight- 
ingly of  each  other  in  any  kind :  7.  Let  them  defend  one  another's 
characters  in  every  thing,  so  far  as  consists  with  truth ;  and  8.  Let 
them  labor  in  honor  each  to  prefer  the  other  before  himself. 

Q.  40.  "  How  shall  we  try  those  who  think  they  are  moved  by  the 
Holy  Ghost  to  preach  7 

A.  "Inquire,  I.  Do  they  know  God  as  a  pardoning  God  7  Have 
they  the  love  of  God  abiding  in  them  7  Do  they  desire  and  seek 
nothing  but  God  7  And  are  they  holy  in  all  manner  of  conversation  7 
2.  Have  they  gifts  (as  well  as  grace)  for  the  work  7  Have  they  (in 
some  tolerable  degree)  a  clear,  sound  understanding  7  Have  they  a 
right  judgment  in  the  things  of  God  7  Have  they  a  just  conception 
of  salvation  by  faith  7  And  has  God  given  them  any  degree  of  utter- 
ance 7  Do  they  speak  justly,  readily,  clearly  7  3.  Have  they  fruit  7 
Are  any  truly  convinced  of  sin,  and  converted  to  God  by  their 
preaching  7 

"  As  long  as  these  three  marks  concur  in  any  one,  we  believe  he  is 
called  of  God  to  preach.  These  we  receive  as  sufficient  proof,  that  he 
is  moved  thereto  by  the  Holy  Ghost. 

Q.  4L  "  What  method  may  we  use  in  receiving  a  new  helper? 

A.  "A  proper  time,  for  doing  this,  is  at  a  conference  after  solemn 
fasting  and  prayer. 

"  Every  person  proposed  is  then  to  be  present ;  and  each  of  them 
may  be  asked, 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


207 


"  Have  you  faith  in  Christ  ?  Are  you  going  on  to  perfection  ?  Do 
you  expect  to  be  perfected  in  love  in  this  hfe?  Are  you  groaning 
after  it?  Are  you  resolved  to  devote  yourself  wholly  to  God  and  to 
his  work  7  Do  you  know  the  Methodist  plan  7  Have  you  read  the 
Plain  Account 7  The  Appeals?  Do  you  know  the  rules  of  the 
society?  Of  the  bands?  Do  you  keep  them?  Do  you  take  no 
snuff?  tobacco?  drams?  Do  you  constantly  attend  the  church  and 
sacrament?  Have  you  read  the  Minutes  of  the  Conference 7  Are 
you  willing  to  conform  to  them?  Have  you  considered  the  rules  of 
an  helper?  Especially  the  first,  tenth,  and  twelfth?  Will  yon  keep 
them  for  conscience-sake  ?  Are  you  determined  to  employ  all  your 
time  in  the  work  of  God  ?  Will  you  preach  every  morning  and  even- 
ing: endeavoring  not  to  speak  too  long,  or  too  loud?  Will  you 
dihgently  instruct  the  children  in  every  place?  •  Will  you  visit  from 
house  to  house  ?  Will  you  recommend  fcisting,  both  by  precept  and 
example  ? 

"  Are  you  in  debt?  Are  you  engaged  to  marry  ? 
"  (N.  B.  A  preacher  who  marries  while  on  trial,  is  thereby  set 
aside.) 

"  We  may  then  receive  him  as  a  probationer  by  giving  him  the 
minutes  of  the  Conference  inscribed  thus : 

"  To  A.  B. 

"  You  think  it  your  duty  to  call  sinners  to  repentance.  Make  full 
proof  hereof,  and  we  shall  rejoice  to  receive  you  as  a  fellow-laborer. 

"  Let  him  then  read,  and  carefully  weigh  what  is  contained  therein, 
that  if  he  has  any  doubt,  it  may  be  removed. 

"Observe!  Taking  on  trial  is  entirely  different  from  admitting 
a  preacher.  One  on  trial  may  be  either  admitted  or  rejected,  without 
doing  him  any  wrong.  Otherwise  it  would  be  no  trial  at  all.  Let 
every  assistant  explain  this  to  them  that  are  on  trial. 

"  When  he  has  been  on  trial  four  years,  if  recommended  by  the 
assistant,  he  may  be  received  into  full  connexion,  by  giving  him  the 
minutes  inscribed  thus  :  '  As  long  as  you  freely  consent  to,  and  earn- 
estly endeavor  to  walk  by  these  rules,  we  shall  rejoice  to  acknowledge 
you  as  a  fellow- laborer.'  Mean  time  let  none  exhort  in  any  of  our 
societies,  without  a  note  of  permission  from  the  assistant :  let  every 
exhorter  take  care  to  have  this  renewed  yearly :  and  let  every  assis- 
tant insist  upon  it. 

Q.  42.  "What  is  the  method  wherein  we  usually  proceed  in  our 
Conferences  ? 

A.  "  We  inquire, 

"1.  What  preachers  are  admitted? 
"Who  remain  on  trial? 
"Who  are  admitted  on  trial? 
"  Who  desist  from  travelling? 


208 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


^'2.  Are  there  any  objections  to  any  of  the  preachers?  Who  are 
named  one  by  one. 

"  3.  How  are  the  preachers  stationed  this  year? 
"4.  What  numbers  are  in  the  society? 
"5.  What  is  the  Kingswood  collection? 
"  6.  What  boys  are  received  this  year? 
"7.  What  girls  are  assisted? 

"8.  What  is  contributed  for  the  contingent  expenses? 
"  9.  How  was  this  expended? 

"10.  What  is  contributed  toward  the  fund,  for  superannuated  and 
supernumerary  preachers  ? 

"11.  What  demands  are  there  upon  it? 

'•12.  How  many  preachers'  wives  are  to  be  provided  for?  By 
what  societies? 

"  13.  Where,  and  when,  may  our  next  Conference  begin? 

Q.  43.  "  How  can  we  provide  for  superannuated  and  supernumer- 
ary preachers  ? 

A.  "Those  who  can  preach  four  or  five  times  a  week,  are  super- 
numerary preachers.    As  for  those  who  cannot, 

"1.  Let  every  travelling  preacher  contribute  half  a  guinea  yearly 
at  the  Conference. 

"  2.  Let  every  one  when  first  admitted  as  a  travelling  preacher  pay 
a  guinea. 

"3.  Let  this  be  lodged  in  the  hands  of  the  stewards. 

"  4.  Out  of  this  let  provision  be  made  first  for  the  worn-out  preach- 
ers, and  then  for  the  widows  and  children  of  those  that  are  dead. 

"5.  Let  an  exact  account  of  all  receipts  and  disbursements  be 
produced  at  the  Conference. 

"6.  Let  every  assistant  bring  to  the  Conference,  the  contribution 
of  every  preacher  in  his  circuit. 

Q.  44.  "  Are  not  many  of  the  preachers'  wives  still  straitened  for 
the  necessaries  of  life  ? 

A.  "Some  certainly  have  been.  To  prevent  this  for  the  time  to 
come, 

"  1.  Let  every  circuit  either  provide  each  with  a  lodging,  coals,  and 
candles,  or  allow  her  fifteen  pounds  a  year. 

"2.  Let  the  assistant  take  this  money  at  the  quarterly  meeting, 
before  any  thing  else  be  paid  out  of  it.    Fail  not  to  do  this. 

Q.  4.5.  "  What  can  be  done,  in  ordei  to  revive  the  work  of  God 
where  it  is  decayed  ? 

A.  "1.  Let  every  preacher  read  carefully  over  the  life  of  David 
Brainard.  Let  us  be  followers  of  him,  as  he  was  of  Christ,  in  abso- 
lute self-devotion,  in  total  deadness  to  the  world,  and  in  fervent  love 
to  God  and  man.  Let  us  but  secure  this  point,  and  the  world  and 
the  devil  must  fall  under  our  feet. 


0 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


209 


'^2.  Let  both  assistants  and  preachers  be  conscientiously  exact  in 
the  whole  Methodist  discipline. 

"3.  See  that  no  circuit  be  at  any  time  without  preachers.  There- 
fore let  no  preacher,  who  does  not  attend  the  Conference,  leave  the 
circuit,  at  that  time,  on  any  pretence  whatever.  This  is  the  most 
improper  time  in  the  whole  year.  Let  every  assistant  see  to  this,  and 
require  each  of  these  to  remain  in  the  circuit,  till  the  new  preachers 
come. 

"  Let  not  all  the  preachers  in  any  circuit  come  to  the  Conference. 
"  Let  those  who  do  come,  set  out  as  late  and  return  as  soon  as 
possible. 

"4.  Wherever  you  can,  appoint  prayer-meetings,  and  particularly 
on  Friday. 

"  5.  Let  a  fast  be  observed  in  all  our  societies,  the  last  Friday  in 
August,  November,  February,  and  May. 

"6.  Be  more  active  in  dispersing  the  books,  particularly  the  sermon 
on.  The  good  Steward,  on  Indwelling  Sin,  the  Repentance  of  Believ- 
ers, and  the  Scripture-Way  of  Salvation.  Every  assistant  may  give 
away  small  tracts.  And  he  may  beg  money  of  the  rich  to  buy  books 
for  the  poor. 

"7.  Strongly  and  explicitly  exhort  all  believers,  to  go  on  to  perfec- 
tion. That  we  may  all  speak  the  same  thing,  I  ask  once  for  all.  Shall 
we  defend  this  perfection,  or  give  it  up  ?  You  all  agree  to  defend  it. 
meaning  thereby  (as  we  did  from  the  beginning)  salvation  from  all 
sin,  by  the  love  of  God  and  man  filling  our  heart.  The  Papists  say, 
'  This  cannot  be  attained,  till  we  have  been  refined  by  the  fire  of 
Purgatory.'  The  Calvinists  say,  '  Nay,  it  will  be  attained  as  soon 
as  the  soul  and  body  part.'  The  Old  Methodists  say,  '  It  may  be 
attained  before  we  die :  a  moment  after  is  too  late.'  Is  it  so,  or  not  7 
You  are  all  agreed,  we  may  be  saved  from  all  sin  before  death.  The 
substance  then  is  settled.  But,  as  to  the  circumstance,  is  the  change 
gradual  or  instantaneous  ?  It  is  both  the  one  and  the  other.  From 
the  moment  we  are  justified,  there  may  be  a  gradual  sanctification,  a 
growing  in  grace,  a  daily  advance  in  the  knowledge  and  love  of  God. 
And  if  sin  cease  before  death,  there  must,  in  the  nature  of  the  thing^ 
be  an  instantaneous  change.  There  must  be  a  last  moment  wherein 
it  does  exist,  and  a  first  moment  wherein  it  does  not.  '  But  should 
we  in  preaching  insist  both  on  one,  and  the  other  ? '  Certainly  we 
must  insist  on  the  gradual  change ;  and  that  earnestly  and  continu- 
ally. And  are  there  not  reasons  why  we  should  insist  on  the  instan- 
taneous also?  If  there  be  such  a  blessed  change  before  death,  should 
we  not  encourage  all  believers  to  expect  it  ?  And  the  rather,  because 
constant  experience  shows,  the  more  earnestly  they  expect  this,  the 
more  swiftly  and  steadily  does  the  gradual  work  of  God  go  on  in  their 
soul :  the  more  watchful  they  are  against  all  sin ;  the  more  careful  to 
grow  in  grace,  the  more  zealous  of  good  works,  and  the  more  punc- 

voL.  n.  18=*  27 


210 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


tual  in  their  attendance  on  all  the  ordinances  of  God.  (Whereas  just 
the  contrary  effects  are  observed,  whenever  this  expectation  ceases.) 
They  are  saved  by  hope,  by  this  hope  of  a  total  change,  with  a  grad- 
ually increasing  salvation.  Destroy  this  hope  and  that  salvation 
stands  still,  or  rather  decreases  daily.  Therefore  whoever  would 
advance  the  gradual  change  in  believers,  should  strongly  insist  on  the 
instantaneous. 

Q.  46.  "What  can  be  done,  to  increase  the  work  of  God  in 
Scotland  ? 

A.  "1.  Preach  abroad  as  much  as  possible.    2.  Try  every  town 
and  village.    3.  Visit  every  member  in  the  society  at  home. 
Q.  47.  "  Are  our  preaching-houses  safe? 

A.  "  Not  at  all :  for  some  of  them  are  not  settled  on  trustees.  Sev- 
eral of  the  trustees  for  others  are  dead. 
Q.  48.  "  What  then  is  to  be  done? 

A.  "1.  Let  those  who  have  debts  on  any  of  the  houses  give  a 
bond,  to  settle  them  as  soon  as  they  are  indemnified. 

"2.  Let  the  surviving  trustees  choose  others  without  delay,  by 
indorsing  their  deed  thus : 

'  We  the  remaining  trustees  of  the  Methodist  preaching-house  in 

 ,  do  according  to  the  power  vested  in  us  by  this  deed,  choose 

 to  be  trustees  of  the  said  house,  in  the  place  of  

'  Witness  our  hands  .' 

"  N.  B.  The  deed  must  have  three  new  stamps,  and  must  be 
inroUed  in  Chancery  within  six  months. 

Q.  49.  "  May  any  new  preaching-houses  be  built  ? 

A.  "Not  unless,  1.  They  are  proposed  at  the  Conference:  no  nor 
2.  Unless  two-thirds  of  the  expense  be  subscribed.  And  if  any  col- 
lection be  made  for  them,  it  must  be  made  between  the  Conference 
and  the  beginning  of  February. 

Q.  50.  "How  may  we  raise  a  general  fund  for  carrying  on  the 
whole  work  of  God  ? 

A.  "By  a  yearly  subscription  to  be  proposed  by  every  assistant 
when  he  visits  the  classes  at  Christmas,  and  received  at  the  visitation 
following. 

Q.  51.  "We  said  in  1744,  'We  have  leaned  too  much  toward 
Calvinism.'  Wherein? 

A.  "1.  With  regard  to  man's  faithfulness.  Our  Lord  himself 
taught  us  to  use  the  expression,  therefore  we  ought  never  to  be 
ashamed  of  it.  We  ought  steadily  to  assert  upon  His  authority,  that 
if  a  man  is  not  faithful  in  the  unrighteous  mammon,  God  will  iiutgive 
him  the  true  riches. 

"2.  With  regard  to  working  for  life,  which  our  Lord  expressly 
commands  us  to  do.  Labor  (i^'/aCet^^e)  literally,  work  for  the  meat 
that  endureth  to  everlasting  life.  And  in  fact,  every  believer,  till  he 
•  comes  to  glory,  works  for,  as  well  as  from  life. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


211 


3.  We  have  received  it  as  a  maxim,  That  '  a  man  is  to  do  noth- 
ing, in  order  to  justification.'  Nothing  can  be  more  false.  Whoever 
desires  to  find  favor  with  God  should  cease  from  evil  and  learn  to  do 
well.  So  God  himself  teaches  by  the  prophet  Isaiah.  Whoever 
repents  should  do  works  meet  for  repentance.  And  if  this  is  not  in 
order  to  find  favor,  what  does  he  do  them  for  7 

"  Once  more  review  the  whole  aflfair  : 

"1.  Who  of  us  is  now  accepted  of  God  7 
He  that  now  believes  in  Christ,  with  a  loving  obedient  heart. 

"2.  But  who  among  those  that  never  heard  of  Christ  7 

''He  that  according  to  the  light  he  has,  feareth  God  and  worketh 
righteousness. 

"3.  Is  this  the  same  with,  he  that  is  sincere? 

"  Nearly,  if  not  quite. 

"4.  Is  not  this  salvation  by  works  7 

"  Not  by  the  merit  of  works,  but  by  works  as  a  condition. 

"  5.  What  have  we  then  been  disputing  about  for  these  thirty  years  7 

"I  am  afraid,  about  words:  (namely,  in  some  of  the  foregoing 
instances.) 

''6.  As  to  merit  itself,  of  which  we  have  been  so  dreadfully  afraid : 
we  are  rewarded  according  to  our  works ^  yea  because  of  our  works. 
How  does  this  differ  from,  for  the  sake  of  our  works  7  And  how  dif- 
fers this  from  secundum  merita  operumi  Which  is  no  more  than, 
as  our  works  deserve?    Can  you  split  this  hair 7    I  doubt,  I  cannot. 

"  7.  The  grand  objection  to  one  of  the  preceding  propositions,  is 
drawn  from  matter  of  fact.  God  does  in  fact  justify  those,  who  by 
their  own  confession  neither  feared  God,  nor  wrought  righteousness. 
Is  this  an  exception  to  the  general  rule  7 

"  It  is  a  doubt,  whether  God  makes  any  exception  at  all.  But  how 
are  we  sure  that  the  person  in  question  never  did  fear  God  and  work 
righteousness?  His  own  thinking  so  is  no  proof.  For  we  know, 
how  all  that  are  convinced  of  sin,  undervalue  themselves  in  every 
respect. 

"  8.  Does  not  talking,  without  the  proper  caution,  of  a  justified  or 
sanctified  state^  tend  to  mislead  men  7  Almost  naturally  leading  them 
to  trust  in  what  was  done  in  one  moment  ?  Whereas  we  are  every 
moment  pleasing  or  displeasing  to  God,  according  to  our  works? 
According  to  the  whole  of  our  present  inward  tempers,  and  outward 
behavior." 


212 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

STATING  THE  PRINCIPAL  CIRCUMSTANCES  OF  MR.  WESLEY's  LIFE  AND  LA- 
BORS, TILL  AFTER  THE  CONFERENCE  IN  1784;  WITH  A  CONTINUATION  OF 
THE  HISTORY  OF  METHODISM  TO  THAT  PERIOD. 

Some  of  the  preachers  being  now  in  America,  and  several  societies 
having  been  formed,  they  earnestly  soUcited  Mr.  Wesley,  once  more 
to  cross  the  Atlantic  and  give  them  a  visit.  In  the  beginning  of  this 
year,  he  wrote  to  Mr.  Whitefield  on  this  subject,  as  follows:  "Mr. 
Keen  informed  me  some  time  since,  of  your  safe  arrival  in  Carolina ; 
of  which  indeed  I  could  not  doubt  for  a  moment,  notwithstanding  the 
idle  report  of  your  being  cast  away,  which  was  so  current  in  London. 
I  trust  our  Lord  has  more  work  for  you  to  do  in  Europe,  as  well  as 
in  America.  And  who  knows,  but  before  your  return  to  England,  I 
may  pay  another  visit  to  the  New  World?  I  have  been  strongly 
solicited  by  several  of  our  friends  in  New  York  and  Philadelphia. 
They  urge  many  reasons ;  some  of  which  seem  to  be  of  considerable 
weight.  And  my  age  is  no  objection  at  all :  for  I  bless  God,  my 
health  is  not  barely  good,  but  abundantly  better,  in  several  respects, 
than  when  I  was  five  and  twenty.  But  there  are  so  may  reasons  on 
the  other  side,  that  as  yet,  I  can  determine  nothing;  so  I  must  wait 
till  I  have  further  light.  Here  I  am ;  let  the  Lord  do  with  me  as 
seemeth  him  good.  For  the  present,  I  must  beg  of  you  to  supply  my 
lack  of  service :  by  encouraging  the  preachers  as  you  judge  best,  who 
are  as  yet  comparatively  young  and  unexperienced :  by  giving  them 
such  advices  as  you  think  proper :  and  above  all,  by  exhorting  them 
not  only  to  love  one  another,  but  if  it  be  possible,  as  much  as  lieth  in 
them,  live  peaceably  with  all  men." — It  is  evident  from  what  is  here 
said,  that  he  had  a  strong  inclination  once  more  to  visit  America. 
This  inclination  operated  on  his  mind  for  many  years.  And  when 
the  people  were  sometimes  tardy  in  complying  with  his  directions 
and  desires,  he  would  often  mention  it,  as  a  means  of  keeping  them 
in  order.  Being  one  day  asked  in  company,  if  he  did  intend  to  go  to 
America?  He  answered,  "If  I  go  to  America,  I  must  do  a  thing 
which  I  hate  as  bad  as  I  hate  the  devil."  What  is  that,  sir,  said  one 
present?  "I  must  keep  a  secret,"  he  replied:  meaning,  that  if  his 
inclination  rose  to  a  fixed  purpose,  he  must  conceal  it  from  the  socie- 
ties here ;  otherwise,  such  an  opposition  would  be  raised,  as  might, 
in  the  event,  effectually  prevent  him  from  undertaking  the  voyage. 

Mr.  Wesley,  and  those  associated  with  him,  were  called  Arminians, 
because  they  maintained  that  Jesus  Christ  died  for  the  salvation  of 
all  men :  Mr.  Whitefield,  and  those  in  connexion  with  him,  and  most 
of  the  clergy  in  the  Church  of  England,  who  preached  justification  by 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


213 


faith  alone,  were  denominated  Calvinists,  because  they  maintained 
that  Christ  died  only  for  a  determinate  number,  who  must  finally  be 
saved.  Such  party  distinctions  are  always  mischievous  in  their  conse- 
quences; they  awaken  suspicions  which  destroy  the  charity  that 
hopeth  all  things,  and  they  weaken  brotherly  love  and  christian  fellow- 
ship. Each  party  draws  consequences  from  the  opinions  of  the  other, 
which  the  other  denies,  and  in  reality  does  not  hold.  Hence  jealousy 
is  constantly  kept  awake  in  each  party,  disposing  the  mind  to  take 
advantage  of  every  circumstance  that  may  occur,  to  injure  each  other. 
This  was  precisely  the  case  in  the  present  year,  between  the  Armin- 
ians  and  the  Calvinists.  The  propositions  at  the  conclusion  of  the 
Minutes,^^  were  sufficient  to  kindle,  what  before  was  only  jealousy 
and  suspicion,  into  a  flame  of  contention  and  strife.  The  Calvinists 
took  the  alarm,  and  the  late  honorable  and  Reverend  W.  Shirley, 
wrote  a  circular  letter  to  all  the  serious  clergy  and  others  through  the 
land.  In  June,  1771,  Mr.  Fletcher  sent  a  copy  of  this  letter  to  Mr. 
Wesley,  and  at  the  same  time  wrote  as  follows :  When  I  left  Wales, 
where  I  had  stood  in  the  gap  for  peace,  I  thought  my  poor  endeavors 
were  not  altogether  in  vain.  L —  H —  said,  she  would  write  civilly 
to  you,  and  desire  you  to  explain  yourself  about  your  Minutes.  I 
suppose  you  have  not  heard  from  her ;  for  she  wrote  me  word  since, 
that  she  believed  she  must  not  meddle  in  the  affair. — Upon  my  receiv- 
ing yours  from  Chester,  I  cut  off  that  part  of  it,  where  you  expressed 
your  belief  of,  what  is  eminently  called  by  us,  the  doctrine  of  free 
grace,  and  sent  it  to  the  college,  desiring  it  might  be  sent  to  Lady 
Huntingdon.  She  hath  returned  it,  with  a  letter  wherein  she  expresses 
the  greatest  disapprobation  of  it :  the  purport  of  it  is  to  charge  you 
with  tergiversation,  and  me  with  being  the  dupe  of  your  impositions. 
She  hath  wrote  in  stronger  terms  to  he# college. 

"Things  I  hoped  would  have  remained  here;  but  how  am  I  sur- 
prised, and  grieved  to  see,  zeal  borrowing  the  horn  of  discord  and 
sounding  an  alarm  through  the  religious  world  against  you!  Mr. 
H —  called  upon  me  last  night,  and  showed  me  a  printed  circular 
letter,  which  I  suppose  is,  or  will  be,  sent  to  the  serious  clergy  and 
laity  through  the  land.  I  have  received  none,  as  I  have  lost,  I  sup- 
pose, my  reputation  of  being  a  real  Protestant,  by  what  I  wrote  on 
your  Minutes,  in  Wales. 

The  following  is  an  exact  copy  of  the  printed  letter. 

''Sir, 

"  Whereas  Mr.  Wesley's  Conference  is  to  be  held  at  Bristol,  on 
Tuesday,  the  6th  of  August  next,  it  is  proposed  by  Lady  Huntingdon, 
and  many  other  christian  friends  (real  Protestants)  to  have  a  meeting 
at  Bristol,  at  the  same  time,  of  such  principal  persons,  both  clergy 
and  laity,  who  disapprove  of  the  under- written  Minutes;  and  as  the 


*  After  these  words,  ""We  said  in  1774,"  &c.  &c.  to  the  end. 


•214 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


same  are  thought  injurious  to  the  very  fundamental  principles  of 
Christianity,  it  is  further  proposed,  that  they  go  in  a  body  to  the  said 
Conference,  and  insist  upon  a  formal  recantation  of  the  said  Minutes ; 
and  in  case  of  a  refusal,  that  they  sign  and  publish  their  protest 
against  them.  Your  presence,  sir,  on  this  occasion  is  particularly 
requested :  but  if  it  should  not  suit  your  convenience  to  be  there,  it  is 
desired  that  you  will  transmit  your  sentiments  on  the  subject,  to  such 
person  as  you  think  proper  to  produce  them.  It  is  submitted  to  you, 
whether  it  would  not  be  right,  in  the  opposition  to  be  made  to  such  a 
dreadful  heresy^  to  recommend  it  to  as  many  of  your  christian  friends, 
as  well  of  the  Dissenters,  as  of  the  established  church,  as  you  caii 
prevail  on  to  be  there;  the  cause  being  of  so  public  a  nature. 

I  am,  sir, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

Walter  Shirley." 

Then  followed  a  postscript,  containing  the  objectionable  proposi- 
tions, &c.  &c.  After  stating  this,  Mr.  Fletcher  proceeds,  "I  think  it 
my  duty,  dear  sir,  to  give  you  the  earliest  intelligence  of  this  bold 
onset ;  and  assure  you,  that  upon  the  evangelical  principles,  men- 
tioned in  your  last  letter  to  me,  I,  for  one,  shall  be  glad  to  stand  by 
you,  and  your  doctrine  to  the  last :  hoping  that  you  will  gladly 
remove  stumbling  blocks  out  of  the  way  of  the  weak,  and  alter  such 
expressions  as  may  create  prejudice  in  the  hearts  of  those  who  are 
inclined  to  admit  it. — If  you  come  this  way,  sir,  I  will  show  you  the 
minutes  of  what  I  wrote  in  Wales,  in  defence  of  what  is  called  yout 
dreadful  heresy :  for  as  to  the  writing  itself,  I  have  it  not.  Lady  H — 
would  never  return  it  to  me.  Dear  sir,  we  can  never  make  too  much 
of  Jesus  Christ :  some  may  preach  and  exalt  him  out  of  contention, 
but  let  us  do  it  willingly  and  scripturally,  and  the  Lord  will  stand  by 
us.  I  beg,  I  entreat  him,  to  stand  by  you ;  particularly  at  this  time 
to  give  you  the  simplicity  of  the  dove,  and  the  wisdom  of  the  serpent ; 
the  condescension  of  a  child,  and  the  firmness  of  a  father. 

I  write  to  Mr.  Shirley,  to  expostulate  with  him  to  call  in  his  cir- 
cular letter.  He  is  the  last  man  who  should  attack  you.  His  ser- 
mons contain  propositions  much  more  heretical  and  anticalvinistic, 
than  your  minutes.  If  my  letter  have  not  the  desired  effect,  I  shall 
probably,  if  you  approve  of  them  and  will  correct  them,  publish  them 
for  your  justification.  I  find  Mr.  Ir — d,  is  to  write,  to  make  you 
tamely  recant,  without  measuring  swords,  or  breaking  a  pike  with 
our  real  Protestants.    I  write  to  him  also." 

Tuesday,  August  6,  the  Conference  began  at  Bristol.  On  Thurs- 
day morning  Mr.  Shirley  and  his  friends  were  admitted ;  when  a 
conversation  took  place  for  about  two  hours,  on  the  subject  which 
occasioned  their  visit.  Though  the  party  had  shown  much  violence 
in  writing,  yet  the  interview  with  the  Conference  was  managed  with 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


215* 


great  temper  and  moderation;  but  with  little  or  no  effect.  Mr. 
Fletcher's  letters  were  immediately  printed,  and  on  the  14th,  Mr. 
Wesley  wrote  the  following  letter  to  Lady  Huntingdon : 

My  Dear  Lady, 

"  When  I  received  the  former  letter  from  your  ladyship,  I  did  not 
know  how  to  answer:  and  I  judged,  not  only  that  silence  would  be 
the  best  answer,  but  also,  that,  with  which  your  ladyship  would  be 
best  pleased.  When  I  received  your  ladyship's  of  the  second  instant, 
I  immediately  saw  that  it  required  an  answer ;  only  I  waited  till  the 
hurry  of  the  Conference  was  over,  that  I  might  do  nothing  rashly.  I 
know  your  ladyship  would  not  '  servilely  deny  the  truth.'  I  think 
neither  would  1 :  especially  that  great  truth  justification  by  faith  ; 
which  Mr.  Law  indeed  flatly  denies  (and  yet  Mr.  Law  was  a  child 
of  God)  but  for  which  I  have  given  up  all  my  worldly  hopes,  my 
friends,  my  reputation ;  yea  for  which  I  have  so  often  hazarded  my 
life,  and  by  the  grace  of  God  will  do  again.  The  principles  estab- 
lished in  the  minutes,  I  apprehend  to  be  no  Avay  contrary  to  this;  or 
to  that  faith,  that  consistent  plan  of  doctrine,  which  was  once  deliv- 
ered to  the  saints.  I  believe  whoever  calmly  considers  Mr.  Fletcher's 
letters,  will  be  convinced  of  this.  I  fear  therefore,  'zeal  against 
those  principles,'  is  no  less  than  zeal  against  the  truth,  and  against 
the  honor  of  our  Lord.  The  preservation  of  his  honor  appears  so 
sacred  to  me,  and  has  done  for  above  these  forty  years,  that  I  have 
counted,  and  do  count,  all  things  loss  in  comparison  of  it.  But  till 
Mr.  Fletcher's  printed  letters  are  answered,  I  must  think  every  thing 
spoken  against  those  minutes,  is  totally  destructive  of  his  honor^  and 
a  palpable  affront  to  him ;  both  as  our  prophet  and  priest,  but  more 
especially  as  the  King  of  his  people.  Those  letters,  which  therefore 
could  not  be  suppressed  without  betraying  the  honor  of  our  Lord, 
largely  prove,  that  the  minutes  lay  no  other  foundation,  than  that 
which  is  laid  in  Scripture,  and  which  I  have  been  laying,  and  teach- 
ing others  to  lay,  for  between  thirty  and  forty  years.  Indeed  it 
would  be  amazing  that  God  should  at  this  day  prosper  my  labors, 
as  much  if  not  more  than  ever,  by  convhicing  as  well  as  converting 
sinners,  if  I  was  '  establishing  another  foundation,  repugnant  to  the 
whole  plan  of  man's  salvation  under  the  covenant  of  grace,  as  well 
as  the  clear  meaning  of  our  established  church  and  all  other  Protes- 
tant churches.'  This  is  a  charge  indeed  !  But  I  plead  not  guilty : 
and  till  it  is  proved  upon  me,  I  must  subscribe  myself. 

My  dear  Lady, 

Your  Ladyship's 
Affectionate  but  much  injured  servant, 

John  Wesley." 

The  controversy  was  now  continued  for  some  time,  but  very  pru- 
dently committed,  almost  wholly,  to  Mr.  Fletcher ;  who  managed  it 


216 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  PvEV.   JOHN"  WESLEY. 


with  astonishing  temper  and  success.  Indeed,  the  temper  of  this 
gentleman,  did  not  lead  him  to  polemic  divinity.  He  was  devout  and 
pious,  to  a  degree  seldom  equalled  since  the  days  of  the  apostles. 
But  being  urged  into  this  controversy  by  the  love  of  truth  and  rev- 
erence for  Mr.  Wesley,  he  displayed  great  knowledge  of  his  subject, 
and  a  most  happy  manner  of  treating  it.  His  letters  were  published 
under  the  title  of,  "Checks  to  Antinomianism."  They  exhibit  a  fine 
model  for  controversy  on  religious  subjects,  and  Avill  ever  bear  ample 
testimony  to  the  goodness  of  Mr.  Fletcher's  head  and  heart. 

It  appears  to  me,  however,  that  the  propositions  as  they  stand  in 
the  minutes,  in  short  sentences  without  explanation,  have  a  very  sus- 
picious appearance.  The  expressions  are  too  ambiguous,  and  might 
easily  have  been  exchanged  for  others  more  clear,  and  less  liable  to 
give  offence.  I  cannot  therefore  commend,  either  the  wisdom  or  pru- 
dence that  dictated  them  ;  notwithstanding  the  abilities  of  a  Fletcher 
could  make  them  speak,  clearly  and  explicitly,  the  language  of  free 
grace. 

Mr.  Fletcher  died  in  1785,  greatly  lamented  by  thousands  who  had 
been  benefited  by  his  animating  and  instructive  ministry,  and  by  his 
pious  conversation.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Gilpin  has  given  us  the  finest 
and  most  interesting  traits  of  this  excellent  man's  character. 

In  February,  1772,  Mr.  Wesley  says,  "I  casually  took  a  volume 
of  what  is  called,  'A  Sentimental  Journey  through  France  and  Italy.' 
Sentimentall  What  is  that?  It  is  not  English.  He  might  as  well 
say  continental.  It  is  not  sense:  it  conveys  no  determinate  idea. 
Yet  one  fool  makes  many ;  and  this  nonsensical  word  (who  would 
believe  it?)  is  become  a  fashionable  one !  However,  the  book  agrees 
full  well  with  the  title :  for  the  one  is  as  queer  as  the  other.  For 
oddity,  uncouthness,  and  unlikeness  to  all  the  world  beside,  I  sup- 
pose the  writer  is  without  a  rival !  " 

The  preachers  met  with  no  riotous  mobs  to  oppose  their  progress 
in  Scotland.  Here,  all  ranks  and  orders  of  the  people,  from  the 
highest  to  the  lowest,  had  long  been  remarkable  for  a  decent  regard 
to  religion  and  the  ministerial  character :  and  this  religious  decorum. 
had  not  yet  been  destroyed  by  that  degree  of  profaneness  which  stim- 
ulates the  mind  to  treat  the  ministers  of  the  gospel  with  contempt  and 
outrage.  But  the  preachers  soon  found,  that  they  had  prejudices  to 
contend  with  more  diflicult  to  be  overcome  than  the  violence  of  a 
mob.  They  found  the  Scots  strongly  intrenched  within  the  lines  of 
religious  opinions  and  modes  of  worship,  which  almost  bade  defiance 
to  any  mode  of  attack.  Their  success  was  therefore  trifling,  com- 
pared with  what  they  had  experienced  in  England  and  Ireland, 
where  their  lives  had  often  been  in  danger  from  the  mob.  Mr.  Wes- 
ley, however,  in  his  stated  journeys  through  Scotland,  every  where 
met  with  the  most  flattering  marks  of  respect ;  both  from  the  nobility 
(who  often  invited  him  to  take  their  houses  in  his  way)  from  many 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


217 


of  the  established  ministers,  and  from  the  magistrates  of  the  cities. 
In  April  this  year,  being  on  his  biennial  visit  to  Scotland,  he  came  to 
Perth,  where  the  magistrates  as  a  token  of  their  respectful  regard  for 
him,  presented  him  with  the  freedom  of  the  city.  The  diploma  ran 
thus : 

Perthi  vigesimo  octavo  die  mensis  Aprilis,  Anno  Domini  mille- 
simo  septingentesimo  septuagesimo  secundo. 

"  Quo  die,  Magistratuum  lllustris  ordo,  et  Honorandus  Senatorum 
caetus  inclytaj  civitatis  Perthensis,  in  debiti  amoris  et  affectus  Tesse- 
ram  erga  Johannem.  Wesley  Artium  Magistrum,  nuper  Collegiae  Lin- 
colniensis  Oxoniae  Socium,  Immunitatibus  prsefatse  Civitatis,  Societa- 
tis  etiam  ac  Fraternitatis  ^dilitige  privilegiis — de  omnibus  a  cive 
necessario  exigendis  ac  prsestandis  Donarunt,"  &c. 

This  diploma  was  struck  off  from  a  copper -plate  upon  parchment; 
the  arms  of  the  city  and  some  of  the  words  were  illuminated,  and 
flowers  painted  round  the  borders,  which  gave  it  a  splendid  appear- 
ance. And  for  purity  of  the  Latin,  it  is  not  perhaps  exceeded  by  any 
diploma,  either  from  London  or  any  other  city  in  Europe. 

Mr.  Wesley  now  saw  the  religious  societies  he  had  been  the  happy 
instrument  of  forming,  spread  rapidly  on  every  side;  and  the  preach- 
ers increasing  in  an  almost  equal  proportion.  He  became,  therefore, 
every  day  more  solicitous  to  provide  for  their  unity  and  permanency 
after  his  decease,  wishing  to  preserve  at  the  same  time,  the  original 
doctrines  and  economy  of  the  Methodists.  He  knew  the  views,  the 
opinions,  and  the  jealousies  of  the  preachers  concerning  each  other, 
better  than  any  other  individual  could  possibly  know  them,  as  he  had 
persons  in  all  places  who  constantly  informed  him  of  every  thing  of 
importance  that  was  said  or  done.  From  the  beginning  he  had  stood 
at  the  head  of  the  connexion,  and  by  the  general  suflrage  had  acted 
as  dictator,  in  matters  relating  to  the  government  of  the  societies. 
He  had  often  found  that  all  his  authority  was  barely  sufficient  to  pre- 
serve peace,  and  the  mere  external  appearance  of  unanimity,  and 
therefore  concluded,  that  if  his  authority  were  to  cease,  or  not  to  be 
transferred  to  another  at  his  death,  the  preachers  and  people  would 
fall  into  confusion.  In  January,  1773,  being  at  Shoreham,  where  no 
doubt  he  had  consulted  Mr.  Perronet  on  the  subject,  he  wrote  the 
following  letter  to  Mr.  Fletcher : 

Dear  Sir, 

"What  an  amazing  work  has  God  wrought  in  these  kingdoms,  in 
less  than  forty  years !  And  it  not  only  continues,  but  increases 
throughout  England,  Scotland,  and  Ireland:  nay,  it  has  lately  spread 
into  New  York,  Pennsylvania,  Virginia,  Maryland,  and  Carolina. 
But  the  wise  men  of  the  world  say,  '  When  Mr.  Wesley  drops,  then 
all  this  is  at  an  end  ! '  And  so  it  surely  will,  unless  before  God  calls 
him  hence,  one  is  found  to  stand  in  his  place.    For  'Oux  aya&ov 

VOL.  II.  19  28 


218 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   JOHN  WESLEY. 


nolvxoiouvir^  •  El;  y.oiouvog  e^tv."^  I  see  more  and  more,  unless  there  be 
one  nQOBg(o;.-\  the  work  can  never  be  carried  on.  The  body  of  the 
preachers  are  not  united :  nor  will  any  part  of  them  submit  to  the 
rest :  so  that  either  there  must  be  one  to  preside  over  all,  or  the  work 
will  indeed  come  to  an  end. 

'•But  who  is  sufficient  for  these  things?  Qualified  to  preside  both 
over  the  preachers  and  people?  He  must  be  a  man  of  faith  and  love, 
and  one  that  has  a  single  eye  to  the  advancement  of  the  kingdom 
of  God.  He  must  have  a  clear  understanding;  a  knowledge  of  men 
and  things,  particularly  of  the  Methodist  doctrine  and  discipline ;  a 
ready  utterance;  diligence  and  activity,  with  a  tolerable  share  of 
health.  There  must  be  added  to  these,  favor  with  the  people,  with 
the  Methodists  in  general.  For  unless  God  turn  their  eyes  and  their 
hearts  towards  him,  he  will  be  quite  incapable  of  the  work.  He 
must  likewise  have  some  degree  of  learning :  because  there  are  many 
adversaries  learned  as  well  as  unlearned,  whose  mouths  must  be 
stopped.  But  this  cannot  be  done,  unless  he  be  able  to  meet  them  on 
their  own  ground. 

"  But  has  God  provided  one  so  qualified  ?  Who  is  he  ?  T'hou  art 
the  man  !  God  has  given  you  a  measure  of  loving  faith ;  and  a  sin- 
gle eye  to  his  glory.  He  has  given  you  some  knowledge  of  men  and 
things;  particularly  of  the  whole  plan  of  Methodism.  You  are 
blessed  with  some  health,  activity,  and  diligence;  together  with  a 
degree  of  learning.  And  to  all  these,  he  has  lately  added,  by  a  way 
none  could  have  foreseen,  favor  both  with  the  preachers  and  the 

whole  people  Come  out  in  the  name  of  God !    Come  to  the  help 

of  the  Lord  against  the  mighty !  Come  while  I  am  alive  and  capa- 
ble of  labor — 

'  Dum  superest  Lachesi  quod  torqueat,  et  pedibus  mt 
Porto  Tneis,  nulla  dextram  subeunte  bacillo.^  X 

Come  while  I  am  able,  God  assisting,  to  build  you  up  in  faith,  to 
ripen  your  gifts,  and  to  introduce  you  to  the  people.  Nil  tanti. 
What  possible  employment  can  you  have,  which  is  of  so  great 
importance  ? 

"But  you  will  naturally  say,  '  I  am  not  equal  to  the  task :  I  have 

neither  grace  nor  gifts  for  such  an  employment  ?'  You  say  true  :  it  is 
certain  you  have  not :  and  who  has  ?  But  do  you  not  know  him 
who  is  able  to  give  them?  Perhaps  not  at  once,  but  rather  day  by  day :  as 
each  is,  so  shall  your  strength  be — '  But  this  implies,'  you  may  say,  '  a 

*  '  It  is  not  good,  that  the  supreme  power  should  be  lodged  in  many  hands  :  let  there  be 
one  chief  governor.'  The  truth  of  the  first  part  of  this  sentence  has  been  remarkably  ver- 
ified among  the  Methodists,  since  the  death  of  Mr.  Wesley  j  to  the  no  small  injury  of  many 
societies. 

t  •  Who  presides  over  the  rest.' 

X  '  While  Lachesis  has  some  thread  of  life  to  spin,  and  I  walk  on  my  own  feet  without  the 
help  of  a  staff.'    Juven.  Sat.  3d. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


219 


thousand  crosses,  such  as  I  feel  I  am  not  able  to  bear  ?  You  are  not 
able  to  bear  them  now  ;  and  they  are  not  now  come.  Whenever 
they  do  come,  will  He  not  send  them  in  due  number,  weight  and 
measure?  And  will  they  not  all  be  for  your  profit,  that  you  may  be 
a  partaker  of  his  holiness. 

"  Without  conferring,  therefore,  with  flesh  and  blood,  come  and 
strengthen  the  hands,  comfort  the  heart,  and  share  the  labor  of,  your 
affectionate  friend  and  brother, 

John  Wesley." 

This  warm  and  sincere  invitation,  to  a  situation  not  only  respected 
but  even  reverenced  by  so  large  a  body  of  people,  must  have  been 
highly  flattering  to  Mr.  Fletcher  ;  especially  as  it  came  from  a  person 
he  most  sincerely  loved ;  whose  superior  abilities,  learning,  and  labors, 
he  admired ;  and  to  whose  success  in  the  ministry  he  wished  to  give 
every  assistance  in  his  power.  But  he  well  knew  the  embarrassments 
Mr.  Wesley  met  with  in  the  government  of  the  preachers,  though  he 
alone,  under  the  providence  of  God,  had  given  existence  to  their 
present  character,  influence,  and  usefulness :  he  was  also  well  ac- 
quainted with  the  mutual  jealousies  the  preachers  had  of  each  other, 
and  with  their  jarring  interests;  but  above  all,  with  the  general 
determination  which  prevailed  among  them,  not  to  be  under  the  con- 
trol of  any  one  man  after  the  death  of  Mr.  Wesley.  Under  these  cir- 
cumstances, he  saw  nothing  before  him  but  darkness,  storms,  and 
tempests,  with  the  most  threatening  dangers,  especially  if  he  should 
live  to  be  alone  in  the  office.  He  therefore  determined,  not  to  launch 
his  little  bark  on  so  tempestuous  an  ocean. 

Mr.  Fletcher  certainly  acted  according  to  the  rules  of  prudence, 
with  respect  to  himself  But  as  he  died  before  Mr.  Wesley,  the  dif- 
ficulties and  dangers  which  he  foresaw,  were  much  greater  in  appear- 
ance, than  they  would  have  been  in  reality,  had  he  accepted  the 
invitation.  I  cannot,  therefore,  but  lament  that  he  did  not  accept  it, 
as  he  would  have  done  much  good  while  he  lived,  and  have  prevented 
many  of  the  evils  which  have  since  taken  place.  He  would,  at  least, 
have  prevented  the  influence  which  a  person,  some  years  afterwards, 
acquired  through  the  connexion,  with  talents  very  inferior  to  most  of 
the  preachers ;  who  has  been  the  chief  means  of  introducing  innova- 
tions into  the  original  plan  of  Methodism,  which  have  already  pro- 
duced much  mischief,  and  threaten  much  more  in  the  issue :  and 
whose  rash  and  inconsistent  conduct,  on  several  occasions,  has  brought 
the  whole  body  of  preachers  into  disgrace,  and  embarrassed  them 
with  many  difficulties. 

Mr.  Wesley  was  now  advancing  in  the  seventy-first  year  of  his  age, 
and  found  his  health  and  strength  almost  undiminished :  he  therefore 
continued  his  labors  and  travels,  with  the  same  assiduity  and  punc- 
tuality as  at  the  beginning.  In  June,  1774,  when  he  entered  on  his 
seventy-second  year,  he  speaks  thus  of  himself,  "  This  being  my 


220 


THiE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


birth-day,  the  first  day  of  my  seventy-second  year,  I  was  considering 
how  is  this,  that  I  find  just  the  same  strength  as  I  did  thirty  years 
ago?  That  my  sight  is  considerably  better  now,  and  my  nerves 
firmer,  than  they  were  then?  That  I  have  none  of  the  infirmities  of 
old  age,  and  have  lost  several  I  had  in  my  youth  ?  The  grand  cause 
is,  the  good  pleasure  of  God,  who  doth  whatsoever  pleaseth  him. 
The  chief  means  are,  1.  My  constantly  rising  at  four,  for  about  fifty 
years :  2.  My  generally  preaching  at  five  in  the  morning,  one  of  the 
most  healthy  exercises  in  the  world :  3.  My  never  travelling  less,  by 
sea  or  land,  tlmn  four  thousand  five  hundred  miles  in  a  year." 

About  this  time  died  Mr.  John  Downs  ;  who  had  been  many  years 
a  preacher  among  the  Methodists.  He  was  a  man  of  sincere  unaf- 
fected piety ;  of  great  afiliction,  and  of  uncommon  genius.  Mr. 
Charles  Wesley  gives  the  following  account  of  his  death.  John 
Downs  has  lived  and  died  the  death  of  the  righteous.  For  several 
months  past,  he  has  been  greatly  alive  to  God,  walked  closely  with 
him,  and  visibly  grown  in  grace.  Ever  since  the  time  that  he 
resolved  to  preach  again,  he  has  preached  as  often  as  he  really  could, 
and  with  great  success.  On  Friday  morning  he  rose  full  of  faith,  and 
love,  and  joy.  He  declared  it  was  the  happiest  day  of  his  life,  and 
that  he  had  not  been  so  well  in  body  for  years.  He  expressed  his 
joy  in  showers  of  tears. — He  was  led  to  pray  for  the  people,  so  as 
never  before.  Going  out  to  the  chapel  at  West-street,  he  said,  '  I  used 
to  go  to  preach  trembling,  and  with  reluctance,  but  now  I  go  in 
triumph.'  His  text  was,  '  Come  unto  me  all  ye  that  labor  and  are 
heavy  laden,'  6lc.  His  words  were  unusually  weighty  and  with 
power,  but  few.  He  perceived,  that  he  could  not  finish  his  discourse, 
and  gave  out  this  verse  of  the  hymn,  '  Father  I  lift  my  heart  to  thee, 
No  other  help  I  know' — His  voice  failing  he  fell  on  his  knees,  as 
meaning  to  pray  ;  but  he  could  not  be  heard.  The  preacher  ran  and 
lifted  him  from  his  knees,  for  he  could  not  raise  himself  They  car- 
ried him  to  bed,  where  he  lay  quiet  and  speechless  till  eight  on  Sat- 
urday morning,  and  then  fell  asleep.  O  for  an  end  like  his !  It  is 
the  most  enviable,  the  most  desirable  I  ever  heard  of  His  widow  I 
visited  yesterday  afternoon.  She  surprised  me,  and  all  who  saw 
her  :  so  supported,  so  calm,  so  resigned.  A  faithful  friend  received 
her  into  her  house.  She  had  one  sixpence  in  the  world,  and  no  more. 
But  her  Maker  is  her  husband. — We  all  agreed,  it  is  the  Lord's  doing, 
and  is  marvellous  in  our  sight."  =^ 

In  1775,  Mr.  Wesley  visited  Ireland  in  his  usual  course;  and  in 
June,  being  then  in  the  north  on  his  return  from  Londonderry, 
he  had  the  most  severe  illness  he  had  ever  before  experienced.  It 
was  however,  in  part  brought  on,  and  afterwards  increased,  by  such 
acts  of  imprudence  as  we  should  not  expect  to  meet  with  in  the  con- 
duct of  a  cautious,  sensible,  thinking  man.    I  shall  give  the  circum, 

*  Taken  from  the  short-hand. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


221 


stances  in  his  own  words — "  Tuesday  13  (of  June,)  I  was  not  very 
well  in  the  morning,  but  supposed  it  would  soon  go  off.  In  the  after- 
noon, the  weather  being  extremely  hot,  1  lay  down  on  the  grass  in 
Mr.  Lark's  orchard  at  Cock-hill.  This  1  had  been  accustomed  to  do 
for  forty  years,  and  never  remember  to  have  been  hurt  by  it.  Only  I 
never  before  lay  on  my  face,  in  which  posture  I  fell  asleep.  I  waked 
a  little,  and  but  a  little  out  of  order,  and  preached  with  ease  to  a  mul- 
titude of  people.  Afterwards  I  was  a  good  deal  worse  :  however,  the 
next  day  I  went  on  a  few  miles  to  the  Grange.  The  table  was 
placed  there  in  such  a  manner,  that  all  the  time  I  was  preaching,  a 
strong  and  sharp  wind  blew  full  on  the  left  side  of  my  head.  And  it 
was  not  without  a  good  deal  of  difficulty  that  I  made  an  end  of  my 
sermon.  I  now  found  a  deep  obstruction  in  my  breast :  my  pulse 
was  exceeding  weak  and  low.  I  shivered  with  cold,  though  the  air 
was  sultry  hot,  only  now  and  then  burning  for  a  few  minutes.  1  went 
early  to  bed,  drank  a  draught  of  treacle  and  water,  and  applied  treacle 
to  the  soles  of  my  feet.  I  lay  till  seven  on  Thursday  the  15th,  and 
felt  considerably  better.  But  I  found  near  the  same  obstruction  in 
my  breast :  I  had  a  low,  weak  pulse :  I  burned  and  shivered  by  turns, 
and  if  I  ventured  to  cough  it  jarred  my  head  exceedingly.  In  going 
on  to  Derry  Anvil,  I  wondered  what  was  the  matter,  that  I  could  not 
attend  to  what  I  was  reading ;  no,  not  for  three  minutes  together, 
but  my  thoughts  were  perpetually  shifting.  Yet  all  the  time  I  was 
preaching  in  the  evening  (though  I  stood  in  the  open  air,  with  the 
wind  whistling  round  my  head)  my  mind  was  as  composed  as  ever. 
Friday  16,  in  going  to  Lurgan,  I  wondered  again  that  I  could  not  fix 
my  attention  to  what  I  read :  yet  while  I  was  preaching  in  the  even- 
ing on  the  Parade,  I  found  my  mind  perfectly  composed;  although  it 
rained  a  great  part  of  the  time,  which  did  not  well  agree  with  my 
head.  Saturday  17,  I  was  persuaded  to  send  for  Dr.  Laws,  a  sensi- 
ble and  skilful  physician.  He  told  me,  '  I  was  in  a  high  fever,  and 
advised  me  to  lie  by.'  I  told  him,  that  could  not  be  done ;  as  I  had 
appointed  to  preach  in  several  places,  and  must  preach  as  long  as  I 
could  speak.  He  then  prescribed  a  cooling  draught,  with  a  grain  or 
two  of  camphor,  as  my  nerves  were  universally  agitated.  This  I 
took  with  me  to  Tandragee :  but  when  I  came  there,  I  was  not  able 
to  preach  :  my  understanding  being  quite  confused,  and  my  strength 
entirely  gone.  Yet  I  breathed  freely,  and  had  not  the  least  thirst, 
nor  any  pain  from  head  to  foot. 

"  I  was  now  at  a  full  stand  :  whether  to  aim  at  Lisburn,  or  to  push 
forward  for  Dublin  '/  But  my  friends  doubting  whether  I  could  bear 
so  long  a  journey,  I  went  straight  to  Derry  Agby,  a  gentleman's  seat 
on  the  side  of  a  hill,  three  miles  beyond  Lisburn.  Here  nature  sunk, 
and  I  took  to  my  bed :  but  I  could  no  more  turn  myself  therein,  than 
a  new-born  child.  My  memory  failed  as  well  as  my  strength,  and 
well  nigh  my  understanding.  Only  those  words  ran  in  my  mind, 
19* 


222 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  KEV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


when  I  saw  Miss  Gayer  on  one  side  of  the  bed,  looking  at  her  mother 
on  the  other, 

'  She  sat,  like  patience  on  a  monument 
Smiling  at  grief,' 

"I  can  give  no  account  of  what  followed  for  two  or  three  days, 
being  more  dead  than  alive.  Only  I  remember  it  was  difficult  for  me 
to  speak,  my  throat  being  exceedingly  dry.  But  Joseph  Bradford 
tells  me,  I  said  on  Wednesday,  'It  will  be  determined  before  this 
time  to-morrow; '  that  my  tongue  was  much  swollen,  and  as  black  as  a 
coal ;  that  I  was  convulsed  all  over,  and  for  some  time  my  heart  did 
not  beat  perceptibly,  neither  was  any  pulse  discernible. 

"In  the  night  of  Thursday,  the  22d,  Joseph  Bradford  came  to  me 
with  a  cup,  and  said,  'Sir,  you  must  take  this.'  I  thought  I  will,  if  I 
can,  to  please  him;  for  it  will  do  me  neither  harm  nor  good.  Imme- 
diately it  set  me  a  vomiting;  my  heart  began  to  beat,  and  my  pulse 
to  play  again.  And  from  that  hour,  the  extremity  of  the  symptoms 
abated.  The  next  day  I  sat  up  several  hours,  and  Avalked  four  or 
five  times  across  the  room.  On  Saturday  I  sat  up  all  day,  and  walked 
across  the  room  many  times,  Avithout  any  weariness.  On  Sunday  I 
came  down  stairs,  and  sat  several  hours  in  the  parlor.  On  Monday 
I  walked  before  the  house :  on  Tuesday  I  took  an  airing  in  the 
chaise :  and  on  Wednesday,  trusting  in  God,  to  the  astonishment  of 
my  friends,  I  set  out  for  Dublin." 

About  this  time,  Mr.  Wesley  published  his  "Calm  Address  to  the 
American  Colonies,"  then  at  war  with  England,  the  mother  country. 
This  tract  made  a  great  noise,  and  raised  him  many  adversaries. 
Being  frequently  asked,  why  he  published  it?  He  answered,  in 
Lloyd's  Evening  Post,  "Not  to  get  money.  Had  that  been  my 
motive,  I  should  have  swelled  it  into  a  shilling  pamphlet,  and  have 
entered  it  at  Stationer's  Hall. — Not  to  get  preferment  for  myself,  or 
my  brother's  children — not  to  please  any  man  living,  high  or  low.  I 
know  mankind  too  well.  I  know  they  that  love  you  for  political 
service,  love  you  less  than  their  dinner;  and  they  who  hate  you, 
hate  you  worse  than  the  devil. — Least  of  all  did  I  write,  with  a  view 
to  inflame  any:  just  the  contrary.  I  contributed  my  mite  toward 
putting  out  the  flame  which  rages  all  over  the  land,"  6cc. — Many  of 
his  friends,  however,  were  of  opinion  that  he  would  have  acted  a 
fnore  wise  and  better  part,  had  he  never  meddled  with  political  dis- 
rputes.  Observation  had  convinced  them,  that  ministers  of  the  gospel, 
by  interfering  with  politics,  have  seldom  done  any  good,  and  often 
much  harm :  having  frequently  hindered  their  own  usefulness,  and 
made  a  whip  for  their  own  backs. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  year  1776,  Mr.  Fletcher  was  recovering 
from  a  severe  illness.  Mr.  Wesley,  having  a  high  opinion  of  the  sal- 
utary eflects  of  easy  journies  through  the  country,  in  such  cases, 
.invited  Mr.  Fletcher  to  come  out,  and  accompany  him  through  some 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   JOHN  WESLEY. 


of  the  societies  in  the  spring.  Part  of  Mr.  Fletcher's  answer  is  as 
follows;  "L received  last  night  the  favor  of  yours,  from  Bristol.  My 
grand  desire  is,  to  be  just  what  the  Lord  would  have  me  to  be.  I 
could,  if  you  wanted  a  travelling  assistant,  accompany  yon,  as  my 
little  strength  would  admit,  in  some  of  your  excursions.  But  your 
recommending  me  to  the  societies  as  ^ one  who  might  succeed  you, 
should  the  Lord  take  you  hence  before  me,  is  a  step  to  which  I  could 
by  no  means  consent.  It  would  make  me  take  my  horse  and  gallop 
away.  Beside,  such  a  step  would  at  this  juncture,  be,  I  think,  pecu- 
liarly improper. — We  ought  to  give  as  little  hold  to  the  evil  surmisings, 
and  rash  judgments  of  our  opponents  as  may  be. — What  has  made 
me  glut  our  friends  with  my  books,  is  not  any  love  to  such  publica- 
tions, but  a  desire  to  make  an  end  of  the  controversy.  It  is  probable 
that  my  design  has  miscarried ;  and  that  I  have  disgusted  rather  than 
convinced  the  people. — I  agree  with  you,  sir,  that  now  is  the  time  to 
pray  both  for  ourselves  and  our  king:  for  the  Church  of  England, 
and  that  part  of  it  which  is  called  the  Methodists.  I  cast  my  mite 
of  supplication  into  the  general  treasure.  The  Lord  guide,  support, 
and  strengthen  you  more  and  more  unto  the  end !" 

An  order  had  been  made  by  the  House  of  Lords  in  May  this  year, 
"  That  the  Commissioners  of  His  Majesty's  Excise  do  write  circular 
letters  to  all  such  persons  whom  they  have  reason  to  suspect  to  have 
plate,  as  also  to  those  who  have  not  paid  regularly  the  duty  on  the 
same,"  (fcc.  In  consequence  of  this  order,  the  Accomptant-General 
for  Household  Plate,  sent  Mr.  Wesley,  in  September,  a  copy  of  the 
order,  with  the  following  letter : 

"  Reverend  Sir, 

'•As  the  commissioners  cannot  doubt  but  you  have  plate  for  which 
you  have  hitherto  neglected  to  make  an  entry,  they  have  directed  me 
to  send  you  the  above  copy  of  the  lords'  order,  and  to  inform  you, 
they  expect  that  you  forthwith  make  due  entry  of  all  your  plate,  such 
entry  to  bear  date  from  the  commencement  of  the  plate  duty,  or  from 
such  time  as  you  have  owned,  used,  had,  or  kept  any  quantity  of 
silver-plate,  chargeable  by  the  Act  of  Parliament,  as  in  default  hereof, 
the  Board  will  be  obliged  to  signify  your  refusal  to  their  lordships. — 
N.  B.  An  immediate  answer  is  desired." 

Mr.  Wesley  answered  as  follows : 
''Sir, 

"  I  have  two  silver  tea-spoons  at  London,  and  two  at  Bristol.  This 
is  all  the  plate  which  I  have  at  present :  and  I  shall  not  buy  any 
more,  while  so  many  around  me  want  bread. 

I  am,  Sir, 

Your  most  humble  servant, 

John  Wesley." 


224 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


The  Methodists  had  now  got  a  footing  in  the  Isle  of  Man.=^  The 

*  "  The  Isle  of  Man.  is  situated  in  the  Irish  sea,  lying  about  seven  leagues  north  from 
Anglesey ;  about  the  same  distance  from  Lancashire ;  nearly  the  like  distance  south-east 
from  Galloway,  and  nine  leagues  east  from  Ireland.  Its  form  is  long  and  narrow,  stretch- 
ing from  the  north-east  of  Ayre  Point  to  the  Calf  of  Man,  which  hes  south-west,  at  least 
thirty  English  miles.  Its  breadth  in  some  places  is  more  than  nine  miles,  some  say 
twelve,  in  most  places  eight,  and  in  some  not  above  five ;  and  contains  about  one  hundred 
and  sixty  square  miles." 

This  island  is  mentioned  by  several  ancient  authors.  Caesar  calls  it  Mona :  but  the 
Mona  of  Tacitus,  can  only  be  applied  to  Anglesey.  Pliny  calls  it  Monabia  :  and  in  Ptol- 
emy we  find  Monaida,  that  is,  the  farther  or  more  remote  Mon.  Orosius  styles  it  Mena- 
via  ;  and  tells  us  that  it  was  extremely  fertile.  Bede,  who  distinguishes  clearly  two  Men- 
avian  Islands,  names  this  the  Northern  Menavia,  bestowing  the  epithet  of  Southern  upon 
Anglesey.  Alured  of  Beverly,  also  speaks  of  it  as  one  of  the  Menavian  Islands.  The 
Britons  in  their  own  language,  called  it  Manaw,  more  properly  ]\Iain  au,  i.  e.  <•  a  little 
Island,"  which  seems  to  be  latinized  in  the  word  Menavia.  All  which  proves,  that  this 
small  isle  was  early  inhabited,  and  as  well  known  to  the  rest  of  the  world  as  either  Britain 
or  Ireland. 

The  Isle  of  Man  was,  for  a  longtime,  an  independent  state,  governed  by  its  own  princes. 
At  length,  however,  they  became  feudatories  to  the  kings  of  England,  resorted  to  their 
court,  were  kindly  received,  and  had  pensions  bestowed  upon  them.  Upon  the  demise  of 
Magnus,  the  last  king  of  this  isle,  without  heirs  male.  Alexander  III.  king  of  Scots,  who 
had  conquered  the  other  isles,  seized  likewise  upon  this ;  which,  as  part  of  that  kingdom, 
came  into  the  hands  of  Edward  I.,  who  directed  William  Hunterciimbe,  Warden  of  that 
isle  for  him,  to  restore  it  to  John  Baliol,  who  had  done  homage  to  him  for  the  kingdom  of 
Scotland. 

But  it  seems  there  was  still  remaining,  a  lady  named  Austrica,  who  claimed  this  sover- 
eignty, as  nearest  of  kin  to  the  deceased  Magnus.  This  claimant  being  able  to  obtain 
nothing  from  John  Baliol,  applied  herself  to  King  Edward,  as  the  superior  lord.  He, 
upon  this  application,  by  his  writ,  which  is  yet  extant,  commanded  both  parties,  in  order 
to  determine  their  right,  to  appear  in  the  King's  Bench.  The  progress  of  this  suit  does  not 
appear ;  but  we  know  that  this  lady,  by  a  deed  of  gift  conveyed  her  claim  to  Sir  Simon  de 
Montacute  ;  and  after  many  disputes,  invasions  by  the  Scots,  and  other  accidents,  the  title 
was  examined  in  Parliament,  in  the  Seventh  of  Edward  III.  and  solemnly  adjudged  to 
WilUam  de  Montacute;  to  whom,  by  letters  patent  dated  the  same  year,  that  monarch 
released  all  claim  whatsoever. 

In  the  succeeding  reign,  William  de  Montacute,  earl  of  Salisbury,  sold  it  to  Sir  William 
Scroop,  afterward  earl  of  Wiltshire ;  and  upon  losing  his  head,  it  was  granted  by  Henry 
IV.  to  Henry  Percy,  earl  of  Northumberland ;  who  being  attainted,  had  all  his  lands 
restored,  except  the  Isle  of  IVIan,  which  the  same  monarch  granted  to  Sir  John  Stanley,  to 
be  held  by  him  of  the  kings  his  heirs  and  successors,  by  homage,  and  a  cast  of  falcons  to 
be  presented  at  every  coronation :  and  from  this  family,  afterwards  earls  of  Derby,  it 
descended  to  the  duke  of  Athol. 

This  island,  from  its  situation  directly  in  the  mouth  of  the  Channel,  is  very  beneficial  to 
Britain,  by  lessening  the  force  of  the  tides,  which  would  otherwise  break  with  far  greater 
violence  than  they  do  at  present.  The  inhabitants  are  at  this  day  a  brisk,  lively,  hardy, 
industrious,  and  well-meaning  people.  There  are  few  who  have  over-grown  fortunes,  and 
as  few  who  are  in  distress.  The  late  Lord  Derby  faiming  out  his  customs  to  foreigners,  the 
insolence  of  those  farmers  drew  on  them  the  resentment  of  the  English  government ;  and 
the  inhabitants,  by  an  Act  of  Parliament,  were  deprived  of  an  open  trade  with  this  countr}\ 
This  naturally  produced  smuggling,  which  was  carried  on  with  astonishing  success  ;  till 
the  government  in  1765,  thought  proper  to  put  an  entire  stop  to  it,  by  purchasing  the 
island  of  the  duke  of  Athol,  except  his  landed  property  in  it :  and  the  manorial  rights  and 
emoluments,  the  patronage  of  the  bishopric,  and  other  ecclesiastical  benefices,  are  una- 
lienably  vested  in  the  Crown,  and  the  island  subjected  to  the  regulations  of  the  British 
excise  and  customs.  The  inhabitants  of  the  isle  are  of  the  Church  of  England,  and  the 
bishop  is  styled.  Bishop  of  Sodor  and  Man.  By  an  Act  of  Parliament,  the  33d  of  Henry 
VIII.  this  bishopric  is  declared  to  be  in  the  province  of  York.    See  Encyclop.  Brit. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


225 


last  year,  a  local  preacher  from  Liverpool  had  paid  them  a  visit,  and  ** 
spent  some  time  with  them.  He  repeated  his  visit  this  year,  and 
societies  were  already  formed  in  seven  different  places,  and  they 
reckoned  one  hundred  and  fifty-seven  members  in  the  island.  It 
happened  here,  as  in  most  places  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  that 
the  first  preaching  of  the  Methodists,  produced  no  commotions  or  riots 
among  the  common  people.  I  am,  indeed,  fully  convinced  that  the 
lower  orders  of  the  people,  would  never  become  riotous  on  any  occa- 
sion, had  they  food  sufficient  to  eat,  were  they  not  excited  to  those 
acts  of  outrage,  under  false  pretences,  by  persons  who  have  some 
influence  over  them,  and  who  endeavor  to  keep  behind  the  scene. 
The  preachers,  however,  did  not  long  enjoy  peace.  Two  or  three  ill- 
minded  persons,  of  some  influence  in  the  island,  formed  a  plan  of 
opposition,  which  in  such  cases,  is  but  too  often  successful.  It  is  per- 
haps universally  true,  that  they  who  are  destitute  of  the  necessary 
qualifications  to  do  good,  have  still  the  power  of  doing  much  harm: 
so  much  easier  is  it,  to  do  the  one  than  the  other.  These  persons,  to 
give  greater  weight  to  their  opposition,  so  far  prejudiced  the  mind  of 
the  bishop  against  these  new  comers,  that  he  wrote  a  pastoral  letter, 
directed  to  all  the  rectors,  vicars,  chaplains,  and  curates,  within  the 
Isle  and  diocese  of  Man.  In  this  letter  he  states  the  ground  of  his 
opposition  thus:  "Whereas  we  have  been  informed,  that  several 
unordained,  unauthorized,  and  unqualified  persons  from  other  coun- 
tries, have  for  some  time  past,  presumed  to  preach  and  teach  publicly, 
and  hold  and  maintain  conventicles ;  and  have  caused  several  weak 
persons  to  combine  themselves  together  in  a  new  society,  and  have 
private  meetings,  assemblies,  and  congregations,  contrary  to  the  doc- 
trines, government,  rites,  and  ceremonies  of  the  established  church, 
and  the  civil  and  ecclesiastical  laws  of  this  Isle  :  We  do  therefore,  for 
the  prevention  of  schism  and  the  reestablishment  of  that  uniformity 
in  religious  worship  which  so  long  hath  subsisted  among  us,  hereby 
desire  and  require  each  and  every  of  you,  to  be  vigilant  and  use  your 
utmost  endeavors  to  dissuade  your  respective  flocks  from  following, 
or  being  led  and  misguided  by  such  incompetent  teachers,"  &c.,  &c. 
After  expatiating  a  little  on  this  part  of  his  charge,  he  tells  his  clergy 
that  if  they  could  not  prevail  with  the  people  by  persuasion,  that 
they  must  get  a  knowledge  of  the  names  of  such  persons  as  attended 
at  these  unlawful  meetings,  as  he  calls  them,  and  especially  of  such 
as  enjoyed  any  office  or  privilege  by  episcopal  license,  and  present 
them  to  his  Rev.  Vicars-General,  or  to  some  of  them.  He  then 
requires  every  one  of  his  clergy,  to  repel  any  Methodist  preacher 
from  the  sacrament,  if  he  should  offer  himself  at  the  table  to  receive 
it.  He  further  directs,  that  this  pastor^il  letter  should  be  read,  plena 
Ecclesia,  in  full  church,  the  next  Sunday  after  the  receipt  thereof. 

The  storm  noAv  became  violent,  and  Methodism  was  threatened 
with  a  total  shipwreck  on  the  island.    The  preachers  and  people, 

VOL.  n.  29 


226 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


♦however,  weathered  it  out;  and  in  the  end  of  May,  1777,  Mr.  Wes- 
ley, who  always  wished  to  stand  foremost  in  danger  and  diligence, 
paid  them  a  visit,  and  was  received  in  a  very  friendly  manner  by  a 
few  persons  of  respectability  and  influence.  At  Peele-Town,  Mr. 
Corbet  said,  he  would  gladly  have  asked  him  to  preach  in  his  church, 
but  the  bishop  had  forbid  it;  who  had  also  forbidden  all  his  clergy  to 
admit  any  Methodist  preacher  to  the  Lord's  Supper.  On  this  occa- 
sion Mr.  Wesley  observes,  "Is  any  clergyman  obliged,  either  in  law 
or  conscience  to  obey  such  a  prohibition  ?  By  no  means.  The  will 
even  of  the  king  does  not  bind  any  English  subject,  unless  it  be  sec- 
onded by  an  express  law.  How  much  less  the  will  of  a  bishop  ? 
But  did  not  you  take  an  oath  to  obey  him?"  "  No  :  nor  any  clergy- 
man in  the  three  kingdoms.  This  is  a  mere  vulgar  error.  Shame 
that  it  should  prevail  almost  universally." 

About  the  time  of  the  Conference  this  year,  a  travelling  preacher 
who  had  been  well  received  by  the  people,  and  who  had  enjoyed  a 
large  share  of  Mr.  Wesley's  confidence  for  several  years,  withdrew 
from  the  connexion,  and  went  among  the  Friends.  There  had  been 
a  misunderstanding  between  them,  for  some  time  before  he  took  this 
step ;  and  soon  afterwards  he  wrote  to  Mr.  Wesley  on  the  subject. 
Mr.  Charles,  I  suppose,  was  in  the  habit  of  corresponding  with  this 
preacher,  and  happening  to  see  the  letter,  requested  his  brother  to  let 
him  answer  it.  The  request  was  granted;  and  as  the  answer  is 
written  with  candor,  contains  some  good  observations  on  young  con- 
verts, and  points  out  one  striking  trait  in  Mr.  John  Wesley's  charac- 
ter, I  shall  insert  it.    The  date  is  October  this  year.* 

"  I  thank  you,"  says  he,  "for  your  aflTectionate  letter.f  It  confirms 
and  increases  my  love  towards  you.  Your  phrase  and  dress,  make 
no  difference  to  us — let  us  abide  in  the  love  of  Jesus,  and  we  must 
continue  to  love  one  another — out  of  true  impartial  love  to  you  both, 
I  long  for  peace  between  you  and  my  brother.  But  alas  !  you  do  not 
love  each  other  so  well  as  I  do :  mutual  confidence  is  lost,  and  then 
what  vmion  can  there  be?  I  submit  to  the  permissive  will  of 
Providence. 

"  If  I  know  my  own  heart,  I  have  nothing  there  but  tender  disin- 
terested love  for  him  and  for  you :  and  it  is,  and  must  be,  a  serious 
grief  to  me  that  you  are  not  cordially  aflfected  to  each  other.  But  we 
might  part  friends,  who  can  never  part. — I  wished  to  see  you ;  I 
should  not  have  said  one  word  against  your  religion ;  but  I  should 
have  taken  the  liberty  of  giving  you  a  friendly  caution  or  two,  lest 
satan  get  an  advantage  over  you,  or  us. 

"You  know,  when  a  man  leaves  one  religious  party  or  society,  it 
is  a  theme  both  to  him  and  Jhem.    Those  of  his  old  friends  who 

*  This  letter  is  taken  from  Mr.  Charles  Wesley's  papers  in  short-hand,  put  into  my 
hands  since  the  first  volume  of  this  work  was  published, 
f  I  suppose,  one  that  Mr.  Charles  had  received  from  him. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


227 


loved  him  merely  as  a  member  of  their  society,  will  cease  to  love  him 
on  that  account :  those  who  have  little  or  no  grace,  will  partly  treat 
him  as  a  deserter,  and  express  their  anger  or  ill-will  by  speaking 
against  him.  This  stabbing  a  man  in  the  back,  as  soon  as  he  turns  it 
upon  us,  I  abhor  and  protest  against ;  and  discourage  to  the  utmost 
of  my  power. — One,  who  forsakes  his  former  friends,  will  be  tempted 
to  speak  evil  of  them,  and  mention  their  faults,  real  or  supposed,  to 
justify  himself  for  leaving  them,  or  to  recommend  himself  to  his  new 
friends.  I  always  stood  in  doubt  of  such  converts  ;  whether  from  the 
Calvinists,  Moravians,  Dissenters,  or  any  other.  Beside,  a  young 
convert  is  always  most  zealous  in  making  proselytes;  which  awakens 
suspicion  in  the  deserted  party,  and  arms  them  against  depredations. 

"  My  brother  showed  me  your  last :  I  desired  him  to  let  me  answer 
it.  Hope  of  a  free  conversation  with  you,  hindered  me  from  writing. 
You  know,  I  have  talked  with  you  concerning  him,  without  reserve : 
I  could  not  have  used  such  confidence  towards  another.  Still  I  am  as 
incapable  of  mistrusting  you,  as  you  are  of  trusting  him.  In  many 
things  I  have  more  fellowship  with  you,  than  I  have  with  him  :  my 
love  for  both  is  the  same. 

"  But,  '  You  expect  he  will  keep  his  own  secrets  !  '  Let  me  whis- 
per it  into  your  ear  ;  He  never  could  do  it  since  he  was  born.  It  is 
a  gift  which  God  has  not  given  him.  But  I  shall  speak  to  him,  and 
put  a  stop  to  what  you  justly  complain  of,  and  let  all  be  buried  in 
oblivion.  I  wish  you  may  never  have  any  uneasy  thought  on  our 
account.  Speak  not  therefore  of  my  brother  ;  think  no  evil  of  him  ; 
forget  him  if  you  can  entirely,  till  you  meet  above. 

*'  You  are  now  entering  on  a  new  scene  of  things.  You  have  no 
doubt  of  God's  calling  you  among  the  Friends.  I  judge  nothing  be- 
fore the  time :  time  will  show.  I  heartily  pray  God  you  may  do,  and 
receive  much  more  good  among  them,  than  you  did  among  us.  If 
God  give  you  discernment  and  favor,  and  you  are  the  approved  instru- 
ment of  reviving  his  work,  and  their  first  love,  I  shall  rejoice  and  be 
thankful  that  you  ever  left  us.  But  if,  which  God  forbid,  you  should 
bury  your  talent,  do  no  good,  and  only  change  one  form  for  another ; 
alas !  alas !  my  brother,  you  will  prove  yourself  mistaken,  and  lose 
many  jewels  which  might  have  been  added  to  your  crown. 

"  I  should  think  worse  of  our  society  than  you  do,  if  they  felt  no 
sorrow  at  parting  with  you.  Some  whom  I  know,  will  seldom  think 
of  you  without  a  sorrowful  tear.  The  days  of  my  mourning  are  just 
ended.  My  hope  of  you  is  steady,  that  if  you  hold  out  a  little  longer, 
I  shall  find  you  again  among  the  blessed  in  that  day." 

This  letter,  and  the  account  he  has  given  of  Mr.  John  Downs,  are 
very  clear  proofs  that  Mr.  Charles  Wesley  was  not  an  enemy  to  all 
lay-preachers;  of  which  indeed,  many  other  proofs  might  be  given. — 
The  fact  however,  here  stated,  that  Mr.  John  Wesley  never  could 
keep  a  secret,  I  believe  is  strictly  true.    Though  his  connexions  and 


228 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


correspondence  were  uncommonly  large,  yet  no  person,  perhaps,  in 
the  world,  had  so  few  secrets  as  Mr.  J.  Wesley.  He  never  travelled 
alone,  and  the  person  who  attended  him,  had  the  charge  of  his  letters 
and  papers,  which  of  course  lay  open  to  his  inspection.  The  preach- 
ers likewise,  who  were  occasionally  with  him,  had  access  to  his  letters 
and  papers,  especially  if  he  had  confidence  in  their  sincerity  and  zeal 
in  religion,  which  it  was  not  very  difficult  to  obtain.  It  was  easy  for 
these  persons  to  see  the  motive  that  influenced  him,  and  the  end  he 
had  in  view  in  every  action  of  his  life,  however  remote  from  public 
observation  :  and  he  took  no  pains  to  conceal  them,  but  seemed  rather 
to  court  the  discovery. 

Hitherto  the  society  in  London  had  occupied  the  old  Foundery  near 
Upper-Moorfields,  as  a  place  of  worship ;  but  were  now  making  prep- 
arations to  quit  it.  They  had  obtained  the  promise  of  a  lease  from 
the  city,  of  a  piece  of  ground  in  the  City-Road,  and  everything  being 
prepared,  the  day  was  fixed  for  laying  the  foundation  of  a  chapel. 
''The  rain,"  says  Mr.  Wesley,  "befriended  us  much,  by  keeping 
away  thousands  who  purposed  to  be  there.  But  there  were  still  such 
multitudes,  that  it  was  with  great  difficulty  I  got  through  them  to  lay 
the  first  stone.  Upon  this  was  a  plate  of  brass,  covered  with  another 
stone,  on  which  was  engraved,  'This  was  laid  by  John  Wesley,  on 
April  1,  1777.'  Probably  this  will  be  seen  no  more,  by  any  human 
eye;  but  will  remain  there,  till  the  earth  and  the  works  thereof  are 
burnt  up." 

By  the  end  of  October,  1778,  the  chapel  was  built,  and  ready  to  be 
opened.  "  November  1,"  says  Mr.  Wesley,  "  was  the  day  appointed 
for  opening  the  New  Chapel  in  the  City-Road.  It  is  perfectly  neat, 
but  not  fine ;  and  contains  far  more  than  the  Foundery :  I  believe, 
together  with  the  morning  chapel,  as  many  as  the  Tabernacle.  Many 
were  afraid,  that  the  multitudes  crowding  from  all  parts,  would  have 
occasioned  much  disturbance.  But  they  were  happily  disappointed; 
there  was  none  at  all :  all  was  quietness,  decency,  and  order.  I 
preached  on  part  of  Solomon's  prayer  at  the  dedication  of  the  Temple ; 
and  both  in  the  morning  and  afternoon,  God  was  eminently  present  in 
the  midst  of  the  congregation." 

Upon  the  opening  of  the  New  Chapel,  it  seems  Mr.  John  and  Charles 
Wesley  agreed,  that  one  of  them  should  fill  the  pulpit  as  often  as 
possible,  till  the  congregation  became  fixed  and  settled.  This  gave 
oflTence  to  the  lay-preachers,  who  thought  themselves  slighted,  and 
perhaps  justly.  They  therefore  obtained  a  promise  from  Mr.  John 
Wesley,  that  during  his  absence,  one  of  their  body  should  preach  in 
it  when  his  brother  could  not ;  which  subjected  the  other  clergymen 
to  their  authority.  Mr.  Charles,  who  always  wished  the  clergymen 
to  enjoy  a  pre-eminence  over  the  lay-preachers,  was  hurt  at  his 
brother's  concession  ;  and  on  Good-Friday,  1779,  wrote  to  him  as  fol- 
lows.   "  I  have  served  the  chapel  morning  and  evening,  and  met  the 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   JOHN  WESLEY. 


229 


society  every  other  week  since  you  left  us.  I  think  myself  bound  so 
to  do,  as  long  as  I  can ;  both  by  my  duty  as  a  clergyman,  and  by  our 
agreemeni  when  the  chapel  was  first  opened.  We  agreed  to  fill  the 
pulpit  there  as  often  as  we  could,  especially  at  the  beginning,  till  the 
congregation  was  settled.  Many  of  the  subscribers  you  know,  were 
not  of  our  society,  yet  of  the  church  :  out  of  good-will  to  them  and 
to  the  church,  not  out  of  ill-will  to  the  preachers,  I  wished  the 
church  service  continued  there. 

"I  am  sorry  you  yielded  to  the  preachers.  They  do  not  love  the 
Church  of  England.  What  must  be  the  consequence  when  we  are 
gone  ?  A  separation  is  inevitable.  Do  you  not  wish  to  keep  as  many 
good  people  in  the  church  as  you  can  ?  By  what  means  ?  What  can 
be  done  now?  Something  might  be  done  to  save  the  remainder,  if 
you  had  resolution,  and  would  stand  by  me  as  firmly  as  I  will  by 
you.  Consider  what  you  are  bound  to  as  a  clergyman ;  and  what  you 
do,  do  quickly. — You  did  not  expect  complaints  of  me  for  preaching 
too  often  !   I  cannot  long  stand  in  the  way  of  any."=^ 

It  is  easy  to  perceive,  that  Mr.  Charles  Wesley's  mind  was  con- 
stantly awake  to  everything  that  tended,  in  any  degree,  to  introduce 
innovations  into  the  original  plan  of  Methodism;  to  every  measure 
which  had  any  tendency  to  alter  the  relative  situation  of  the  societies 
to  the  established  church,  and  to  other  bodies  of  religious  professors 
in  the  nation,  and  to  form  them  into  a  separate  party.  His  whole  soul 
revolted  from  this,  and  he  used  all  his  influence  to  prevent  it. 

In  February  this  year,  Mr.  John  Wesley  observes,  "  Finding  many 
serious  persons  were  much  discouraged  by  prophets  of  evil,  confi- 
dently foretelling  very  heavy  calamities,  which  were  coming  upon 
our  nation ;  I  endeavored  to  lift  up  their  hands,  by  opening  and  ap- 
plying those  comfortable  words,  Psalm  xlii.  5,  6.  '  Why  art  thou  so 
heavy,  O  my  soul?  Why  art  thou  so  disquieted  within  me?  O  put 
thy  trust  in  God ;  for  I  will  yet  give  him  thanks,  who  is  the  help  of 
my  countenance  and  my  God.'  " — The  next  day  was  the  National 
Fast.  And  he  observes,  "  So  solemn  a  one  I  never  saw  before.  From 
one  end  of  the  city  to  the  other,  there  was  scarce  any  one  seen  in  the 
streets.  All  places  of  public  worship  were  crowded  in  an  uncommon 
degree ;  and  an  unusual  awe  sat  on  most  faces.  I  preached  on  the- 
words  of  God  to  Abraham,  interceding  for  Sodom,  '  I  will  not  destroy 
it  (the  city)  for  ten's  sake.'  " 

When  we  find  a  man  constantly  travelling  through  all  parts  of  the 
nation ;  holding  intercourse  with  immense  multitudes  of  people,  by 
means  of  the  pulpit  and  private  correspondence  ;  and  exerting  all  his- 
influence  on  every  occasion  of  public  distress  or  alarm,  to  soften  and: 
quiet  the  minds  of  the  people,  we  must  call  him  a  national  blessing. 
And  such  was  the  constant  practice  of  Mr.  Wesley  for  more  than  half, 

*  Taken  from  the  short-hand. 

VOL.  II.  20 


230 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   JOHN  WESLEY. 


a  century  !  Let  us  hope,  that  the  men  who  have  succeeded  him,  will 
follow  his  example. 

In  November.  Mr.  Wesley  observes,  "  My  brother  and  I  set  out  for 
Bath,  on  a  very  extraordinary  occasion.  Some  time  since,  Mr.  Smytli, 
a  clergyman  whose  labors  God  had  greatly  blessed  in  the  North  of 
Ireland,  brought  his  wife  over  to  Bath,  who  had  been  for  some  time 
in  a  declining  state  of  health.  I  desired  him  lo  preach  every  Sunday 
evening  in  our  chapel,  while  he  remained  there.  But  as  soon  as  I 
was  gone,  Mr.  M — ,  one  of  our  preachers,  vehemently  opposed  that ; 
affirming  it  was  the  common  cause  of  all  the  lay-preachers  :  that  they 
were  appointed  by  the  Conference,  not  by  me,  and  he  would  not  suf- 
fer the  clergy  to  ride  over  their  heads  ;  Mr.  Smyth  in  particular,  of 
whom  he  said  all  manner  of  evil.  Hence  the  society  was  torn  in 
pieces,  and  thrown  into  the  utmost  confusion." — I  am  sorry  to  confess 
on  this  occasion,  that  there  are  men  among  the  preachers,  of  a  most 
violent  ungovernable  spirit.  These,  if  they  find  it  necessary  for  any 
particular  purpose,  to  oppose  an  individual,  or  any  number  of  indi- 
viduals, of  character  and  influence  in  the  society,  use  every  method 
in  their  power,  both  in  the  pulpit  and  out,  to  make  him  appear  to  the 
people  as  bad  as  the  devil.  Invention  is  on  the  rack  to  put  the 
worst  construction  possible  on  everything  he  may  say  or  do.  Nay 
they  attribute  many  things  to  him,  the  very  thought  of  which  never 
entered  his  heart,  till  he  found  himself  accused  of  them.  This  line 
of  conduct  seems  to  have  been  taken  from  the  practice  of  the  Romisli 
priests,  who  represent  those  whom  they  choose  to  call  heretics,  as 
guilty  of  every  species  of  crime  imagination  can  invent :  and  the 
Jesuits  generally  accused  their  most  powerful  opponents  of  heresy. — 
The  Romish  clergy  call  their  heretics,  enemies  of  the  church  :  these 
preachers,  call  those  who  stand  in  the  way  of  their  own  schemes  of 
ambition  and  power,  enemies  of  the  work  of  God,  "  incarnate  devils," 
&>c.  and  from  an  affectation  of  charity  pray  for  them  in  a  way  that 
only  tends  to  inflame  the  minds  of  the  people  against  them,  by  mak- 
ing them  appear  more  guilty;  and  to  give  a  greater  display  of  their 
own  goodness,  by  pretending  a  concern  for  them,  and  for  the  interests 
of  the  people.  Thus  we  see,  these  men  imitate  their  great  exemplars 
in  these  kinds  of  contests,  with  wonderful  exactness.  Their  language 
indeed  differs,  but  the  governing  spirit  in  both  is  the  same  ;  and  in 
the  same  circumstances  would  produce  the  same  effects  !  It  is  natural 
for  the  unsuspecting  people  at  first,  to  believe  that  none  of  the  preach- 
ers would  bring  accusations  against  an  individual  (or  any  number  of 
individuals  associated  together)  merely  for  the  purpose  of  ruining  his 
reputation  with  the  society,  that  their  own  schemes  may  the  better 
succeed :  and  yet  this  was  undoubtedly  the  fact  in  the  case  before  us; 
and  I  wish  it  were  the  only  fact  of  the  kind  that  might  be  recorded. 
It  is  easy  for  these  men  to  bear  down  any  individual  for  a  long  time, 
as  he  has  generally  no  immediate  access  to  the  people,  to  prove  his 
own  innocence  ;  and  they  have  the  pulpit,  which  they  make  use  of  to 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


231 


keep  up  an  influence  against  him.  In  this  case  innocence  is  no  pro- 
tection against  universal  prejudice  and  reproach ;  and  the  best  friends 
to  the  connexion,  may  be  sacrificed  to  the  secret  machinations  of  a 
combination  of  a  few  preachers.  And  what  is  still  worse,  they  have 
no  redress,  since  the  death  of  Mr.  Wesley,  but  through  the  medium 
of  their  enemies;  and  every  one  will  easily  conjecture  how  this  must 
terminate.  The  reader  will  observe,  that  I  speak  only  of  a  few  of 
the  preachers  whose  conduct  is  so  very  reprehensible ;  yet  I  cannot 
help  blaming  the  rest  for  continuing  these  violent  men  in  the  connex- 
ion, and  more  especially  for  continuing  them  in  any  office  of  govern- 
ment in  the  societies,  as  it  brings  the  whole  body  of  the  preachers, 
however  innocent,  under  a  suspicion  of  favoring  such  unchristian 
proceedings;  which,  if  not  vigorously  opposed,  must  ruin  the  whole 
system,  and  bring  religion  itself  into  disgrace.  He,  therefore,  acts  the 
part  of  a  true  friend  to  Methodism,  who  resists  practices  so  destructive 
in  their  tendency,  and  who  endeavors  by  every  lawful  method  in  his 
power,  to  prevent  a  repetition  of  them:  who  shows  in  a  strong  light, 
that  men  capable  of  adopting  such  iniquitous  means  of  carrying  their 
schemes  into  effect,  are  not  fit  to  be  Methodist  preachers ;  and  that, 
it  becomes  the  indispensable  duty  of  the  rest  to  cut  off  a  hand,  a  foot, 
and  even  to  pluck  out  a  right  eye,  and  to  cast  them  away,  rather  than 
the  whole  body  should  perish. — I  shall  only  observe  further  on  this 
disagreeable  subject,  that  the  intelligent  reader,  who  is  acquainted 
with  the  internal  affairs  of  the  Methodists,  will  easily  recollect  instan- 
ces, wherein  the  truth  of  what  is  here  stated  has  been  fully  proved, 
and  amply  illustrated. 

It  seems  Mr.  M          considered  himself  as  asserting  the  rights  of 

Conference,  and  acting  for  the  benefit  of  the  whole  body  of  the  preach- 
ers, who  ought  therefore  to  make  it  a  common  cause.  Mr.  Charles  Wes- 
ley was  firmly  persuaded,  that  a  combination  of  preachers  against  his 

brother's  authority,  did  actually  exist;  and  that  Mr.  M  on  this 

occasion,  was  no  more  than  their  agent,  through  whom  they  meant  to 
try  their  strength.  How  this  might  be,  is  uncertain ;  but  Mr.  Wes- 
ley, at  first,  resisted  this  encroachment  on  his  power  with  great  firm- 
ness. "  I  read  to  the  society,"  says  he,  "  a  paper  which  I  wrote  near 
twenty  years  ago,  on  a  like  occasion.  Herein  I  observed,  that  the 
rules  of  our  preachers  were  fixed  by  me,  before  any  conference  existed, 
particularly  the  twelfth :  '  Above  all,  you  are  to  preach  when  and 

where  I  appoint.'    By  obstinately  opposing  this  rule,  Mr.  M  has 

made  all  this  uproar.    In  the  morning,  at  a  meeting  of  the  preachers, 

I  informed  Mr.  M  ,  that  as  he  did  not  agree  to  our  fundamental 

rule,  I  could  not  receive  him  as  one  of  our  preachers,  till  he  was  of 
another  mind.  I  read  the  same  paper  to  the  society  at  Bristol,  as  I 
found  the  flame  had  spread  thither  also.  A  few  at  Bath  separated 
from  us  on  this  account :  but  the  rest  were  thoroughly  satisfied." 

Mr.  M  ,  however,  did  not  fail  to  use  his  utmost  endeavors  to 

interest  the  other  preachers  in  his  cause  :  and  Mr.  Wesley  perceiving 


232 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   JOHN  WESLEY. 


that  some  of  the  old  itinerants  greatly  favored  him,  wrote  the  follow- 
ing letter  to  one  of  them,  which  I  suppose  is  a  copy  of  that  which  was 
sent  to  the  rest.    The  date  is  January,  1780. 
"  My  Dear  Brother, 

"  You  seem  to  me  not  to  have  well  considered  the  rules  of  an 
helper,  or  the  rise  of  Methodism.  It  pleased  God  by  me,  to  awaken 
first  my  brother,  and  then  a  few  others  ;  who  severally  desired  of  me, 
as  a  favor,  that  I  would  direct  them  in  all  things.  After  my  return 
from  Georgia,  many  were  both  awakened  and  converted  to  God. 
One,  and  another  and  another  of  these,  desired  to  join  with  me  as 
sons  in  the  gospel,  to  be  directed  by  me.  I  drew  up  a  few  plain 
rules  (observe,  there  was  no  conference  in  being!), and  permitted 
them  to  join  me  on  these  conditions.  Whoever  therefore  violates  these 
conditions,  particularly  that  of  being  directed  by  me  in  the  work,  does 

ipso  facto  disjoin  himself  from  me.    This  brother  M         has  done 

(but  he  cannot  see  that  he  has  done  amiss)  and  he  would  have  it  a 
common  cause ;  that  is,  he  would  have  all  the  preachers  do  the  same. 
He  thinks  '  they  have  a  right  so  to  do.'  So  they  have.  They  have 
a  right  to  disjoin  themselves  from  me,  whenever  they  please.  But 
they  cannot,  in  the  nature  of  the  thing  join  with  me,  any  longer  than 
they  are  directed  by  me.  And  what  if  the  present  preachers  disjoined 
themselves?  What  should  I  lose  thereby?  Only  a  great  deal  of 
labor  and  care,  which  I  do  not  seek,  but  endure ;  because  no  one  else 
either  can  or  will. 

"  You  seem  likewise  to  have  quite  a  wrong  idea  of  a  conference. 
For  above  six  years  after  my  return  to  England,  there  was  no  such 
thing.  I  then  desired  some  of  our  preachers  to  meet  me  ;  in  order  to 
advise,  not  to  control  me.  And  you  may  observe,  they  had  no  power 
at  all.  But  what  I  exercised  through  them.  I  chose  to  exercise  the 
power  which  God  had  given  me,  in  this  manner,  both  to  avoid  osten- 
tation, and  gently  to  habituate  the  people  to  obey  them,  when  I 
should  be  taken  from  their  head.  But  as  long  as  I  remain  with  them, 
the  fundamental  plan  of  Methodism  remains  inviolate  :  as  long  as 
any  preacher  joins  with  me,  he  is  to  be  directed  by  me  in  his  work. 

Do  not  you  see  then,  that  brother  M  ,  whatever  his  intentions 

might  be,  acted  as  wrong  as  wrong  could  be  ?  And  that  the  represent- 
ing of  this,  as  the  common  cause  of  the  preachers,  was  the  way  to 
common  destruction?  The  way  to  turn  all  their  heads,  and  to  set 
them  in  arms  ?  It  was  a  blow  at  the  very  root  of  Methodism.  I 
could  not  therefore  do  less  than  I  did.  It  was  the  very  least  that 
could  be  done,  for  fear  that  the  evil  should  spread. 

•'I  do  not  willingly  speak  of  these  things  at  all:  but  I  do  it  now 
out  of  necessity,  because  I  perceive  the  mind  of  you,  and  some  others, 
is  a  little  hurt  by  not  seeing  them  in  a  true  light. 

I  am. 

Your  affectionate  brother, 

J.  Wesley." 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  AVESLEY. 


233 


This  letter  had  not  all  the  effect  Mr.  Wesley  desired.  He  tells  us, 
that  he  had  written  the  paper  which  he  read  to  the  society  at  Bath 
and  Bristol,  twenty  years  before,  on  a  like  occasion.  But  he  soon 
found,  that  there  Avas  a  vast  difference  between  his  situation  at  that 
time,  and  the  present.  In  the  course  of  twenty  years,  the  preachers 
had  greatly  increased  in  number  and  influence ;  and  the  vigor  of  his 
mind,  to  resist  an  opposition  like  this,  was  greatly  diminished.  He 
seemed  sensible  of  this ;  for  as  the  Conference  drew  near  he  was  evi- 
dently intimidated,  and  wrote  to  his  brother  Charles  to  accompany 
him  to  Bristol,  where  it  was  to  be  held.  Mr.  Charles  had  carefully 
watched  all  tlie  proceedings  in  this  affair,  and  was  highly  displeased 
both  at  them,  and  at  his  brother's  timidity.  He  answered  as  follows ; 
"  My  reasons  against  accepting  your  invitation  to  the  Conference,  are, 
1.  I  can  do  no  good  :  2.  I  can  prevent  no  evil :  3.  I  am  afraid  of 
being  a  partaker  of  other  men's  sins,  or  of  countenancing  them  by  my 
presence.  4.  1  am  afraid  of  myself;  you  know  I  cannot  command 
my  temper,  and  you  have  not  courage  to  stand  by  me.  5.  I  cannot 
trust  your  resolution  :  unless  you  act  with  a  vigor  that  is  not  in  you, 
conclamatiim  est,  our  affairs  are  past  hope. 

"I  am  not  sure  they  will  not  prevail  upon  you  to  ordain  them, — 
You  claim  the  power,  and  only  say,  '  It  is  not  probable  you  shall 
ever  exercise  it.'  Probability  on  one  side,  implies  probability  on  the 
other;  and  I  want  better  security.  So  I  am  to  stand  by,  and  see  the 
ruin  of  our  cause  !  You  know  how  far  you  may  depend  on  me  ;  let 
me  know  how  far  I  may  depend  on  you,  and  on  our  preachers.  In 
the  Bath  affair  you  acted  with  vigor  for  the  first  time;  but  you  coyld 
not  hold  out.  Unmindful  of  your  power  and  your  infirmity,  yoa 
yielded  to  the  rebel,  instead  of  his  yielding  to  you.  You  should  not 
have  employed  him  again,  till  he  had  owned  his  fault.  This  quite 
overturned  my  confidence  in  you,  which  I  should  never  have  told  you 
had  I  not  been  compelled. — If  you  think  my  advice  can  be  of  any  use 
to  you,  I  will  attend  you  to  Bristol,  and  be  always  within  call,"  &c. 

Mr.  Charles  accordingly  attended  his  brother  to  Bristol,  and  was 
present  at  the  Conference :  but  exceedingly  dissatisfied  with  his 
brother's  total  want  of  courage  on  the  occasion.  About  a  fortnight 
after,  he  sent  him  the  following  letter.  "  I  did  not  hope  by  my  pres- 
ence at  the  Conference,  to  do  any  good,  or  prevent  any  evil.  So  I 
told  you  in  London.  Yet  I  accepted  your  invitation,  only  because 
you  desired  it.  And  as  I  came  merely  to  please  you,  I  resolved  not 
to  contradict  your  will  in  any  thing.    Your  will,  I  perceived,  was  to 

receive  Mr.  M  ,  unhumbled,  unconvinced,  into  your  confidence, 

and  into  your  bosom.  He  came  uninvited,  and  openly  accused  your 
curate  for  obeying  your  orders :  you  suffered  it ;  and  did  not  give  Mr. 

M  the  gentlest  reproof  for  disobeying  them,  and  drawing  others 

into  his  rebellion  ;  and  endeavoring  to  engage  all  the  preachers  in  it ; 
making  an  actual  separation  at  Bath,  and  still  keeping  up  his  sepa- 

voL.  II.  20*  30 


234 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   JOHN  WESLEY. 


rate  society.    My  judgment  was,  never  to  receive  Mr.  M  as  a 

preacher,  till  he  acknowledged  his  fault.  But  I  submitted  and  attended 
in  silence.  I  was  much  easier  for  me  to  say  nothing,  than  to  speak 
neither  more  nor  less  than  you  would  approve.  I  was  sometimes 
strongly  tempted  to  speak ;  but  if  I  had  opened  my  mouth  I  should 
have  spoiled  all. — Your  design,  I  believed,  was  to  keep  all  quiet — I 
allow  you  your  merit — Tu  Maximus  ille  es, 

U?ms  qui  nobis  cedendo  restituis  rem.* 

''By  a  very  few  words  I  could  have  provoked  your  preachers  to 
lay  beside  the  mask ;  but  that  was  the  very  thing  you  guarded  against; 
and,  I  suppose,  the  reason  for  which  you  desired  my  presence,  that  I 
might  be  some  sort  of  check  to  the  independents.  Still  I  think  it  bet- 
ter for  the  people,  that  they  (the  preachers)  should  show  themselves 
before  your  death,  than  after  it.  You  think  otherwise  ;  and  I  submit. 
Satis,  jam  satis  spectata  in  te  amicitia.  est  mea  :-\  and  I  am  perfectly 
satisfied  with  my  own  insignificancy.  I  have  but  one  thing  to  do  ; 
the  Lord  make  me  ready  for  it." 

Here  we  see  the  preachers  prevailed,  and  Mr.  Wesley  gave  way  : 
and  from  this  Conference  to  the  time  of  his  death,  I  believe  his  au- 
thority was  gradually  on  the  decline.  Mr.  Wesley  knew  how  to  yield, 
and  preserve  an  appearance  of  authority,  in  cases  where  he  saw 
resistance  would  be  useless,  or  productive  of  confusion.    He  observes 

in  his  letter  to  the  preachers,  that  Mr.  M  's  proposition,  which 

tended  to  deprive  him  of  a  portion  of  his  power,  was,  "  a  blow  at 
the  root  of  Methodism."  He  must  mean,  at  the  root  of  discipline,  or 
the  economy  established  by  his  authority  among  the  preachers  and 
people.  This  was  true.  The  discipline,  and  his  power,  grew  up 
together ;  they  mutually  supported  each  other,  and  the  one  was  the 
natural  guardian  of  the  other.  What  wonder  then,  that,  a  breach 
being  now  made  in  his  power,  the  discipline  should  soon  after  be  over- 
run with  innovations?  When  the  fence  is  broken  down,  the  garden 
is  trodden  under  foot,  and  soon  overspread  with  weeds. 

In  the  beginning  of  this  year,  a  great  clamor  Avas  raised  against 
the  bill  passed  in  favor  of  the  Roman  Catholics.  A  Protestant  Asso- 
ciation was  formed  to  obtain  a  repeal  of  it,  and  in  the  end  much 
mischief  was  done:  not  without  suspicion,  however,  that  the  outra- 
ges which  followed,  were  greatly  promoted  and  increased  by  Papists, 
and  by  others  in  disguise.    The  one  party  wished  to  disgrace  the 

*  This  line  is  a  parody  on  a  line  of  old  Ennius,  quoted  by  Cicero  in  his  Cato  Major, 
Unis  qui  nobis  cunctando  restituit  rem.  The  words  allude  to  Q.  Fabius  Maximus,  who,  when 
Hannibal  invaded  Italy,  was  made  Dictator,  and  by  marches  and  counter-marches  delay- 
ing a  battle,  saved  Eome  ;  and  hence  was  called,  the  Cunctator,  or  Delayer.  Mr.  Charles 
has  changed  cunctando  for  cedendo,  '  by  yielding  or  giving  up/  and  put  the  verb  in  the 
second  person  singular,  to  apply  the  words  in  a  satirical  manner  to  his  brother — "  You  are 
-  that  Maximus,  who  alone  restores  our  affairs  by  giving  them  up." 

f  "  My  friendship  for  you,  has  now  been  very  sufficiently  proved." 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


235 


Association,  the  other,  the  ministry.  But  before  these  things  hap- 
pened, a  pamphlet  was  written  in  defence  of  the  object  the  Associa- 
tion had  in  view;  and  an  answer  to  it  soon  appeared.  These  pamph- 
lets were  put  into  Mr.  Wesley's  hands ;  and  having  read  them,  he 
wrote  a  letter  on  the  subject,  dated  January  21,  which  he  sent  to  the 
printer  of  the  Public  Advertiser.  In  this  letter,  after  premising  that 
persecution  had  nothing  to  do  with  the  matter,  and  that  he  wished  no 
man  to  be  persecuted  for  his  religious  principles;  he  lays  down  this 
general  proposition,  "That  no  Roman  Catholic  does  or  can  give  secu- 
rity to  a  Protestant  Government,  for  his  allegiance  and  peaceable 
behavior."  He  rested  the  proof  of  this  proposition  on  the  following 
arguments,  any  one  of  which,  if  good,  is  proof  sufficent,  if  the  others 
should  not  apply. 

"1.  It  is  a  Roman  Catholic  maxim,  established  not  by  private 
men,  but  by  a  public  council,  that,  'No  faith  is  to  be  kept  with  here- 
tics.' This  has  been  openly  avowed  by  the  Council  of  Constance; 
but  it  never  was  openly  disclaimed.  Whether  private  persons  avow 
or  disavow  it,  it  is  a  fixed  maxim  of  the  Church  of  Rome. 

"  2.  One  branch  of  the  spiritual  power  of  the  pope,  is,  and  has 
been  for  ages,  the  power  of  granting  pardons  for  all  sins  past,  present, 
and  to  come  !  But  those  who  acknowledge  him  to  have  this  spiritual 
power,  can  give  no  security  for  their  allegiance,  &c. 

"3.  The  power  of  dispensing  v/ith  any  promise,  oath,  or  vow,  is 
another  branch  of  the  spiritual  power  of  the  pope.  And  all  who 
acknowledge  his  spiritual  power,  must  acknowledge  this:  but  who- 
ever acknowledges  this  dispensing  power  of  the  pope,  cannot  give 
security  for  his  allegiance  to  any  government — Nay,  not  only  the 
pope,  but  even  a  priest  has  power  to  pardon  sins !  This  is  an  essen- 
tial doctrine  of  the  Church  of  Rome.  But  they  who  aclmowledge 
this  cannot  possibly  give  any  security  for  their  allegiance  to  any  gov- 
ernment. 

"Setting  then  religion  aside,  it  is  plain,  that  upon  principles  of 
reason,  no  government  ought  to  tolerate  men,  who  cannot  give  any 
security  to  that  government  for  their  allegiance  and  peaceable  be- 
havior. But  this  no  Romanist  can  do,  not  only  while  he  holds  that 
'  No  faith  is  to  be  kept  with  heretics,'  but  so  long  as  he  acknowledges 
either  priestly-absolution,  or  the  spiritual  power  of  the  pope." 

The  letter,  from  which  the  above  is  only  an  abstract,  raised  several 
adversaries.  But  Mr.  O'Leary,  a  Capuchin  friar,  in  Dublin,  having 
seen  the  letter  in  the  Freeman's  Journal,  soon  became  the  most  con- 
spicuous of  Mr.  Wesley's  opponents.  He  published  Remarks  upon 
the  letter,  in  the  same  Journal ;  to  which  Mr.  Wesley  replied.  Mr. 
O'Leary  continued  his  Remarks  in  five  succeeding  Journals;  and  Mr. 
Wesley  published  a  second  reply.  The  Remarks  "were  afterwards 
reprinted  together  in  London,  with  the  following  title,  "  Mr.  O'Leary 's 
Remarks  on  the  Rev.  Mr.  Wesley's  Letters  in  defence  of  the  Protes- 


236 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


tant  Associations  in  England,  to  which  are  prefixed  Mr.  Wesley's 
Letters." 

We  have  here  a  most  striking  sample  of  Mr.  O'Leary's  disingenii- 
ity  and  artifice:  if  Jie  gave  this  title  to  the  pamphlet.  For,  1.  Mr. 
Wesley  had  not  written  one  line  in  defence  of  the  Protestant  Associ- 
ations :  and,  2.  Mr.  Wesley's  two  replies  published  in  the  Freeman's 
Journal,  were  suppressed,  and  a  spurious  letter  palmed  on  the  public, 
as  genuine,  which  Mr.  Wesley  declared  he  had  never  seen,  before  he 
saw  it  in  Mr.  O'Leary's  pamphlet. 

Mr.  Wesley's  second  reply  to  Mr.  O'Leary,  contains  the  strength  of 
his  cause;  and  with  what  has  before  been  said,  will  give  the  reader 
a  full  view  of  the  subject:  I  sliall  therefore  insert  the  substance  of  it. 

"To  the  Editors  of  the  Freeman's  Journal. 
"  Gentlemen, 

"  Some  time  ago,  in  a  letter  published  at  London,  I  observed, 
'  Roman  Catholics  cannot  give  those  whom  they  account  heretics,  any 
sufiicient  security  for  their  peaceable  behavior !  1.  Because  it  has 
been  publicly  avowed  in  one  of  their  General  Councils,  and  never 
publicly  disclaimed,  that  faith  is  not  to  be  kept  with  heretics.  2.  Be- 
cause they  hold  the  doctrine  of  priestly  absolution :  and  3.  The  doc- 
trine of  papal  pardons  and  dispensations.' 

"Mr.  O'Leary  has  published  Remarks  on  this  letter:  nine  parts  in 
ten  of  which  are  quite  wide  of  the  mark.  Not  that  they  are  wide 
of  his  mark,  which  is  to  introduce  a  plausible  panegyric  upon  the 
Roman  Catholics,  mixt  with  keen  invectives  against  the  Protestants; 
whether  true  or  false  it  matters  not.  All  this  is  admirably  well  cal- 
culated to  inspire  the  reader  with  aversion  to  these  heretics,  and  to 
bring  them  back  to  the  holy,  harmless,  much  injured  Church  of 
Rome!  And  I  should  not  v/onder,  if  these  six  papers  should  make 
six  thousand  converts  to  her.  Close  arguing  he  does  not  attempt,  but 
he  vapors,  and  skips  to  and  fro,  and  rambles  to  all  points  of  the  com- 
pass in  a  very  lively  and  entertaining  manner. 

"  ^ly  argument  was,  the  Council  of  Constance  has  openly  avowed 
violation  of  faith  with  heretics.  But  it  has  never  been  openly  dis- 
claimed. Therefore  those  who  receive  this  Council,  cannot  be  trusted, 
by  those  whom  they  account  heretics — This  is  my  immediate  conclu- 
sion.   And  if  the  premises  be  admitted,  it  will  infallibly  follow, 

"On  this  Mr.  O'Leary  says,  '  A  Council  so  often  quoted  challenges 
peculiar  attention.  We  shall  examine  it  with  all  possible  precision 
and  impartially.  At  a  time  v/hen  the  broachers  of  a  new  doctrine' — 
as  new  as  the  Bible — '  were  kindling  the  fire  of  sedition,  and  shaking 
the  foundation  of  thrones  and  kingdoms' — big  words,  but  entirely 
void  of  truth — 'was  held  the  Council  of  Constance.  To  this  was 
cited  John  Huss,  famous  for  propagating  errors  tending  to  wrest  the 
sceptre  from  the  hand  of  kings.' — Equally  true — '  He  was  obnoxious 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


237 


to  the  Church  and  State.' — To  the  Church  of  Rome :  not  to  the  State 
in  any  degree. — '  Huss  strikes  at  the  root  of  all  temporal  power  and 
civil  authority.  He  boldly  asserts,  that  all  princes,  magistrates,  &c. 
in  the  state  of  mortal  sin,  are  deprived,  ipso  facto,  of  all  power  and 
jurisdiction.  And  by  broaching  these  doctrines,  he  makes  Bohemia 
a  theatre  of  intestine  war.  See  the  Acts  of  the  Council  of  Constance 
in  L' Abbe's  collection  of  Councils' — I  have  seen  them,  and  can  find 
nothing  of  this  therein.    But  more  of  this  by  and  by. 

'  He  gave  notice  that  he  would  stand  his  trial.  But  he  attempted 
to  escape' — No,  never,  this  is  pure  invention.  '  He  was  arrested  at 
Constance,  and  confined.  His  friends  plead  his  safe-conduct.  The 
Council  then  declared.  No  safe-conduct  granted  by  the  Emperor,  or  any 
other  Princes,  to  Heretics,  onght  to  hinder  them  from  being  punished 
as  justice  shall  require.  And  the  person  who  has  promised  them 
security,  shall  not  be  obliged  to  keep  his  promise,  by  whatever  tie 

HE  MAY  BE  ENGAGED.' 

•'And  did  the  Council  of  Constance  declare  this?  Yes,  says  Mr. 
O'Leary.  I  desire  no  more.  But  before  I  argue  upon  the  point,  per- 
mit me  to  give  a  little  fuller  account  of  the  whole  affair. 

"  The  Council  of  Constance  was  called  by  the  Emperor  Sigismund 
and  Pope  John  the  23d,  in  the  year  1414.  Before  it  began,  the  Em- 
peror sent  some  Bohemian  gentlemen,  to  conduct  John  Huss  to  Con- 
stance, solemnly  promising,  that  he  '  should  come  and  return  freely, 
without  fraud  or  corruption.' 

But  before  he  left  Prague,  he  waited  on  the  Bishop  of  Nazareth, 
Papal  Inquisitor  for  that  city  and  diocese,  who,  in  the  presence  of 
many  witnesses,  gave  him  the  following  testimonial — '  We,  Nicholas 
— do  by  these  presents,  make  known  to  all  men,  that  we  have  often 
talked  with  that  honorable  man,  Master  John  Huss,  and  in  all  his 
sayings,  doings,  and  behavior,  have  proved  him  to  be  a  faithful  man ; 
finding  no  manner  of  evil,  sinister,  or  erroneous  doings  in  him,  unto 
the  present.    Prague,  August  30,  1414.' 

"  This  was  attested  by  the  hand  and  seal  of  the  public  notary, 
named  Michael  Pruthatietz — After  this,  Conrade,  Archbishop  of 
Prague,  declared  before  all  the  Barons  of  Bohemia,  that  '  He  knew 
not  that  John  Huss  was  culpable  or  faulty,  in  any  crime  or  offence 
whatever' — So  neither  the  Inquisitor,  nor  the  Archbishop,  knew  any 
thing  of  '  his  making  Bohemia  a  theatre  of  intestine  war.' 

"In  the  seventeenth  session,  the  sentence  and  condemnation  of 
John  Huss,  was  read  and  published.  The  Emperor  then  commanded 
the  Duke  of  Bavaria  to  deliver  him  to  the  executioner ;  for  which 
glorious  exploit,  he  was  thus  addressed  by  the  Bishop  of  Landy,  in 
the  name  of  the  Council :  '  This  most  holy,  and  goodly  labor,  was 
I  reserved  only  for  thee,  O  most  noble  Prince  !  Upon  thee  only  doth 
it  lie,  to  whom  the  whole  rule  and  ministration  of  justice  is  given. 
Wherefore  thou  hast  established  thy  praise  and  renown :  even  by  the 


238 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


mouths  of  babes  and  sucklings  thy  praise  shall  be  celebrated  for  ever- 
more ! ' 

"From  the  whole  of  this  transaction  we  may  observe,  1.  That 
John  Huss  was  guilty  of  no  crime,  either  in  word  or  action ;  even 
his  enemies,  the  Archbishop  of  Prague,  and  the  Papal  Inquisitor 
being  judges.  2.  That  his  real  fault,  and  his  only  one,  was  opposing 
the  Papal  usurpations.  3.  That  this  most  noble  prince,  was  a  bigot- 
ed, cruel,  perfidous  murderer;  and  that  the  fathers  of  the  Council 
deserve  the  same  praise,  seeing  they  urged  him  to  embrue  his  hands 
in  innocent  blood,  in  violation  of  the  public  faith,  and  extolled  him 
to  the  skies  for  so  doing :  and  seeing  they  have  laid  it  down  as  a 
maxim  that  the  most  solemn  promise  made  to  a  heretic  may  be  broken. 

"  'But,'  says  Mr.  O'Leary,  '  this  regards  the  peculiar  case  of  safe- 
conducts  granted  by  princes  to  heretics' — But  what  then?  If  the 
public  faith  with  heretics  may  be  violated  in  one  instance,  it  may  be 
in  a  thousand — '  But  can  the  rule  be  extended  further?' — It  may;  it 
must ;  we  cannot  tell  where  to  stop.  Away  then  with  your  witti- 
cisms on  so  awful  a  subject.  What !  do  you  sport  with  human  blood  ? 
I  take  burning  men  alive  to  be  a  very  serious  thing.  I  pray  spare 
your  jests  on  the  occasion. — Again,  •  What  more  absurd  than  to  insist 
on  a  general  council's  disclaiming  a  doctrine  they  never  taught' — 
They  did  teach  it :  and  that  not  by  the  bye,  not  incidentally ;  but 
they  laid  it  down  as  a  stated  rule  of  action,  dictated  by  the  Holy 
Ghost — and  demonstrated  their  sincerity  therein  by  burning  a  man 
alive.  And  this  Mr.  O'Leary  humorously  compares  to  roasting  a 
piece  of  beef !  With  equal  tenderness,  I  suppose,  he  would  compare 
the  '  singeing  the  beards  of  heretics ! '  that  is  thrusting  a  burning 
furze-brush  in  their  face,  to  the  singeing  a  fowl  before  it  is  roasted. — 
Now,  what  security  can  any  Romanist  give  a  Protestant  till  this  doc- 
trine is  publicly  abjured?  If  Mr.  O'Leary  has  any  thing  more  to 
plead  for  this  council,  I  shall  follow  him  step  by  step.  But  let  him 
keep  his  word,  and  '  give  a  serious  answer  to  a  serious  charge.' — 
Drollery  may  come  in.  when  we  are  talking  of  roasting  fowls,  but  not 
when  we  talk  of  'roasting  men.' 

"Would  I  then  wish  the  Roman  Catholics  to  be  persecuted?  I 
never  said  or  hinted  any  such  thing.  I  abhor  the  thought :  it  is  for- 
eign to  all  I  have  preached  and  written  for  these  fifty  years.  But  I 
would  wish  the  Romanists  in  England  (I  had  no  others  in  view)  to  be 
treated  still  with  the  same  lenity  that  they  have  been  these  sixty 
years :  to  be  allowed  both  civil  and  religious  liberty,  but  not  permit- 
ted to  undermine  ours.  I  wish  them  to  stand  just  as  they  did,  before 
the  late  Act  was  passed :  not  to  be  persecuted,  or  hurt  themselves ; 
but  gently  restrained  from  hurting  their  neighbors. 

I  am,  gentlemen. 

Your  obedient  servant, 
Chester,  March  31,  1780.  John  Wesley. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


239 


Notwithstanding  the  high  praises  bestowed  by  some  persons  on  Mr. 
O'Leary,  at  the  tirne  of  this  controversy,  the  impartial  reader  will 
easily  observe,  that  Mr.  Wesley  had  greatly  the  advantage  in  point 
of  argument.  Mr.  O'Leary,  to  all  intents  and  purposes,  allows  the 
charge  Mr.  Wesley  brought  against  the  Council  of  Constance;  and 
yet  afterwards  affects  to  deny  it.  Mr.  Berrington  wrote  to  Mr.  Wes- 
ley in  defence  of  the  same  Council ;  and  in  a  private  letter*  observes, 
"There  never  was  a  decision  made  at  Constance  tending  to  show, 
that,  no  faith  is  to  be  kept  with  heretics.  The  words  of  the  canon 
are  not  susceptible  of  such  a  comment,  unless  tortured  to  it.  At  all 
events  no  council,  pope,  bishop,  priest,  or  layman  of  our  church, 
ever  understood  them  in  the  sense  of  your  interpretation — But  every 
Catholic  divine  has  at  all  times,  in  writing  on  the  subject,  utterly 
reprobated  the  idea  of  breaking  faith  with  heretics,  as  contrary  to  every 
dictate  of  reason  and  religion." — These,  undoubtedly,  are  very  extra- 
ordinary assertions,  but  there  is  no  proof.  With  regard  to  the  Council 
of  Constance,  if  the  words  of  the  canon  are  indeed  ambiguous, 
which  some  persons  do  not  think,  yet,  the  burning  a  man  alive,  in 
open  violation  of  the  public  faith,  was  certainly  a  very  plain  comment 
upon  them,  which  can  hardly  leave  a  doubt  behind.  But  what  shall 
we  say  to  the  words  that  follow,  "  Every  Catholic  divine  has  at  all 
times  utterly  reprobated  the  idea  of  breaking  faith  with  heretics."  I 
do  not  know  that  Mr.  Wesley  answered  this  letter,  for  there  would 
be  no  end  of  answering  groundless  assertions.  The  modern  rulers 
of  the  Church  of  Rome  in  Catholic  countries,  speak  on  this  subject 
in  a  strain  very  different  from  that  of  Mr.  Berrington.  In  1768,  an 
oath  of  allegiance  was  in  contemplation  for  Roman  Catholics  of  Ire- 
land, which,  for  the  better  security  of  government,  contained  a  dec- 
laration of  abhorrence  and  detestation  of  the  doctrines,  "  That  faith  is 
not  to  be  kept  with  heretics,  and  that  princes  deprived  by  the  pope, 
may  be  deposed  or  murdered  by  their  subjects."  The  pope's  legate 
at  Brussels,  Ghilini,  Archbishop  of  Rhodes,  had  then  the  superinten- 
dence of  the  Romish  Church  in  Ireland.  He  wrote  on  this  subject, 
to  the /i7wZar  Archbishop  of  Dublin,  and  in  his  letter,  treats  the  above 
clauses  proposed  in  the  oath,  as  absolutely  intolerable.  "  Because," 
says  he,  "those  doctrines  are  defended^  and  contended  for,  by  most 
Catholic  nations,  and  the  Holy  See  has  frequently  followed  them  in 
practice."  On  the  whole  he  decides,  "That,  as  the  oath  is  in  its 
whole  extent  unlawful,  so  in  its  nature  it  is  invalid,  null,  and  of  no 
effect,  so  that  it  can  by  no  means  bind  and  oblige  consciences."  This 
letter  was  published  by  Thomas  de  Burgo  (Burke,)  titular  Bishop  of 
Ossory,  and  public  historiographer  to  the  Dominican  order  in  Ireland, 
in  his  appendix  to  his  Hibernia  Dominicana,  printed  in  1772 ;  together 
with  three  similar  ones  to  the  other  three  titular  metropolitans,  and 
styled  by  the  Bishop,  Literce  vere  aurece  cedroque  dignce.'f 


*I  believe  it  was  never  published. 

f  See  Erskine's  Sketches  and  Hints  of  Church  History,  p.  131. 


240 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


That  similar  decisions  on  the  validity  of  oaths  detrimental  to  the 
interests  of  the  Holy  See,  were  uniformly  made  by  successive  popes, 
whenever  the  affairs  of  the  church  required  them,  is  well  known.  I 
intended  to  have  brought  forward  a  few  of  them,  but  it  is  unneces- 
sary. What  has  been  said  fully  proves  the  charge  Mr.  Wesley 
brought — "It  is  a  maxim  of  the  Church  of  Rome  that  faith  is  not  to 
be  kept  with  heretics."  It  has  been  taught  again  and  again,  by  the 
first  authority  in  this  church,  that  the  Roman  Catholics  are  not  bound 
to  any  engagements  made  with  heretics,  though  confirmed  by  the 
most  solemn  oath  that  can  possibly  be  framed,  when  the  good  of  the 
church  requires  they  should  break  it.  This  was  not  only  an  ancient 
doctrine  of  the  church  in  the  times  of  great  ignorance ;  but  we  have 
already  seen  that  the  modern  rulers  of  it  maintain  the  same  doctrine 
and  contend  for  it.  And  what  wonder?  when  we  consider,  1.  That 
the  old  spirit  of  Popery  is  still  kept  up,  by  the  practice  of  the  pope, 
to  the  present  time :  once  every  year,  on  Maundy-Thursday,  he 
excommunicates  all  heretics  in  the  most  awful  and  terrific  manner: 
and  thus  keeps  up  a  constant  spirit  of  hatred  in  the  minds  of  Catho- 
lics against  the  Protestants.  And,  2.  That  the  Romish  bishops  take 
an  oath  at  their  consecration,  totally  inimical  to  every  Protestant 
government,  and  which  binds  them  to  use  every  method  in  their 
power  to  subvert  it ;  the  following  is  a  part  of  the  oath  :  "  The  Roman 
Papacy,  and  the  royalties  of  St.  Peter,  I  will,  saving  my  own  order, 
assist  them  (the  pope  and  his  successors)  to  retain  and  defend  against 
every  man.  The  rights,  honors,  privileges,  and  authority  of  the  holy 
Roman  Church,  and  of  our  lord  the  pope,  and  his  successors  afore- 
said, I  will  be  careful  to  preserve,  defend,  enlarge,  and  promote.  All 
heretics,  schismatics,  and  rebels  against  our  said  lord,  I  will,  to  the 
utmost  of  my  power,  persecute  {perseqvar)  and  oppose,  and  never 
lay  down  my  weapons  till  they  are  utterly  brought  under  and  rooted 
out" — the  word  })ersequar^  is  ambiguous,  but  Dr.  William  Hales,  of 
Trinity  College,  Dublin,  in  his  Survey  of  the  modern  state  of  the 
Church  of  Rome,  has  proved,  that  the  clause,  hereticos  pro  posse 
persequar^  et  expvgnaho^  is  an  obligation  to  persecute  heretics,  and 
oppose  them  with  temporal  weapons ;  and  that  this  appears  the  sense 
of  the  Church  of  R.ome,  both  from  her  decrees  and  practice,  and  even 
from  late  instances  of  persecuting  zeal  in  the  Spanish  and  Portuguese 
inquisition. 

In  the  course  of  this  year,  some  persons  in  America,  attached  to 
the  doctrines,  and  to  the  ritual  of  the  Church  of  England,  wrote  to 
Mr.  Wesley,  requesting  that  he  would  get  a  young  man  ordained  for 
them,  by  one  of  the  bishops  in  this  country.  They  did  not  apply  to 
the  Society  for  Propagating  Christian  Knowledge  in  Foreign  Parts, 
because  they  did  not  want  pecuniary  assistance  from  that  fund.  Mr. 
Wesley  wrote  to  Dr.  Lowth,  Bishop  of  London,  begging  the  favor 

♦  Erskine's  Sketches,  pages  133  and  228. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


241 


that  he  would  ordain  a  pious  young  man  for  them.  The  bishop 
refused ;  and  August  10,  Mr.  Wesley  sent  him  the  following  letter. 

"  My  Lord, 

"Some  time  since  I  received  your  lordship's  favor,  for  which  I 
return  your  lordship  my  sincere  thanks.  Those  persons  did  not  apply 
to  the  society:  because  they  had  nothing  to  ask  of  them.  They 
wanted  no  salary  for  their  minister:  they  were  themselves  able  and 
willing  to  maintain  him.  They  therefore  applied,  by  me,  to  your 
lordship,  as  members  of  the  Church  of  England,  and  desirous  so  to 
continue,  begging  the  favor  of  your  lordship,  after  your  lordship  had 
examined  him,  to  ordain  a  pious  man  who  might  officiate  as  their 
minister. 

"But  your  lordship  observes,  'There  are  three  ministers  in  that 
country  already?'  True,  my  lord  :  but  what  are  three,  to  watch  over 
all  the  souls  in  that  extensive  country? — Will  your  lordship  permit 
me  to  speak  freely?  I  dare  not  do  otherwise.  I  am  on  the  verge  of 
the  grave,  and  know  not  the  hour  when  I  shall  drop  into  it.  Sup- 
pose there  were  threescore  of  those  missionaries  in  the  country,  could 
I  in  conscience  recommend  these  souls  to  their  care?  Do  they  take 
any  care  of  their  own  souls?  If  they  do  (I  speak  it  with  concern)  I 
fear  they  are  almost  the  only  missionaries  in  America  that  do.  My 
lord,  I  do  not  speak  rashly :  I  have  been  in  America ;  and  so  have 
several  with  whom  I  have  lately  conversed.  And  both  I  and  they 
know,  what  manner  of  men  the  far  greater  part  of  these  are.  They 
are  men  who  have  neither  the  power  of  religion  nor  the  form ;  men 
that  lay  no  claim  to  piety,  nor  even  decency. 

"Give  me  leave,  my  lord,  to  speak  more  freely  still:  perhaps  it  is 
the  last  time  I  shall  trouble  your  lordship.  I  know  your  lordship^s 
abilities  and  extensive  learning:  I  believe,  what  is  far  more,  that 
your  lordship  fears  God.  I  have  heard  that  your  lordship  is  unfash- 
ionably  diligent  in  examining  the  candidates  for  holy  orders :  yea, 
that  your  lordship  is  generally  at  the  pains  of  examining  them  your- 
self. Examining  them!  in  what  respects?  Why  whether  they 
understand  a  little  Latin  and  Greek;  and  can  answer  a  few  trite 
questions  in  the  science  of  Divinity  !  Alas,  how  little  does  this  avail  ?. 
Does  your  lordship  examine,  whether  they  serve  Christ  or  Belial?' 
Whether  they  love  God  or  the  world?  Whether  they  ever  had  any 
serious  thoughts  about  heaven  or  hell?  Whether  they  have  any  real; 
desire  to  save  their  own  souls,  or  the  souls  of  others?  If  not,  what 
have  they  to  do  with  holy  orders?  and  what  will  become  of  the 
souls  committed  to  their  care  ? 

"  My  lord,  I  do  by  no  means  despise  learning :  I  know  the  value 
of  it  too  well.  But  what  is  this,  particularly  in  a  christian  minister, 
compared  to  piety  ?  What  is  it  in  a  man  that  has  no  religion  ?  *  As 
a  jewel  in  a  swine's  snout.' 

"Some  time  since  I  recommended  to  your,  lordship  a  plain  man^ 

VOL.  IL  21  3J 


242 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


whom  I  had  known  above  twenty  years ;  as  a  person  of  deep,  genu- 
ine piety,  and  of  unblamable  conversation.  But  he  neither  under- 
stood Greek,  nor  Latin :  and  he  affirmed,  in  so  many  words,  that, 
'  He  believed  it  was  his  duty  to  preach,  whether  he  was  ordained  or 
no.'  I  believe  so  too.  What  became  of  him  since,  I  know  not.  But 
I  suppose  he  received  Presbyterian  ordination :  and  I  cannot  blame 
him  if  he  did.    He  might  think  any  ordination  better  than  none. 

''I  do  not  know,  that  Mr.  Hoskins  had  any  favor  to  ask  of  the 
society.  He  asked  the  favor  of  your  lordship  to  ordain  him,  that  he 
might  minister  to  a  little  flock  in  America.  Bat  your  lordship  did 
not  see  good  to  ordain  him :  but  your  lordship  did  see  good  to  ordain 
and  send  into  America,  other  persons,  who  knew  something  of  Greek 
and  Latin;  but  knew  no  more  of  saving  souls,  than  of  catching 
whales. 

''In  this  respect  also,  I  mourn  for  poor  America:  for  the  sheep 
scattered  up  and  down  therein.  Part  of  them  have  no  shepherds  at 
all :  particularly  in  the  northern  colonies ;  and  the  case  of  the  rest  is 
little  better,  for  their  own  shepherds  pity  them  not.  They  cannot,  for 
they  have  no  pity  on  themselves.  They  take  no  thought  or  care 
about  their  own  souls. 

"  Wishing  your  lordship  every  blessing  from  the  Great  Shepherd 
and  Bishop  of  our  souls, 

I  remain,  my  lord. 
Your  lorship's  dutiful  son  and  servant, 

John  Wesley." 

In  the  midst  of  the  multiplicity  of  affairs  in  which  Mr.  Wesley 
was  concerned,  he  constantly  paid  attention  to  the  spiritual  welfare, 
not  only  of  the  members  of  his  own  society,  but  of  those  persons 
with  whom  he  occasionally  corresponded.  The  following  is  an 
instance  of  this  kind  attention  and  brotherly  care.  Sir  Harry  Tre- 
lawney  had  been  a  Calvinist,  and  during  this  period,  had,  I  suppose 
been  shy  of  Mr.  Wesley's  acquaintance.  At  length  being  convinced, 
that,  the  narrow,  limited  views  of  John  Calvin,  concerning  the  atone- 
ment of  Christ,  were  not  agreeable  to  the  general  tenor  of  the  invita- 
tions, promises,  and  threatenings  of  the  New  Testament,  he  quitted 
them,  and  the  party  of  the  Calvinists.  On  this  occasion,  Mr.  Wesley 
wrote  to  him,  congratulating  him  on  his  escape,  but  at  the  same  time 
warning  him  of  the  danger  of  running  into  the  opposite  extreme. 
This  is  so  natural  to  the  human  mind,  that  it  is  difficult  to  be 
avoided  :  and  by  yielding  to  this  impulse  in  some  doctrines  of  impor- 
tance, it  is  to  be  feared  that  many  have  been  destroyed.  Experience. 
I  think,  will  warrant  the  following  observation :  A  speculative  Cal- 
vinist, who,  convinced  of  the  errors  of  his  system,  becomes  an 
Arminian  so  called,  is  in  much  greater  danger  of  falling  into  low, 
mean,  imscriptural  notions  of  Christ  and  of  the  christian  salvation, 
than  a  speculative  Arminian,  who  becomes  a  Calvinist.    Mr.  Wesley 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


243 


seems  to  have  been  of  this  opinion,  when  he  kindly  cautioned  his 
friend,  against  the  danger  which  lay  before  him.  "  For  a  long  time," 
says  he,  "I  have  had  a  desire  to  see  you,  but  could  not  find  an  oppor- 
tunity; and  indeed,  I  had  reason  to  believe  my  company  would  not 
be  agreeable :  as  you  were  intimate  with  those  who  think  they  do 
God  service  by  painting  me  in  the  most  frightful  colors.  It  gives  me 
much  satisfaction  to  find,  that  you  have  escaped  out  of  the  hands  of 
those  warm  men — it  is  not  at  all  surprising  that  they  should  speak  a 
little  unkindly  of  you  too,  in  their  turn.  It  gave  me  no  small  satis- 
faction to  learn  from  your  own  lips,  the  falsehood  of  their  allegation. 
I  believed  it  false  before,  but  could  not  affirm  it,  so  positively  as  I  can 
now. 

"Indeed  it  would  not  have  been  without  precedent,  if  from  one 
extreme,  you  had  run  into  another.  This  was  the  case  with  that 
great  man  Dr.  Taylor.  For  some  years  he  was  an  earnest  Calvinist; 
but  afterwards,  judging  he  could  not  get  far  enough  from  that  mel- 
ancholy system,  he  ran,  not  only  into  Arianism,  but  into  the  very 
dregs  of  Socinianism.  I  have  reason  indeed  to  believe  he  was  con- 
vinced of  his  mistake,  some  years  before  he  died.  But  to  acknowl- 
edge this  publicly,  was  too  hard  a  task  for  one  who  had  lived  above 
eighty  years. 

"  You  have  need  to  be  thankful  on  another  account  likewise;  that 
is,  that  your  prejudices  against  the  Church  of  England  are  removing. 
Having  had  an  opportunity  of  seeing  several  of  the  churches 
abroad,  and  having  deeply  considered  the  several  sorts  of  Dissenters 
at  home,  I  am  fully  convinced,  that  our  own  church,  with  all  her 
blemishes,  is  nearer  the  scriptural  plan,  than  any  other  in  Europe. 

"I  sincerely  wish  you  may  retain  your  former  zeal  for  God;  only, 
that  it  may  be  a  zeal  according  to  knowledge.  But  there  certainly 
will  be  a  danger  of  your  sinking  into  a  careless,  lukewarm  state, 
without  any  zeal  or  spirit  at  all.  As  you  were  surfeited  with  an  irra- 
tional, unscriptural  religion,  you  may  easily  slide  into  no  religion  at 
all :  or,  into  a  dead  form,  that  will  never  make  you  happy  either  in 
this  world,  or  in  that  which  is  to  come.  Wishing  every  scriptural 
blessing,  both  to  Lady  Trelawney  and  you, 

I  am,  dear  Sir, 

Your  aflTectionate  servant, 

J.  W." 

Notwithstanding  Mr.  Wesley's  itinerancy,  his  daily  labor  of  preach- 
ing, visiting  the  societies,  and  extensive  correspondence;  yet  he  still 
found  time  to  read  many  books.  And,  what  is  rather  singular,  he  often 
met  with  books  that  are  very  scarce,  which  many  men  of  literature,  with 
good  libraries,  have  never  seen;  an  instance  of  which  will  be  given  in 
speaking  of  the  enlarged  edition  of  his  Philosophy — he  read,  not  only 
books  of  divinity,  of  natural  history,  and  moral  philosophy,  which 
came  more  immediately  within  the  province  of  his  profession,  but 


244 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


hooks  which  treated  of  the  most  remote  antiquity.  Here  investiga- 
tion is  difficult,  the  highest  degree  of  evidence  to  be  attained,  a  bare 
probabiUty,  and  the  subjects  discussed  are  rather  curious  than  useful 
in  the  conduct  of  Ufe.  Yet  even  these  books  Mr.  Wesley  read,  with 
uncommon  diligence  and  care,  often  collecting  the  substance  of  them 
into  a  small  compass.  The  following  is  an  instance  of  this  kind — 
Sept.  1,  1781,  he  says,  '^I  made  an  end  of  reading  that  curious  book, 
Dr.  Parsons'  Remains  of  Japhet.  The  very  ingenious  author  has 
struck  much  light  into  some  of  the  darkest  parts  of  ancient  history. 
And  although  I  cannot  subscribe  to  every  proposition  which  he 
advances,  yet  I  apprehend,  he  has  sufficiently  proved  the  main  of  his 
hypothesis :  namely, 

"1.  That  after  the  flood,  Shem  and  his  descendants  peopled  the 
greatest  parts  of  Asia :  2.  That  Ham  and  his  children  peopled  Africa: 
3.  That  Europe  was  peopled  by  the  two  sons  of  Japhet,  Gomer  and 
Magog :  the  southern  and  south-western  by  Gomer,  and  his  children : 
and  the  north  and  north-western,  by  the  children  of  Magog :  4.  That 
the  former  were  called  Gomerians,  Cimmerians,  and  Cimbrians ;  and 
afterwards,  Celtae,  Galatae,  and  Gauls :  the  latter  were  called  by  the 
general  name  of  Scythians,  Scuti.  and  Scots :  5.  That  the  Gomerians, 
spread  swiftly  through  the  north  of  Europe,  as  far  as  the  Cimbrian 
Chersonesus,  including  Sweden,  Denmark,  Norway,  and  divers  other 
countries,  and  then  into  Ireland,  where  they  multiplied  very  early  into  a 
considerable  nation  :  6.  That  some  ages  after,  another  part  of  them,  who 
had  first  settled  in  Spain,  sailed  to  Ireland  under  Milea,  or  Milesius, 
and  conquering  the  first  inhabitants,  took  possession  of  the  land :  7. 
That  about  the  same  time  the  Gomerians  came  to  Ireland,  the  Mago- 
gians,  or  Scythians,  came  to  Britain ;  so  early,  that  both  spake  the 
same  language,  and  well  understood  each  other :  8.  That  the  Irish 
spoken  by  the  Gomerians,  and  the  Welsh,  spoken  by  the  Magogians, 
are  one  and  the  same  language,  expressed  by  the  same  seventeen  let- 
ters which  were  long  after  brought,  by  a  Gomerian  prince,  into 
Greece :  9.  That  all  the  languages  of  Europe,  Greek  and  Latin  in 
particular,  are  derived  from  this:  10.  That  the  Antediluvian  language, 
spoken  by  all  till  after  the  flood,  and  then  continued  in  the  family  of 
Shem,  was  Hebrew;  and  from  this  (the  Hebrew)  tongue,  many  of 
the  eastern  languages  are  derived.  The  foregoing  particulars,  this 
fine  writer  has  made  highly  probable.  And  these  may  be  admitted, 
though  we  do  not  agree  to  his  vehement  panegyric  on  the  Irish  lan- 
guage ;  much  less  receive  all  the  stories  told  by  the  Irish  poets,  or 
chroniclers,  as  genuine  authentic  history." — Candor  will  readily 
acknowledge,  and  envy  itself  must  confess,  that  a  man  in  the  seventy- 
ninth  year  of  his  age,  who,  in  the  midst  of  daily  avocations  which 
he  deemed  of  the  highest  importance  to  himself  and  others,  could  go 
through  a  work  of  this  kind  with  so  much  attention,  and  collect  the 
substance  of  it  into  a  few  general  heads,  must  have  possessed  great 
strength  of  mind,  and  no  common  degree  of  the  spirit  of  inquiry. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


245 


In  February,  1782,  a  person  unknown  proposed  a  few  questions  to 
Mr.  Wesley  in  writing,  and  begged  the  favor  of  unequivocal  answers. 
The  questions  and  answers  were  as  follows : 

''Is  it  your  wish  that  the  people  called  Methodists  should  be,  or 
become,  a  body  entirely  separate  from  the  church?" 

Answer.  No. 

"If  not,  where,  that  is,  how  often  and  where,  I  mean,  upon  what 
description  of  teachers  of  the  establishment,  are  they  to  attend?" 
Answer.    I  advise  them  to  go  to  church. 

"  More  particularly,  if  the  fall,  the  corruption,  and  natural  impo- 
tence of  man,  his  free  and  full  redemption  in  Christ  Jesus,  through 
faith  working  by  love,  should  be  taught  and  inculcated,  and  offered 
to  the  attention  of  all,  at  the  church  of  the  parish  where  they  reside, 
are  they  then  in  your  opinion,  bound  in  conscience  to  hear,  or  may 
they  at  their  own  option,  forbear?  " 

Ansiver.  I  do  not  think  they  are  bound  in  conscience,  to  attend 
any  'particular  church. 

"Or  if  they  are  at  liberty  to  absent  themselves,  are  they  at  liberty, 
that  is,  have  they  a  christian  privilege,  to  censure  this  doctrine  in 
the  gross,  to  condemn  such  teachers,  and  boldly  to  pronounce  them. 
'  blind  leaders  of  the  blind?'  " 

Answer.    No:  by  no  means. 

"  Whenever  this  happens,  is  it  through  prejudice,  or  rational  piety? 
Is  it  through  bigotry,  or  a  catholic  spirit?  Is  it  consistent  with 
christian  charity?  Is  it  compatible  with  a  state  of  justification? 
Or,  is  it  even  allowable  in  the  high  habit  of  evangelical  perfection?" 

Answer.    I  think  it  is  a  sin." 

About  the  latter  end  of  this  year,  a  report  prevailed,  and  gained 
credit,  that  Administration  had  an  intention  to  bring  a  Bill  into  the 
House  for  embodying  the  militia,  and  for  exercising  them  on  a  Sun- 
day. On  this  occasion,  Mr.  Wesley  wrote  the  following  letter  to  a 
nobleman,  then  high  in  office: 

"  My  Lord, 

"If  I  wrong  your  lordship  I  am  sorry  for  it;  but  I  really  believe, 
your  lordship  fears  God :  and  I  hope  your  lordship  has  no  unfavora- 
ble opinion  of  the  christian  revelation.  This  encourages  me  to  trou- 
ble your  lordship  with  a  few  lines,  which  otherwise  I  should  not  take 
upon  me  to  do. 

"Above  thirty  years  ago,  a  motion  was  made  in  Parliament,  for 
raising  and  embodying  the  militia,  and  for  exercising  them,  to  save 
time,  on  Sunday.  When  the  motion  was  like  to  pass,  an  old  gentle- 
man stood  up  and  said,  'Mr.  Speaker,  I  have  one  objection  to  this: 
I  believe  an  old  book,  called  the  Bible.'  The  members  looked  at  one 
another,  and  the  motion  was  dropped. 

"  Must  not  all  others,  who  believe  the  Bible,  have  the  very  same 
objection?  And  from  what  I  have  seen,  I  cannot  but  think,  these 
21* 


246 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


are  still  three -fourths  of  the  nation.  Now,  setting  religion  out  of  the 
question,  is  it  expedient  to  give  such  a  shock  to  so  many  millions  of 
people  at  once  7  And  certainly  it  would  shock  them  extremely :  it 
would  wound  them  in  a  very  tender  part.  For  would  not  they, 
would  not  all  England,  would  not  all  Europe,  consider  this  as  a  vir- 
tual repeal  of  the  Bible?  And  would  not  all  serious  persons  say, 
'  We  have  little  religion  in  the  land  now ;  but  by  this  step  we  shall 
have  less  still.'  For  wherever  this  pretty  show  is  to  be  seen,  the  peo- 
ple will  flock  together;  and  will  lounge  away  so  much  time  before 
and  after  it,  that  the  churches  will  be  emptier  than  they  are  already! 

"  My  lord,  I  am  concerned  for  this  on  a  double  account.  First, 
because  I  have  personal  obligations  to  your  lordship,  and  would  fain, 
even  for  this  reason,  recommend  your  lordship  to  the  love  and  esteem 
of  all  over  whom  I  have  any  influence.  Secondly,  because,  1  now 
reverence  your  lordship  for  your  office'  sake,  and  believe  it  to  be  my 
bounden  duty,  to  do  all  that  is  in  my  little  power,  to  advance  your 
lordship's  influence  and  reputation. 

''Will  your  lordship  permit  me,  to  add  a  word  in  my  old-fashioned 
way  ?  1  pray  Him  that  has  all  power  in  heaven  and  earth,  to  pros- 
per all  your  endeavors  for  the  public  good,  and  am. 

My  lord. 
Your  lordship's  willing  servant, 

John  Wesley." 

The  Methodists  had  now  subsisted  under  this  appellation,  about 
half  a  century.  Yet  the  public  at  large  had  very  imperfect  notions 
of  their  principles,  and  scarcely  knew  anything  of  their  internal 
economy.  The  most  candid  writers  in  opposition  to  them,  were 
grossly  ignorant  in  these  respects ;  and  others  did  not  scruple  a  little 
misrepresentation.  If  this  was  the  case  at  home,  we  cannot  suppose 
that  the  representations  of  them,  would  be  more  accurate  abroad. 
The  foreign  journalists  would  naturally  copy  from  our  own,  and 
from  those  who  had  expressly  written  against  them.  This  has  been 
the  situation  of  most  denominations  of  Christians,  who  have  been 
obnoxious  to  the  rulers,  either  of  an  establishment,  or,  of  any  very 
popular  or  powerful  party.  And  from  what  has  happened  in  our  own 
/time,  we  may  well  conjecture  what  has  taken  place  in  times  past, 
•when  ignorance  and  prejudice  were  much  more  predominant,  and  the 
means  of  accurate  knowledge  much  less  general.  Thus,  the  accounts 
'we  now  have  of  the  ancient  heretics,  are  almost  wholly  taken  from 
the  representations  of  their  avowed  enemies,  or  from  those  who  only 
■retailed  common  reports.  And  such  was  the  case  at  present,  with 
i respect  to  the  character  of  the  Methodists  in  foreign  countries.  In 
November,  Mr.  Wesley  received  a  letter  from  Dr.  Burekhardt,  pastor 
•  of  the  German  Church  at  the  Savoy.  The  doctor  informs  him — that 
he  had  lately  read  in  a  German  periodical  publication,  a  most  ill- 
.  natured  account  of  the  Methodists  in  England :  that  he  thought  it  his 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


247 


duty  to  oppose  these  prejudices  in  his  own  country,  which  he  deemed 
injurious  to  the  interests  of  Christianity :  that  he  intended  to  write  a 
true  history  of  Methodism,  describing  its  origin,  nature,  progress,  and 
present  state,  for  the  benefit  of  his  countrymen:  and,  that  he 
requested  Mr.  Wesley,  to  direct  him  to  authentic  materials  for  such  a 
work,  and  help  him  to  procure  them.'^ — The  design  was  candid  and 
hberal;  but  whether  it  was  executed,  or  not,  I  cannot  say. 

It  has  already  been  observed,  that  a  party  existed  among  the 
preachers,  who  wished  the  Methodists  to  be  erected  into  an  indepen- 
dent body,  and  a  total  separation  to  be  made  from  the  established 
church.  One  of  this  party  was  frequently  about  Mr.  Wesley's  per- 
son ;  and  under  various  pretences  sometimes  led  him  into  measures, 
that  offended  the  people  and  embarrassed  his  affairs,  while  the  true 
author  lay  concealed,  as  much  as  possible,  behind  the  scene.  In 
December,  Mr.  Wesley  received  a  letter  from  a  friend,  of  which  only 
a  part  has  been  preserved;  but  this  part  throws  some  light  on  the 
present  state  of  things.  "And  first,"  says  the  writer,  "I  would 
advise  you  to  speak  comfortably  to  the  people,  who  are  irritated  to  a 
high  degree  against  you.  The  die  is  not  yet  cast :  you  are  not  yet 
in  as  bad  a  situation  as  England  is  with  regard  to  America.  A  few 
comfortable  words,  might  yet  make  them  your  own  forever.  Let  not 
your  sun  go  down  under  a  cloud.  Stain  not  with  disgrace. f  every 
action  of  your  whole  life.  Leave  the  event  to  Providence  :  you  can- 
not prevent  a  separation  of  your  preachers  {  after  you  are  gone  to 
rest;  why  should  you  see  it  in  your  life-time?  A  door  is  open  for 
you  at  Bristol,  and  a  comfortable  door  too :  why  should  you  leave 
the  word  of  God  to  serve  tables?  at  the  instigation  of  those,  who 
would  be  glad  to  see  your  head  laid  in  the  dust,  if  they  might  sit  in 

*  The  original  letter  is  as  follows  : 

"  Viro  sumrae  Reverendo  J.  Wesley, 
S.  P.  D. 

Johannes  Theophilus  Burekhardt,  Pastor  Germ,  ad  aedem  St.  Marias  (Savoy.) 

"Legi  nuperrime,  in  libro  quodam  germanico  periodico,  judicia  perversissima  de  Meth- 
odistis  in  Anglia.  Mei  itaque  esse  puto,  istiusmodi  pracconceptis  opinionibus,  quae  sunt 
rei  christianse  valde  noxiae,  in  patria  mea  obviam  ire,  veramque  Methodism!  historiam. 
originem,  naturam,  fata  ac  statum  prsesentem  popularibus  meis  enarrare  ac  describere. 
Peto  igitur  a  Te,  Vir  Venerande,  ut  mihi,  talem  historiam  scripture,  genuinos  fontes  indi- 
care,  alque  scripta  suppeditare  velis,  quibus  ista  historia  jam  pertractata  est,  et  quae  ad 
illustrandam  illam  faciunt.  Pitlius,  unus  ex  praedecessoribus  meis,  sine  dubio  Tibi  non 
ignotus  fuit.  Cacterum,  ex  animo  precor  Deum,  Patrem  Domini  nostri  Jesu  Christi,  ut  in 
commodum  ecclesise  suae,  senectutem  Tuam  juvenili  robore  induere  atque  ornare,  Teque 
diu  inter  nos  in  posterum  conservare  velit.    Vale,  mihique  fave! 

Londini,  in  Savoy-Square,  d.  28  Novbr.  1782. 

I  The  writer  of  the  letter  had  expressed  himself  thus,  "  Stain  not,  as  it  were  with  blood, 
every  action,"  <Scc.  This  was  very  improper,  having  no  analogy  to  the  subject  in  hand. 
I  have  therefore,  left  out  the  words,  "  As  it  were,"  and  changed  the  word  blood  for  dis- 
grace, which  seems  to  convey  the  writer's  idea.  Through  an  eagerness  to  express  himself 
in  the  strongest  manner  possible,  he  fell  into  an  impropriety  of  expression. 

XI  suppose  he  means,  from  the  Church. 


248 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


your  chair !  One  would  think  you  might,  with  almost  half  an  eye, 
see  what  some  of  them  are  aiming  at.  May  the  God  of  peace  open 
your  eyes ;  and  direct  you  to  act  in  such  a  manner  as  will  disappoint 
our  grand  adversary  of  his  unlawful  prey. 

I  am,  Reverend  Sir, 
Your  well  wisher,  and  humble  servant, 

J.  M." 

In  June,  1T83,  Mr.  Wesley  went  over  to  Holland,  and  spent  his  birth- 
day, completing  the  eightieth  year  of  his  age,  in  this  country.  He 
seemed  pleased  with  his  visit,  though  the  motives  for  making  it  are 
not  very  obvious.  It  is  not  probable,  that  the  design  originated  with 
himself;  and  any  conjectures  concerning  the  reasons  why  others  put 
him  upon  it,  might  be  false,  and  appear  ill-natured  or  invidious. 

The  year  1784,  brings  us  to  the  grand  climacterical  year  of  Meth- 
odism. Not  indeed,  if  we  number  the  years  of  its  existence,  but  if 
we  regard  the  changes  which  now  took  place  in  the  form  of  its  ori- 
ginal Constitution.  Not  that  these  changes  destroyed  at  once  the 
origi7ial  Consitution  of  Methodism  :  this  would  have  been  too  great  a 
shock ;  but  the  seeds  of  its  corruption  and  final  dissolution,  were  this 
year  solemnly  planted,  and  have  since  been  carefully  watered  and 
nursed  by  a  powerful  party  among  the  preachers.  The  changes  to 
which  I  allude,  were,  1.  The  Deed  of  Declaration;  and,  2.  Ordina- 
tion. These  undoubtedly  laid  the  foundation  of  a  New  Order  of 
things  among  the  Methodists,  hitherto  unknown ;  and  we  may  easily 
suppose,  that  those  who  favored  it,  would  make  themselves  certain  of 
success,  by  a  little  patience  and  good  management. 

The  Deed  of  Declaration,  is  dated  the  2Sth  of  February.  It  is 
entitled,  "The  Rev.  John  Wesley's  Declaration  and  Establishment 
of  the  Conference  of  the  people  called  Methodists."  And  in  the 
attested  copy  is  said  to  be,  "  Enrolled  in  his  Majesty's  High  Court  of 
Chancery." — I  shall  endeavor  to  state  the  substance  of  the  Preamble 
to  this  famous  Deed,  as  concisely  as  possible,  to  retain  the  sense  com- 
plete.— It  says,  that.  Whereas  divers  buildings  commonly  called 
Chapels  with  a  Messuage  and  Dwelling-House — situate  in  various 
parts  of  Great-Britain,  have  been  given  and  conveyed  from  time  to 
time  by  the  said  John  Wesley,  to  certain  persons  and  their  heirs  in 
each  of  the  said  gifts  and  conveyances  named — Upon  Trust,  that  the 
trustees  in  the  several  deeds  respectively  named,  and  the  survivors 
of  them — and  the  Trustees  for  the  time  being  to  be  elected  as  in  the 
said  deeds  is  appointed,  should  permit  the  said  John  Wesley,  and  such 
other  persons  as  he  should  for  that  purpose  nominate  and  appoint,  at 
all  times  during  his  life — to  have  and  enjoy  the  free  use  and  benefit 
of  the  said  premises — therein  to  preach  and  expound  God's  Holy 
Word  :  And  upon  further  trust,  that  the  said  respective  Trustees,  (fcc. 
should  permit  Charles  Wesley,  brother  of  the  said  John  Wesley,  and 
such  other  persons  as  the  said  Charles  Wesley  should  for  that  purpose 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


249 


— nominate  and  appoint,  in  like  manner  during  his  life.  And  after 
the  decease  of  the  survivor  of  them,  the  said  John  and  Charles  Wes- 
ley, Then  upon  further  Trust,  That  the  said  respective  Trustees,  &c. 
should  permit  such  persons,  and  for  such  time  and  times  as  should  be 
appointed  at  the  yearly  Conference  of  the  people  called  Methodists  in 
London,  Bristol,  or  Leeds,  and  no  others,  to  have  and  enjoy  the  said 
premises  for  the  purposes  aforesaid  :  And  whereas  divers  persons  have 
in  like  manner  given  or  conveyed  many  Chapels,  &c.  situate  in  vari- 
ous parts  of  Great  Britain,  and  also  in  Ireland,  to  certain  trustees,  in 
each  of  the  said  gifts  and  conveyances  respectively  named,  upon  the 
like  trusts,  and  for  the  same  uses  and  purposes  as  aforesaid  (except 
only  that  in  some  of  the  said  gifts  and  conveyances,  no  life  estate  or 
other  Interest  is  thereby  given  and  reserved  to  the  said  Charles  Wes- 
ley.) And  whereas,  for  rendering  effectual  the  trusts  created  by  the 
said  several  gifts  or  conveyances,  and  that  no  doubt  or  litigation  may 
arise  with  respect  to  the  interpretation  and  true  meaning  thereof,  it 
has  been  thought  expedient  by  the  said  John  Wesley,  on  behalf  of 
himself  as  donor  of  the  several  Chapels,  &c.  as  of  the  donors  of  the 
said  other  Chapels,  &c. — to  explain  the  words  '  yearly  Conference  of 
the  people  called  Methodists,'  contained  in  all  the  said  trust  deeds,  and 
to  declare  what  persons  are  members  of  the  said  Conference,  and  how 
the  succession  and  identity  thereof  is  to  be  continued  :  Now  therefore 
these  presents  witness,  that  for  accomplishing  the  aforesaid  purposes, 
the  said  John  Wesley  doth  hereby  declare,  that  the  Conference  of  the 
people  called  Methodists,  in  London,  Bristol,  or  Leeds,  ever  since  there 
hath  been  any  yearly  Conference  of  the  people  called  Methodists — 
hath  always  heretofore  consisted  of  the  preachers,  commonly  called 
Methodist  preachers,  in  connexion  with,  and  under  the  care  of  the 
said  John  W esley,  whom  he  hath  thought  expedient  year  after  year 
to  summon  to  meet  him — to  advise  with  them  for  the  promotion  of  the 
gospel  of  Christ  to  appoint  the  said  persons  so  summoned,  and  the 
other  preachers  also  in  connexion  with  and  under  the  care  of  the  said 
John  Wesley  not  summoned  to  yearly  Conference,  to  the  use  and  en- 
joyment of  the  said  Chapels — the  names  of  all  which  persons  so  sum- 
moned and  appointed,  with  the  Chapels  to  which  they  were  so 
appointed,  together  Avith  the  duration  of  such  appointments — with  all 
other  matters  transacted  at  the  said  yearly  Conference,  have  year  by 

I  year  been  printed  and  published  under  the  title  of  minutes  of  Confer- 
ence. The  deed  then  goes  on  to  state  the  declaration  and  establish- 
ment of  the  Conference  in  the  following  words,  And  these  presents 
further  witness,  and  the  said  John  Wesley  doth  hereby  avouch  and 

1  further  declare  that  the  several  persons  herein  after  named,  to  wit" — 
After  mentioning  by  name  one  hundred  of  the  preachers,  it  further 
states  that  these — "  Being  preachers  and  expounders  of  God's  Holy 
Word,  under  the  care  and  in  connexion  with  the  said  John  Wesley, 
jjjavebeen,  now  are,  and  do,  on  the  day  of  the  date  hereof,  constitute 
VOL.  n.  32 


250 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


The  members  of  the  said  Conference,  according  to  the  true  intent  and 

meaning  of  the  said  several  gifts  and  conveyances  wherein  the  words, 
'  Conference  of  the  people  called  Methodists '  are  mentioned  and 
contained.  And  that  the  said  several  persons  before-named,  and  their 
successors  forever,  to  be  chosen  as  herein-after  mentioned,  are,  and 
shall  forever  be  construed,  taken,  and  be,  the  Conference  of  the  peo- 
ple called  Methodists.  Nevertheless  upon  the  terms  and  subject  to 
the  Regulations  herein-after  prescribed ;  that  is  to  say, 

"First.  That  the  members  of  the  said  Conference  and  their  suc- 
cessors for  the  time  being  forever,  shall  assemble  once  in  every  year, 
at  London,  Bristol,  or  Leeds  (except  as  after  mentioned)  for  the  pur- 
poses aforesaid  ;  and  the  time  and  place  of  holding  every  subsequent 
Conference  shall  be  appointed  at  the  preceding  one,  save  that  the  next 
Conference  after  the  date  hereof,  shall  be  holden  at  Leeds  in  York- 
shire, the  last  Tuesday  in  July  next. 

"Second.  The  act  of  the  majority  in  number  of  the  Conference 
assembled  as  aforesaid,  shall  be  had,  taken,  and  be  the  act  of  the 
whole  Conference  to  all  intents,  purposes,  and  constructions  what- 
soever. 

"  Third.  That  after  the  Conference  shall  be  assembled  as  afore- 
said, they  shall  first  proceed  to  fill  up  all  the  Vacancies  occasioned  by 
death  or  absence,  as  after  mentioned. 

"  Fourth.  No  act  of  the  Conference  assembled,  as  aforesaid,  shall 
be  had,  taken,  or  be  the  act  of  the  Conference,  until  forty  of  the 
members  thereof  are  assembled,  unless  reduced  under  that  number  by 
death,  since  the  prior  Conference  or  absence  as  after  mentioned ;  nor 
until  all  the  vacancies  occasioned  by  death  or  absence  shall  be  filled 
up  by  the  election  of  new  members  of  the  Conference,  so  as  to  make 
up  the  number  one  hundred,  unless  there  be  not  a  sufiicient  number 
of  persons  objects  of  such  election :  and  during  the  assembly  of  the 
Conference  there  shall  always  be  forty  members  present  at  the  doing 
of  any  act,  save  as  aforesaid,  or  otherwise  such  acts  shall  be  void. 

"Fifth.  The  duration  of  the  yearly  assembly  of  the  Conference, 
shall  not  be  less  than  fiv^e  days,  nor  more  than  three  weeks,  and  be 
concluded  by  the  appointment  of  the  Conference,  if  under  twenty-one 
days ;  or  otherwise  the  conclusion  thereof  shall  follow  of  course  at 
the  end  of  the  said  twenty-one  days ;  the  whole  of  all  which  said 
time  of  the  assembly  of  the  Conference  shall  be  had,  taken,  consid- 
ered, and  be  the  yearly  Conference  of  the  people  called  Methodists, 
and  all  acts  of  the  Conference  during  such  yearly  assembly  thereof, 
shall  be  the  acts  of  the  Conference  and  none  others. 

"Sixth.  Immediately  after  all  the  vacancies  occasion  by  death  or 
absence  are  filled  up  by  the  election  of  new  members  as  aforesaid,  the 
Conference  shall  choose  a  President  and  Secretary  of  their  assembly 
out  of  themselves,  who  shall  continue  such  until  the  election  of  an- 
other President  or  Secretary  in  the  next,  or  other  subsequent  Confer- 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


251 


ence;  and  the  said  President  shall  have  the  privilege  and  power  of 
two  members  in  all  acts  of  the  Conference  during  liis  presidency,  and 
such  other  powers,  privileges,  and  authorities,  as  the  Conference  shall 
from  time  to  time  see  fit  to  intrust  into  his  hands. 

"  Seventh.  Any  member  of  the  Conference  absenting  himself  from 
the  yearly  assembly  thereof  for  two  years  successively,  without  the 
consent  or  dispensation  of  the  Conference,  and  be  not  present  on  the 
first  day  of  the  third  yearly  assembly  thereof  at  the  time  and  place 
appointed  for  the  holding  of  the  same,  shall  cease  to  be  a  member  of 
the  Conference  from  and  after  the  said  first  day  of  the  said  third  yearly 
assembly  thereof,  to  all  intents  and  purposes,  as  though  he  was  natur- 
ally dead.  But  the  Conference  shall  and  may  dispense  with  or  con- 
sent to  the  absence  of  any  number  from  any  of  the  said  yearly  assem- 
blies, for  any  cause  which  the  Conference  may  see  fit  or  necessary, 
and  such  member  whose  absence  shall  be  so  dispensed  with,  or  con- 
sented to  by  the  Conference,  shall  not  by  such  absence  cease  to  be  a 
member  thereof 

"  Eighth.  The  Conference  shall  and  may  expel  and  put  out  from 
being  a  member  thereof,  or  from  being  in  connexion  therewith,  or 
from  being  on  trial,  any  person  member  of  the  Conference  admitted 
mto  connexion,  or  upon  trial,  for  any  cause  which  to  the  Conference 
may  seem  fit  or  necessary ;  and  every  member  of  the  Conference  so 
expelled  and  put  out,  shall  cease  to  be  a  member  thereof  to  all  intents 
and  purposes,  as  though  he  was  naturally  dead.  And  the  Conference 
immediately  after  the  expulsion  of  any  member  thereof  as  aforesaid, 
shall  elect  another  person  to  be  a  member  of  the  Conference  in  the 
stead  of  such  member  so  expelled. 

"  Ninth.  The  Conference  shall  and  may  admit  into  connexion  with 
them,  or  upon  trial,  any  person  or  persons  whom  they  shall  approve, 
to  be  preachers  and  expounders  of  God's  holy  word,  under  the  care 
and  direction  of  the  Conference,  the  name  of  every  such  person  or 
persons  so  admitted  into  connexion,  or  upon  trial,  as  aforesaid,  with 
the  time  and  degrees  of  the  admission,  being  entered  in  the  Journals 
or  Minutes  of  the  Conference. 

"Tenth.  No  person  shall  be  elected  a  member  of  the  Conference 
who  hath  not  been  admitted  in  connexion  with  the  Conference  as  a 
preacher  and  expounder  of  God's  holy  word,  as  aforesaid,  for  twelve 
months. 

"  Eleventh.  The  Conference  shall  not  nor  may  nominate  or  appoint 
any  person  to  the  use  and  enjoyment  of,  or  to  preach  and  expound 
God's  holy  word  in,  any  of  the  Chapels  and  premises  so  given  or 
conveyed,  or  which  may  be  given  or  conveyed  on  the  trusts  aforesaid, 
I  who  is  not  either  a  member  of  the  Conference,  or  admitted  into  con- 
I  nexion  with  the  same,  or  upon  trial  as  aforesaid ;  nor  appoint  any 
person  for  more  than  three  years  successively  to  the  use  and  enjoy- 
ment of  any  Chapels  and  premises  already  given,  or  to  be  given  or 


252 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   JOHN  WESLEY. 


conveyed  upon  the  trusts  aforesaid,  except  ordained  ministers  of  the 
Church  of  England. 

Twelfth.  That  the  Conference  shall  and  may  appoint  the  place 
of  holding  the  yearly  assembly  thereof  at  any  other  city,  town,  or 
place  than  London,  Bristol,  or  Leeds,  when  it  shall  seem  expedient 
so  to  do. 

"Thirteenth.  And  for  the  convenience  of  Chapels  and  premises 
already  or  which  may  hereafter  be  given  or  conveyed  upon  the  trusts 
aforesaid,  situate  in  Ireland  or  other  parts  out  of  the  kingdom  of 
Great  Britain,  the  Conference  shall  and  may  when  and  as  often  as  it 
shall  seem  expedient,  but  not  otherwise,  appoint  and  delegate  any 
member  or  members  of  the  Conference  with  all  or  any  of  the  powers, 
privileges,  and  advantages  herein  before  contained  or  vested  in  the 
Conference ;  and  all  and  every  the  acts,  admissions,  expulsions,  and 
appointments  whatsoever  of  such  member  or  members  of  the  Con- 
ference so  appointed  and  delegated  as  aforesaid,  the  same  being  put 
into  writing,  and  signed  by  such  delegate  or  delegates,  and  entered 
in  the  Journals  or  Minutes  of  the  Conference  and  subscribed  as  after 
mentioned,  shall  be  deemed,  taken,  and  be,  the  acts,  admissions, 
expulsions,  and  appointments  of  the  Conference,  to  all  intents,  con- 
structions, and  purposes  whatsoever,  from  the  respective  times  when 
the  same  shall  be  done  by  such  delegate  or  delegates,  notwithstanding 
anything  herein  contained  to  the  contrary. 

"  Fourteenth.    All  resolutions  and  orders  touching  elections,  admis- 
sions, expulsions,  consents,  dispensations,  delegations  or  appointments 
and  acts  whatsoever  of  the  Conference,  shall  be  entered  and  written 
in  the  Journals  or  Minutes  of  the  Conference  which  shall  be  kept  for 
that  purpose,  publicly  read,  and  then  subscribed  by  the  President 
and  Secretary  thereof  for  the  time  being,  during  the  time  such  Con- 
ference shall  be  assembled ;  and  when  so  entered  and  subscribed,  shall  > 
be  had,  taken,  received,  and  be  the  acts  of  the  Conference,  and  such  i 
entry  and  subscription  as  aforesaid  shall  be  had,  taken,  received,  and  | 
be  evidence  of  all  and  every  such  acts  of  the  said  Conference  and  of  i 
their  said  delegates  without  the  aid  of  any  other  proof;  and  whatever  ' 
shall  not  be  so  entered  and  subscribed  as  aforesaid,  shall  not  be  had. 
taken,  received,  or  be  the  act  of  the  Conference :  and  the  said  Presi- 
dent and  Secretary  are  hereby  required  and  obliged  to  enter  and  sub- 
scribe as  aforesaid  every  act  whatever  of  the  Conference. 

"  Lastly.  Whenever  the  said  Conference  shall  be  reduced  under 
the  number  of  forty  members,  and  continue  so  reduced  for  three  yearly 
assemblies  thereof  successively,  or  whenever  the  members  thereof 
shall  decline  or  neglect  to  meet  together  annually  for  the  purposes 
aforesaid,  during  the  space  of  three  years,  that  then,  and  in  either  of 
the  said  events,  the  Conference  of  the  people  called  Methodists  shall  | 
be  extinguished,  and  all  the  aforesaid  powers,  privileges,  and  advan-  I 
tages  shall  cease,  and  the  said  Chapels  and  premises,  and  all  other  j 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


253 


Chapels  and  premises  which  now  are,  or  hereafter  may  be  settled, 
given  or  conveyed,  upon  the  trusts  aforesaid,  shall  vest  in  the  Trus- 
tees for  the  time  being  of  the  said  Chapels  and  premises  respectively, 
and  their  successors  forever :  Upon  Trust  that  they,  and  the  survi- 
vors of  them,  and  the  Trustees  for  the  time  being,  do,  shall,  and  may 
appoint  such  person  and  persons  to  preach  and  expound  God's  holy 
word  therein,  and  to  have  the  use  and  enjoyment  thereof,  for  such 
time  and  in  such  manner  as  to  them  shall  seem  proper." 

Before  I  make  any  observations  on  this  Deed,  the  reader  should  be 
apprized,  that,  neither  the  design  of  it,  nor  the  words  of  the  several 
clauses  are  to  be  imputed  to  Mr.  Wesley.  So  far  was  he  from  form- 
ing any  design  of  a  deed  of  this  kind,  that  I  have  good  evidence  to 
assert,  it  was  some  time  before  he  could  be  prevailed  upon  to  comply 
with  the  proposal :  and,  as  in  most  other  cases  where  he  followed  the 
same  guide,  he  soon  found  reason  to  repent.  That  Mr.  Wesley  did 
actually  repent  of  signing  this  deed,  is  pretty  evident  from* the  follow- 
ing letter  which  he  wrote  about  a  year  afterwards,  and  committed  to 
a  friend  to  deliver  to  the  Conference,  at  their  first  meeting  after  his 
decease. 

"  My  Dear  Brethren, 

'•Some  of  our  travelling  preachers  have  expressed  a  fear,  that  after 
my  decease  you  would  exclude  them,  either  from  preaching  in  con- 
nexion with  you,  or  from  some  other  privileges  which  they  now 
enjoy.  I  know  no  other  way  to  prevent  any  such  inconvenience,  than 
to  leave  these  my  last  words  with  you. 

"  I  beseech  you  by  the  mercies  of  God,  that  you  never  avail  your- 
selves of  the  Deed  of  Declaration,  to  assume  any  superiority  over 
your  brethren :  but  let  all  things  go  on,  among  those  itinerants  who 
choose  to  remain  together,  exactly  in  the  same  manner  as  when  I 
was  with  you,  so  far  as  circumstances  will  permit. 

In  particular  I  beseech  you,  if  you  ever  loved  me,  and  if  you 
now  love  God  and  your  brethren,  to  have  no  respect  of  persons  in 
stationing  the  preachers,  in  choosing  children  for  Kingswood  School, 
in  disposing  of  the  yearly  contribution  and  the  preachers'  fund,  or 
any  other  public  money :  but  do  all  things  with  a  single  eye,  as  I 
have  done  from  the  beginning.  Go  on  thus,  doing  all  things  without 
prejudice  or  partiality,  and  God  will  be  with  you  even  to  the  end." 

But  it  would  be  improper  in  a  work  of  this  kind,  to  pass  over  this: 
Deed  without  making  an  observation  or  two  upon  it.  Now  the 
first  thing  that  strikes  me,  is  the  title  itself  "A  Declaration  and 
Establishment  of  the  Conference  of  the  People  called  Methodists." 
This  surely  is  a  most  incongruous  title.  It  is  well  known  that  the 
people  called  Methodists,  never  held  a  Conference  since  Methodism 
existed.    The  Conference  is  an  assembly  of  itinerant  preachers  only  ;* 

*  Except  two  or  three  clergymen. 

TOL.  n.  22 


254 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  KEY.   JOHN  WESLEY. 


and  its  members  are  not  assembled  by  any  authority  derived  from  the 
people.  When  sitting,  it  exercises  powers  which  are  neither  derived 
from  the  people,  nor  under  any  control  by  them.  It  elects  members 
into  its  OAvn  body,  or  excludes  them  at  pleasure  :  it  makes  regulations, 
or  laws,  not  only  for  the  itinerant  preachers,  but  for  all  ranks  and 
orders  of  persons  in  the  societies :  and  while  these  things  are  trans- 
acted, neither  local  preachers,  trustees  of  chapels,  stewards,  leaders, 
or  any  of  the  people,  have  a  single  voice,  or  a  single  representative 
in  the  assembly.  The  people  have  no  check,  no  balance  of  power, 
against  any  regulation  or  law  the  Conference  may  choose  to  decree. 
It  is  difficult  therefore  to  conceive,  why  this  assembly  of  a  few  preach- 
ers, Vv^as  called,  The  Conference  of  the  people  called  Methodists;" 
unless  it  was  to  give  the  people  a  hint,  that  they  ought  to  have  some 
representatives  in  an  assembly  where  laws  are  made,  by  which  they, 
as  Methodists,  are  to  be  governed. 

The  second  observation  shall  be  upon  the  words  of  the  Deed  in 
which  it  states  that  the  one  hundred  preachers  therein  named,  "  Have 
been,  now  are,  and  do  on  the  day  of  the  date  hereof,  continue  the 
members  of  the  said  Conference,  according  to  the  true  intent  and 
meaning  of  the  said  gifts  and  conveyances  wherein  the  words  Con- 
ference, (fcc.  are  mentioned  and  contained."  That  is,  these  preachers 
had  been  the  Conference  before  the  Deed  of  Declaration  existed ;  and 
did  actually  continue  it,  on  the  day  this  Deed  was  executed  :  that  the 
word  Conference,  in  the  old  Trust  Deeds  of  all  the  Chapels,  meant 
neither  more  nor  less,  than  the  hundred  preachers  mentioned  by  name 
in  this  Deed  of  Declaration !  Now,  every  one  of  these  assertions  is 
a  notorious  falsehood :  there  is  not  even  the  shadow  of  truth  in  any 
one  of  them.  But  it  seems  there  was  a  necessity  for  stating  the  mat- 
ter thus,  however  false,  m  order  to  give  some  color  of  justice  and 
validity  to  this  new  deed.  For  had  it  appeared  on  the  face  of  it,  that 
Deeds  of  Trust  already  existed,  in  which  the  words  Conference,  (fee. 
meant  either  more  or  less  than  the  hundred  preachers  in  this  Deed 
named ;  it  would  have  been  evident  at  first  sight,  that  the  Deed  itself 
was  nugatory  and  void  to  all  intents  and  purposes ;  as  it  could  not 
possibly  annul,  or  do  away  the  legality  of  deeds  already  existing  and 
duly  e^iecuted,  without  the  consent  of  .the  several  parties  concerned, 
first  had  and  obtained  under  their  respective  signatures.  Thus  we 
see,  that  this  famous  Deed  of  Declaration  and  Establishment  of  the 
Conference,  is  founded  on  as  gross  a  misrepresentation  of  facts,  as 
ever  disgraced  any  public  instrument. 

This  Deed  affords  ample  scope  for  many  other  observations :  but 
having  shown  that  it  is  altogether  built  on  a  mis-statement  of  facts, 
I  shall  stop  ;  as  nothing  more  seems  necessary  to  be  said  upon  it  at 
present :  except  perhaps,  that  Mr.  Wesley,  in  all  probability  did  not 
understand  the  import  of  the  several  clauses  of  it,  as  he  never  had 
patience  to  attend  to  any  paper  drawn  up  in  the  common  forms  of 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   JOHN  WESLEY. 


256 


the  law.  In  these  cases  he  trusted  to  those  about  him  who  had  exam- 
ined it. 

The  Deed  of  Declaration  affected  only  the  itinerant  preachers :  but 
when  Mr.  Wesley  ordained  some  of  the  itinerants,  a  foundation  was 
laid  for  a  change  in  the  ancient  constitution  of  Methodism,  of  much 
more  extensive  influence ;  and  which  in  the  end  is  lilrely  to  affect 
every  member  of  the  society.  It  has  already  appeared  in  this  history, 
that  Mr.  Wesley  claimed  the  power  or  right  of  ordaining  to  the  min- 
istry, but  said,  it  was  not  probable  that  he  should  ever  exercise  it. 
We  have  likewise  seen,  how  steadily  for  a  long  course  of  years,  he 
resisted  every  measure  whicli  tended  to  alter  the  relative  situation 
of  the  societies  to  the  established  church,  and  to  the  various  denomi- 
nations of  Dissenters  to  which  any  of  the  members  might  belong.  It 
is  not  easy  to  assign  a  sufficient  reason  why  Mr.  Wesley,  in  the 
eighty-second  year  of  his  age,  should  depart  from  a  line  of  conduct 
he  had  hitherto  so  strictly  observed;  especially  if  he  acted  according 
to  his  own  judgment,  and  of  his  OAvn  free  choice.  However  this 
may  be,  a  plan  was  proposed  in  private,  to  a  few  clergymen  who 
attended  the  Conference  this  year  at  Leeds,  that  Mr.  Wesley  should 
ordain  one  or  two  preachers  for  the  societies  in  America.  But  the 
clergymen  opposed  it.  Mr.  Fletcher  was  consulted  by  letter;  who 
advised,  that  a  bishop  should  be  prevailed  upon,  if  possible,  to  ordain 
them,  and  then  Mr.  Wesley  might  appoint  them  to  such  offices  in  the 
societies  as  he  thought  proper,  and  give  them  letters  testimonial  of  the 
appointments  he  had  given  them.  Mr.  Wesley  well  knew,  that  no 
bishop  would  ordain  them  at  his  recommendation,  and  therefore 
seemed  inclined  to  do  it  himself  In  this  purpose  however,  he 
appeared  so  languid,  if  not  wavering,  that  Dr.  Coke  thought  it 
necessary  to  use  some  further  means  to  urge  him  to  the  performance 
of  it.  Accordingly,  August  9,  Mr.  Wesley  being  then  in  Wales  on 
his  way  to  Bristol,  the  doctor  sent  him  the  following  letter : 

"  Honored  and  dear  Sir, 
"  The  more  maturely  I  consider  the  subject,  the  more  expedient  it 
appears  to  me,  that  the  power  of  ordaining  others,  should  be  received 
by  me  from  you,  by  the  imposition  of  your  hands ;  and  that  you 
should  lay  hands  on  brother  Whatcoat,  and  brother  Vasey,  for  the 
following  reasons:  1.  It  seems  to  me  the  most  scriptural  way,  and 
most  agreeable  to  the  practice  of  the  primitive  churches :  2.  I  may 
want  all  the  inflnence  in  America,  which  you  can  throw  into  my 
scale.  Mr.  Brackenbury  informed  me  at  Leeds,  that  he  saw  a  letter 
in  London  from  Mr.  Asbury,  in  which  he  observed,  that  he  would 
not  receive  any  person  deputed  by  you  with  any  part  of  the  superin- 
tendency  of  the  work  invested  in  him  :  or  words  which  evidently 
implied  so  much.  I  do  not  find  any,  the  least  degree  of  prejudice  in 
my  mind  against  Mr.  Asbury,  on  the  contrary,  a  very  great  love  and 
esteem ;  and  am  determined  not  to  stir  a  finger  without  his  consent, 


256 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   JOHN  WESLEY. 


unless  mere  sheer  necessity  obliges  me;  but  rather  to  lie  at  his  feet 
in  all  things.  But  as  the  journey  is  long,  and  you  cannot  spare  me 
often,  and  it  is  well  to  provide  against  all  events,  and  an  authority 
formally  received  from  you  will  (I  am  conscious  of  it)  be  fully 
admitted  by  the  people,  and  my  exercising  the  office  of  Ordination 
without  that  formal  authority  may  be  disputed,  if  there  be  any  oppo- 
sition on  any  other  account:  I  could  therefore  earnestly  wish  you 
would  exercise  that  power,  in  this  instance,  which  I  have  not  the 
shadow  of  a  doubt  but  God  hath  invested  you  with  for  the  good  of 
our  connexion.  I  think  you  have  tried  me  too  often  to  doubt, 
whether  I  will  in  any  degree  use  the  power  you  are  pleased  to  invest 
me  with,  farther  than  I  believe  absolutely  necessary  for  the  prosperity 
of  the  work.  3.  In  respect  of  my  brethren  (brother  Whatcoat  and 
Vasey)  it  is  very  uncertain  indeed,  whether  any  of  the  clergy  men- 
tioned by  brother  Rankin,  will  stir  a  step  with  me  in  the  work,  except 
Mr.  Jarrit;  and  it  is  by  no  means  certain  that  even  he  will  choose  to 
join  me  in  ordaining :  and  propriety  and  universal  practice  make  it 
expedient,  that  1  should  have  two  presbyters  with  me  in  this  work. 
In  short,  it  appears  to  me  that  everything  should  be  prepared,  and 
everything  proper  be  done,  that  can  possibly  be  done  this  side  the 

water.    You  can  do  all  this  in  Mr.  C  n's  house,  in  your  chamber; 

and  afterwards  (according  to  Mr.  Fletcher's  advice)  give  us  letters 
testimonial  of  the  dillercnt  offices  with  which  you  have  been  pleased 
to  invest  us.    For  the  purpose  of  laying  hands  on  brothers  Whatcoat 

and  Vasey,  I  can  bring  Mr.  C  down  with  me,  by  which  you  will 

liave  two  presbyters  with  you.  In  respect  to  brother  Rankin's  argu- 
ment, that  you  will  escape  a  great  deal  of  odium  by  omitting  this,  it 
is  nothing.  Either  it  will  be  known,  or  not  known;  if  not  known, 
then  no  odium  will  arise:  but  if  known,  you  will  be  obliged  to 
acknowledge  that  I  acted  under  your  direction,  or  suffer  me  to  sink 
under  the  weight  of  my  enemies,  with  perhaps  your  brother  at  the 
head  of  them.    I  shall  entreat  you  to  ponder  these  things. 

Your  most  dutiful, 

T.  Coke."* 

This  letter  affords  matter  for  several  observations,  both  of  the  seri- 
ous and  comic  kind  :  but  I  shall  not  indulge  myself  on  the  occasion 
it  so  fairly  offers.  The  attentive  reader  who  examines  every  part  of 
it,  will  be  at  no  loss  to  conjecture,  to  whose  influence  we  must  impute 
Mr.  Wesley's  conduct  in  the  present  business.  That  Mr.  Wesley 
should  suffer  himself  to  be  so  far  influenced,  in  a  matter  of  the 
utmost  importance  both  to  his  own  character  and  to  the  societies,  by 
a  man,  of  whose  judgment  in  advising,  and  talents  in  conducting  any 
affair  he  had  no  very  high  opinion,  is  truly  astonishing :  but  so  it 
was ! — Mr.  Wesley  came  to  Bristol,  and  September  1,  everything 

*  This  letter  is  taken  from  an  attested  copy  of  the  doctor's  letter,  in  Mr.  Charles  Wes- 
ley's handwriting. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


257 


being  prepared  as  proposed  above,  he  complied  with  the  doctor's 
earnest  wish,  by  consecrating  him  one  of  the  bishops,  and  Mr.  What- 
coat  and  Vasey  presbyters  of  the  new  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
in  America.  No  doubt  the  three  gentlemen  were  highly  gratified 
with  their  new  titles ;  as  we  often  see,  both  young  and  old  children 
gratified  with  gilded  toys,  though  clumsily  made,  and  of  no  real 
worth  or  valuable  use,  except  to  quiet  the  cries  of  those  for  whom 
they  are  prepared. 

The  difficulties  on  the  first  entrance  into  this  new  path  being  now 
overcome,  and  the  opening  prospects  being  highly  flattering  to  the 
human  mind  tutored  under  certain  circumstances,  some  further  pro- 
gress became  natural  and  easy.  Accordingly,  it  was  not  long  before 
three  more  preachers  were  ordained  for  Scotland ;  and  afterwards  at 
different  periods,  several  others  were  ordained :  but  all  of  them  at 
first,  were  laid  under  a  restriction  not  to  exercise  their  ministerial 
functions  in  England.  Since  the  death  of  Mr.  Wesley,  still  further 
progress  has  been  made,  not  only  in  the  practice  of  ordaining,  but  in 
the  exercise  of  their  new  functions,  in  various  societies  in  this  king- 
dom. But  hitherto  this  new  order  of  things  has  produced  the  most 
lamentable  effects,  having  caused  contention,  and  kindled  the  flames 
of  party  zeal. 


CHAPTER  V. 

OPINIONS  AND  DEBATES,  &c.  ON  THE  NEW  PLAN  OF  ORDINATION  :  SEVERAL 
PARTICULARS  OF  THE  LAST  YEARS  OF  MR.  WESLEY's  LIFE  ;  WITH  AN 
ACCOUNT  OF  HIS  DEATH  IN  MARCH,  1791.     HIS  LAST  WILL,  &c. 

The  following  is  part  of  a  letter  from  one  preacher  to  another, 
when  the  report  that  Mr.  Wesley  had  ordained  some  of  the  preach- 
ers, first  began  to  be  circulated  in  the  societies.  It  may  serve  to 
show  us  Avhat  opinion  the  uninfected  itinerants  entertained  of  this 
strange  business.  "Ordination — among  Methodists!  Amazing  in- 
deed !  I  could  not  force  myself  to  credit  the  report  which  spread 
here,  having  not  then  seen  the  minutes ;  but  now  I  can  doubt  it  no 
longer.  And  so,  we  have  Methodist  parsons  of  our  own !  And  a 
new  mode  of  ordination,  to  be  sure — on  the  Presbyterian  plan? — In 
spite  of  a  million  of  declarations  to  the  contrary !  I  am  fairly  con- 
founded.— Now  the  ice  is  broke,  let  us  conjecture  a  little  the  probable 
issue  of  this  new  thing  in  the  earth. — You  say,  we  must  reason  and 
debate  the  matter. — Alas !  it  is  too  late.  Surely  it  never  began  in 
the  midst  of  a  multitude  of  counsellors ;  and  I  greatly  fear  the  Son 
of  man  was  not  secretary  of  state,  or  not  present  when  the  business 
was  brought  on  and  carried,  I  suppose,  with  very  few  dissentient 
voices. — Who  could  imagine  that  this  important  matter  would  have 

VOL.  II.         22*  33 


258 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


Stole  into  being,  and  be  obtruded  upon  the  body,  without  their  being 
so  much  as  apprized  of  it,  or  consulted  on  so  weighty  a  point  ?  Who 
is  the  father  of  this  monster,  so  long  dreaded  by  the  father  of  his 
people,  and  by  most  of  his  sons  1  Whoever  he  be,  time  will  prove 
him  a  felon  to  Methodism,  and  discover  his  assassinating  knife  stick- 
ing fast  in  the  vitals  of  its  body.  This  has  been  my  steadfast  opinion 
for  years  past ;  and  years  to  come  will  speak  in  groans  the  opprobri- 
ous anniversary  of  our  religious  madness  for  gowns  and  bands. — 
Will  it  not  sting  a  man  that  has  been  honored  by  his  Lord  and  Mas- 
ter for  many  years  as  a  lay-preacher,  to  have  a  black-robed  boy, 
flirting  away  in  the  exercise  of  his  sacred  office,  set  over  him  ? — If 
not  all,  but  only  a  few  favorites  are  to  be  honored,  will  it  not  raise  a 
dust,  that  will  go  nigh  to  blind  the  eyes  of  the  whole  body?" — 
Another  old  preacher,  writing  to  his  friend,  delivers  his  opinion  to  the 
following  purpose — I  wish  they  had  been  asleep  when  they  began 
this  business  of  ordination  :  it  is  neither  Episcopal  nor  Presbyterian  : 
but  a  mere  hodge-podge  of  inconsistencies — though  it  Wist  be  allowed, 
that  Mr.  Wesley  acted  under  the  influence  of  otliers,  yet  he  had  some 
reasons  for  the  step  he  took,  which  at  the  moment  appeared  to  him 
sufficient  to  justify  it.  Perhaps  they  may  not  appear  in  the  same 
light  to  others,  and  probably  would  not  to  himself,  had  he  not  been 
biassed  by  persuasion.  A  part  of  the  reasons  of  his  conduct  in  this 
aflfair,  are  detailed  in  the  letter  testimonial,  Avhich  Dr.  Coke  carried 
over  with  him  to  the  American  Conference.  It  is  addressed,  "To 
Dr.  Coke,  Mr.  Asbury,  and  our  brethren  in  North  America:"  and  is 
conceived  in  the  following  terms  : 

By  a  very  uncommon  train  of  providences,  many  of  the  provin- 
ces of  North  America,  are  totally  disjoined  from  their  mother-country, 
and  erected  into  independent  states.  The  English  government  has 
no  authority  over  them  either  civil  or  ecclesiastical,  any  more  than 
over  the  states  of  Holland.  A  civil  authority  is  exercised  over  them, 
partly  by  the  Congress,  partly  by  the  provincial  assemblies.  But  no 
one  either  exercises  or  claims  any  ecclesiastical  authority  at  all.  In 
this  peculiar  situation,  some  thousands  of  the  inhabitants  of  these 
states  desire  my  advice ;  and  in  compliance  with  their  desire,  I  have 
drawn  up  a  little  sketch. 

"Lord  King's^  account  of  the  primitive  church  convinced  me 

*  King  (Peter,)  Lord  High  Chancellor  of  England,  was  descended  of  a  good  family  of 
fhat  name  in  Somersetshire,  and  son  of  an  eminent  grocer  and  Salter  in  the  city  of  Exeter 
in  Devonshire.  He  Avas  born  at  Exeter  in  1669,  and  bred  up  for  some  years  to  his  father's 
business.  But  his  inclination  to  learning  was  so  great,  that  he  laid  out  all  the  money  he 
could  spare  in  books,  and  devoted  every  moment  of  his  leisure  hours  to  study  ;  so  that  he 
became  an  excellent  scholar  before  the  world  suspected  any  such  thing :  and  gave  the 
public  a  proof  of  his  skill  in  church  history,  in  his  Inquiry  into  the  Constitution;  Discipline, 
Unity,  and  Worship  of  the  Primitive  Church,  that  flourished  within  the  first  three  hundred 
years  after  Christ.  London,  1691,  and  1713,  in  8vo.  This  was  written  with  a  view  to 
promote  the  scheme  of  a  comprehension  of  the  Dissenters. 

.  His^acfluaintance  with  Mr.  Locke,  to  whom  he  was  related,  and  who  left  him  his  library 


I'li;<ht\-  sfvpii  vears  jiavc  1  sojounicd  .mi  IIh.s  carlli 
ciuU-avouriii,^^-  lo  iln^i.od.  JoliitlMsl,'!/. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


299 


many  years  ago,  that  bishops  and  presbyters  are  the  same  order,  and 
consequently  have  the  same  right  to  ordain.  For  many  years  I  have 
been  importuned  from  time  to  time,  to  exercise  this  right,  by  ordain- 
ing part  of  our  traveUing  preachers.  But  I  have  still  refused:  not 
only  for  peace'  sake ;  but  because  I  was  determined,  as  little  as  pos- 
sible, to  violate  the  established  order  of  the  national  church  to  which 
I  belonged. 

"  But  the  case  is  widely  different  between  England  and  North 
America.  Here  there  are  bishops  who  have  a  legal  jurisdiction.  In 
America  there  are  none,  neither  any  parish  ministers.  So  that  for 
some  hundred  miles  together,  there  is  none  either  to  baptize  or  to  admin- 
ister the  Lord's  Supper.  Here  therefore  my  scruples  are  at  an  end : 
and  I  conceive  myself  at  full  liberty,  as  I  violate  no  order,  and  invade 
no  man's  right,  by  appointing  and  sending  laborers  into  the  harvest. 

"  I  have  accordingly  appointed  Dr.  Coke,  and  Mr.  Francis  Asbury, 
to  be  joint  Superintendents  over  our  brethren  in  North  America :  as 
also  Richard  Whatcoat,  and  Thomas  Yasey,  to  act  as  Elders  among 
them,  by  baptizing  and  administering  the  Lord's  Supper.  And  I  have 
prepared  a  liturgy,  little  differing  from  that  of  the  Church  of  England 
(I  think,  the  best  constituted  national  church  in  the  world)  which  I 
advise  all  the  travelling  preachers  to  use  on  the  Lord's  day,  in  all  the 
congregations,  reading  the  Litany  only  on  Wednesdays  and  Fridays, 
and  praying  extempore  on  all  other  days.  I  also  advise  the  elders  to 
administer  the  Supper  of  the  Lord  on  every  Lord's  day. 

"If  any  one  will  point  out  a  more  rational  and  scriptural  way  of 
feeding  and  guiding  those  poor  sheep  in  the  wilderness,  I  will  gladly 
embrace  it.  At  present  I  cannot  see  any  better  method,  than  that  I 
have  taken. 

"It  has  indeed  been  proposed,  to  desire  the  English  bishops,  to  or- 
dain part  of  our  preachers  for  America.  But  to  this  I  object,  L  I  de- 
sired the  bishops  of  London  to  ordain  only  one ;  but  could  not  prevail: 
2.  If  they  consented,  we  know  the  slowness  of  their  proceedings  ;  but 
the  matter  admits  of  no  delay.  3.  If  they  would  ordain  them  now, 
they  would  likewise  expect  to  govern  them.  And  how  grievously 
would  this  entangle  us  !  4.  As  our  American  brethren  are  now  totally 

at  his  death,  was  of  great  advantage  to  him.  By  his  advice,  after  he  had  studied  some 
time  in  Holland,  he  applied  himself  to  the  study  of  the  law  ;  in  which  profession,  his  learn- 
ing and  diligence  made  him  soon  taken  notice  of.  In  the  two  last  parliaments  during  the 
reign  of  King  William,  and  in  five  parliaments  during  the  reign  of  Queen  Anne,  he  served 
as  Burgess  for  Beer  Alston  in  Devonshire.  In  1702,  he  published,  without  his  name,  the 
History  of  the  Apostles'  Creed,  with  critical  observations  on  its  several  articles  ;  which  is 
highly  esteemed.  In  1708,  he  was  chosen  Recorder  of  the  city  of  London  ;  and  in  1710, 
wa^  one  of  the  members  of  the  House  of  Commons  at  the  trial  of  Dr.  Sacheverell.  In 
1714,  he  was  appointed  Lord  Chief  Justice  of  the  Common  Pleas;  and  the  April  following 
was  made  one  of  the  Privy  Council.  In  1715,  he  was  created  a  Peer,  by  the  title  of  Lord 
King,  Baron  of  Ockham  in  Surry,  and  appointed  Lord  High  Chancellor  of  Great  Britain  ; 
in  which  post  he  continued  till  1733,  when  he  lesigned  ;  and  in  1734,  died  at  Ockham  in 
Surry.   See  Encyclop.  Brit. 


260 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


disentangled  both  from  the  State,  and  from  the  EngUsh  Hierarchy, 
we  dare  not  entangle  them  again,  either  with  the  one  or  the  other. 
They  are  now  at  full  liberty  simply  to  follow  the  Scriptures  and  the 
primitive  church.  And  we  judge  it  best,  that  they  should  stand  fast 
in  that  liberty,  wherewith  God  has  so  strangely  made  them  free. 

John  Wesley." 

Before  we  proceed  any  further,  let  us  pause  a  moment ;  and  inquire, 
how  far  the  general  position  laid  down  in  this  letter  as  the  ground  of 
Mr.  Wesley's  proceedings,  agrees  with  his  practice  of  ordination.  He 
tells  us,  "  Lord  King's  account  of  the  primitive  church  convinced  me 
many  years  ago,  that  bishops  and  presbyters  are  the  same  order,  and 
consequently  have  the  same  right  to  ordain."  But  if  this  were  even 
admitted,  would  it  justify  Mr.  W^esley's  practice  on  this  occasion?  I 
apprehend  not.  Let  us  suppose,  that  Mr.  Wesley  was  as  good  an 
ETciaxorro;  as  any  in  Europe ;  and  Dr.  Coke  a  regular  presbyter ;  the 
position  states  that  they  had  the  same  right  to  ordain.  According  to 
this  principle  then.  Dr.  Coke  had  the  same  right  to  ordain  Mr.  Wesley, 
that  Mr.  Wesley  had  to  ordain  Dr.  Coke !  and  consequently  the  doc- 
tor's ordination  was  null  and  void  to  all  intents  and  purposes :  or,  if 
the  doctor  received  any  right  to  ordain  others,  which  he  had  not 
before,  and  which  the  very  ceremony  of  ordination  implies,  then  Mr. 
Wesley's  general  position  as  the  ground  of  his  practice,  is  not  true. 
Thus  we  see,  that  Mr.  Wesley's  principle  and  practice  in  this  affair 
directly  oppose  each  other.  If  his  principle  was  true,  his  practice 
was  bad :  if  his  practice  was  good,  his  principle  was  false :  they  can- 
not both  stand  good  together.  It  is  painful  to  see  him  fall  into  such  a 
dilemma,  which  we  have  not  seen  before  in  the  whole  course  of  his 
life.  W^hen  he  began  the  practice  of  ordaining  to  the  ministry,  his 
brother,  Mr.  Charles,  exclaimed, 

"'Twas  age  that  made  the  breach,  not  he." 

And  if  we  add  to  this,  the  influence  others  had  over  him  in  this  affair, 
it  is  perhaps,  the  best  apology  that  can  be  made  for  his  conduct. 

In  this  business,  Dr.  Coke  has  reasoned  in  a  manner  much  more 
consistent  with  his  general  practice,  than  Mr.  Wesley  ;  which  has  not 
indeed  often  been  the  case,  and  is  therefore  the  more  worthy  of  notice. 
He  tells  Mr.  Wesley,  in  the  letter  above  transcribed,  "The  morel 
consider  the  subject,  the  more  expedient  it  appears  to  me,  that  the 
power  of  ordaining  others,  should  be  received  by  me  from  you,  by  the 
imposition  of  your  hands."  Among  other  reasons  for  this  expediency, 
are  the  following:  1.  "I  may  want  all  the  influence  in  America, 
you  can  throw  into  my  scale." — 2.  "An  authority  formally  received 
from  you,  will  be  fully  admitted  by  the  people."— And  3.  "  My  exer- 
cising the  office  of  ordination  without  that  formal  authority  may  be 
disputed."  Now  all  this  is  intelligible  and  clear;  and  I  am  confident 
these  reasons  would  have  satisfied  any  man  in  similar  circumstances. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   JOHN  WESLEY. 


261 


who  had  considered  ordination  as  a  mere  stalking  horse  to  gain  influ- 
ence and  dominion. 

Soon  after  the  ordination,  Dr.  Coke,  with  his  two  companions,  sailed 
for  America ;  where  they  arrived  in  time  to  meet  the  American  Con- 
ference held  at  Baltimore.  Here  the  doctor  opened  his  commission, 
and  consecrated  Mr.  Asbury  a  bishop,  and  gave  the  societies  formed 
by  the  preachers  on  that  continent,  a  new  name,  calling  them,  The 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  America."  He  preached  a  sermon  on 
this  occasion,  which  was  afterwards  printed,  and  in  which  he  labors 
to  defend  this  new  order  of  things.  He  begins  this  defence  by  the 
most  severe  censures  on  the  clergy,  and  on  the  English  Hierarchy. 
It  has  been  supposed  that  the  greatest  part  of  what  the  doctor  here 
published  as  his  own,  was  written  by  Mr.  Wesley.  But  I  shall  not 
easily  believe,  that  these  censures  proceeded  from  his  pen.  It  would 
answer  no  valuable  purpose  to  transcribe  them ;  but  it  may  to  observe 
the  very  striking  difference  between  the  proceedings  at  the  commence- 
ment of  Methodism,  and  the  practice  now  adopted — "We  are  not 
Seceders,"  says  Mr.  Wesley,  in  the  minutes  of  Conference,  "nor  do 
we  bear  any  resemblance  to  them.  We  set  out  upon  quite  opposite 
principles.  The  Seceders  laid  the  very  foundation  of  their  work,  in 
judging  and  condemning  others  :  we  laid  the  foundation  of  our  work, 
in  judging  and  condemning  ourselves.  They  begin  every  where,  with 
showing  their  hearers,  how  fallen  the  church  and  ministers  are :  we 
begin  every  where,  with  showing  our  hearers,  how  fallen  they  are 
themselves." — Dr.  Coke,  in  laying  the  foundation  of  his  new  church 
in  America,  adopted  the  principles  and  practice,  in  this  respect,  of  the 
Seceders,  and  quitted  those  of  the  old  Methodists.  He  tells  Mr.  Wes- 
ley, some  time  after,  in  a  letter  from  Ireland,  that  he  would  as  soon 
commit  adultery  as  preach  publicly  against  the  church.  But  I  must 
say  this  of  the  doctor,  that,  with  respect  to  adultery  I  think  him  very 
innocent,  but  in  bringing  railing  accusations  against  others,  I  think 
him  very  guilty.  And  it  is  very  probable,  that  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church  now  forming  in  England,  will  have  the  same  foundation 
as  it  had  in  America :  the  founders  of  it  begin  with  judging  and  con- 
demning others  who  dissent  from  them,  and  exalting  themselves : 
some  very  glaring  instances  of  which  have  already  appeared.  I  leave 
others  to  judge  of  the  consequences. 

Dr.  Coke,  in  his  ordination  sermon,  and  also  in  his  congratulatory 
Address  to  general  Washington,  gives  us  to  understand  how  much  he 
is  enraptured  with  the  American  Constitution ;  so  far  that  he  thinks 
it  is  fit  to  be  an  exemplar  to  all  other  nations. — But  I  leave  the  doc- 
tor's politics,  to  consider  the  defence  he  gives  us  of  his  new  scheme 
of  ordination. 

"  But  what  right  have  you  to  ordain  7"  To  this  question  the  doc- 
tor answers,  "  The  same  right  as  most  of  the  reformed  churches  in 
Christendom  :  our  ordination  in  its  lowest  view,  being  equal  to  any  of 


262 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


the  Presbyterian,  as  originating  with  three  presbyters  of  the  Church 
of  England." 

It  is  possible  the  doctor  might  believe  himself,  when  he  wrote  this 
sentence.  But  is  it  true,  that  the  presence  of  three  presbyters  in  a 
private  chamber,  is  the  only  requisite  essentially  necessary  to  give 
validity  to  an  ordination  among  the  Presbyterians?  I  apprehend 
not.  Nor  do  I  know  any  denomination  of  Dissenters,  among  whom 
such  a  secret  ordination  would  be  deemed  valid. 

But  what  right  have  you  to  exercise  the  episcopal  office?  "  To 
this  the  doctor  answers,  To  me  the  most  manifest  and  clear.  God 
has  been  pleased,  by  Mr.  Wesley,  to  raise  up  in  ximerica  and  Europe, 
a  numerous  society  well  known  by  the  name  of  Methodists.  The 
whole  body  have  invariably  esteemed  this  man  as  their  chief  pastor 
under  Christ.  He  has  always  appointed  their  religious  officers  from 
the  highest  to  the  lowest,  by  himself  or  his  delegate.  And  wears 
fully  persuaded,  there  is  no  church-office  which  he  judges  expedient 
for  the  welfare  of  the  people  intrusted  to  his  charge,  but,  as  essential 
to  his  station,  he  has  a  power  to  ordain.  After  long  deliberation,  he 
saw  it  his  duty  to  form  his  society  in  America  into  an  independent 
church ;  but  he  loved  the  most  excellent  liturgy  of  the  Church  of 
England ;  he  loved  its  rites  and  ceremonies,  and  therefore  adopted 
them  in  most  instances  in  the  present  case." 

It  is  not  easy  to  make  observations  on  an  argument  like  this,  with- 
out falling  into  levity  on  the  one  hand ;  or  too  great  severity  on  the 
other.  Brevity,  therefore,  will  be  the  best  security.  The  doctor 
states  the  matter  thus,  "  He  (Mr.  Wesley)  has  always  appointed  the 
religious  officers  from  the  highest  to  the  lowest  (among  the  Metho- 
dists) by  himself  or  his  delegate  :  and  we  are  fully  persuaded,  there 
is  no  church-office  which  he  judges  expedient  for  the  people,  but  as 
essential  to  his  station  he  has  power  to  ordain." — Now,  if  these  words 
contain  anything  like  an  argument,  they  must  mean,  that  the  officers 
whom  Mr.  Wesley  had  always  appointed,  were  church-officers ;  and 
consequently,  that  his  societies  were  churches.  If  this  be  not  the 
meaning,  then  the  words  which  go  before,  have  no  immediate  connex- 
ion with  the  conclusion  drawn  from  them.  The  premises  and  the 
conclusion,  would  speak  of  two  things  totally  different,  and  therefore 
the  one  could  not  be  inferred  from  the  other.  But  the  minutes  of 
Conference,  and  Mr.  Wesley's  other  writings  testify  in  the  most  express 
manner,  that  the  Methodist  societies  were  not  churches :  that  the  ap- 
pointments and  rules  he  made,  were  nothing  more  than  prudential 
regulations,  which  he  often  changed  as  circumstances  altered.  It 
cannot,  therefore,  be  argued,  that  because  Mr.  Wesley  had  always 
exercised  the  power  of  making  prudential  regulations  for  the  govern- 
ment of  his  societies,  he  had  a  right  to  ordain  any  church-office  he 
might  judge  expedient ;  which  is  a  thing  quite  different  from  what  he 
had  hitherto  attempted  to  do ;  and  consequently  no  right  to  do  it,  could 
arise  out  of  his  former  practice. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


263 


But  there  is  another  view  of  this  argument,  which  makes  it  appear 
still  more  absurd.  Whatever  power  Mr.  Wesley  had  always  exercised 
over  the  Methodist  societies,  it  was  no  proof  of  his  right.  Power  and 
right  are  two  things.  Power  does  not  imply  right:  otherwise,  the 
power  of  speech  would  imply  a  right  to  speak  treason :  the  power  of 
deceiving,  and  robbing,  would  imply  a  right  so  to  do !  Whatever 
right,  therefore,  Mr.  Wesley  might  have  for  making  prudential  regu- 
lations for  the  societies,  it  cannot  be  proved  from  his  power.  But  Dr. 
Coke  here  brings  forward  Mr.  Wesley's  power,  and  his-  former  prac- 
tice in  the  exercise  of  it,  as  a  proof  that  he  has  a  right  to  do  what  he 
may  think  expedient  for  the  good  of  the  people.  Now,  if  a  man  in 
common  life  were  to  plead  his  former  practice  as  a  proof  that  he  had 
a  right  to  do  what  he  might  judge  expedient  in  future,  and  should 
act  upon  this  principle,  I  suppose  he  would  soon  be  sent  to  Bedlam  or 
to  Newgate. 

I  shall  only  take  notice  of  one  article  more  in  the  doctor's  sermon. 
"  Besides,"  says  he,  "  in  addition  to  this,  we  have  every  qualification 
for  an  Episcopal  church,  which  that  of  Alexandria,  a  church  of  no 
small  note  in  the  primitive  times,  possessed  for  two  hundred  years. — 
Our  bishops  or  superintendents,  as  we  rather  call  them,  having  been 
elected,  or  received  by  the  suffrage  of  the  whole  body  of  our  ministers 
through  the  continent,  assembled  in  general  Conference." 

Now  the  truth  of  the  fact  is  this ;  that  the  ordinations  among  the 
Methodists,  bear  no  resemblance  to  the  ordinations  in  any  primitive 
church  ;  either  that  of  Alexandria,  or  any  other,  when  deemed  regular. 
Lord  King,  on  whose  authority  Mr.  Wesley  seems  to  rest  his  cause, 
tells  us,  At  the  ordinations  of  the  clergy,  the  whole  body  of  the 
people  were  present.  So  an  African  Synod,  held  258,  determined, 
'  That  the  ordination  of  ministers  ought  to  be  done  with  the  knowl- 
edge, and  in  the  presence  of  the  people;  that  the  people  being  present, 
either  the  crimes  of  the  wicked  may  be  detected,  or  the  merits  of  the 
good  declared ;  and  so  the  ordination  may  be  just  and  lawful,  being 
approved  by  the  suffrage  of  all.'  "^  To  the  same  purpose  speaks 
Clemens  Romcmiis  ;  an  Apostolic  man,  who  having  been  acquainted 
with  the  Apostles  themselves,  knew  their  customs  in  all  the  churches. 
He  shows  us  in  his  first  epistle  to  the  Corinthians,  that  the  custom 

was  to  ordain,  avvfvdoxTjOuaTjg  Titg  exxlt]aiag  naarjc,  with  the  COUSeut  of 

the  whole  church.  So  Origen  says,  in  his  8th  Homily  on  Leviticus, 
requiri  in  ordinando  sacerdote^  prcesentiam  poptdi  ;f  in  ordaining  a 
minister  the  presence  of  the  people  is  necessary."  The  testimonies  of 
the  ancient  writers  on  this  head  are  very  numerous,  and  might  easily 

*  The  words  of  Cyprian  are,  "  Ordinationes  Sacerdotales,  non  nisi  sub  populi  assistentis 
conscientia  fieri  oportere,  ut  plebe  praesente,  vel  detegantur  malorum  crimina,  vel  bonorum 
merita  prsedicentur,  el  sit  ordinatio  justa  et  legitima,  quae  omnium  suffragio  et  judicio 
fuerit  examinata."    Thus  quoted  by  Lord  King,  p.  24,  edit.  1713, 

f  See  the  note  on  the  passage  of  Clemens  Rom.  above  mentioned,  in  Le  Clerc's  edition 
<rf  Cotelerius,  tom.  i.  page  173. 


264 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


be  produced,  but  the  authorities  already  mentioned  will  hardly  be 
disputed.  It  is  indeed  evident  from  the  Apostolical  Constitutions,  lib. 
8,  cap.  4,  and  other  ancient  testimonies,  that  in  the  first  ages  of  the 
church,  the  people  generally  chose  their  own  ministers ;  and  in  every 
case  of  an  election,  their  consent  and  approbation  was.  essentially 
necessary.  And  this  practice  continued,  even  at  Rome,  in  the  elec- 
tion of  a  pope  till  the  beginning  of  the  twelfth  century,  when  Inno- 
cent II.  changed  the  ancient  custom  ;  though  I  cannot  think  him  quite 
innocent  in  so  doing. 

In  direct  opposition  to  the  practice  of  the  primitive  church,  the 
ordinations  among  the  Methodists  were  performed  in  secret.  The 
people  were  not  assembled:  they  were  not  consulted  ;  nor  even  so  much 
as  acquainted  that  ministers  were  to  be  ordained  among  the  Metho- 
dists as  their  proper  pastors.  The  whole  was  performed  by  an 
arbitrary  power,  in  the  exercise  of  which,  no  regard  was  had  to  the 
rights  of  the  people,  as  having  either  judgment  or  choice  in  the  mat- 
ter.— But  Dr.  Coke  tells  us,  they  have  the  same  qualifications  for  an 
Episcopal  Church,  which  the  Church  of  Alexandria  possessed.  "  Our 
bishops,"  says  he,  "having  been  elected,  or  received,  by  the  suffrage 
of  the  whole  body  of  our  ministers  through  the  continent,  assembled 
in  general  Conference." — There  were  but  two  bishops,  so  called,  Dr. 
Coke  and  Mr.  Asbury.  The  doctor  was  ordained  (or  consecrated,  if 
the  reader  choose)  secretly  in  England,  and  received  orders  to  ordain 
Mr.  Asbury  in  America.  Now  these  surely  were  not  elected,  in  any 
sense  whatever,  either  by  the  preachers  or  people.  But,  "  They  were 
elected  or  received." — When  a  writer  thus  links  words  together  of 
different  import,  as  though  the  meaning  amounted  to  the  same  thing, 
we  have  just  cause  to  suspect  that  he  intends  to  deceive  us,  and  lead 
us  into  a  false  notion  of  the  subject  he  is  discussing.  Received  perhaps 
they  might  be.  under  a  system  of  arbitrary  government,  which  leaves 
no  alternative  to  the  people,  nor  to  many  of  the  preachers,  but  that 
of  passive  obedience,  or  to  go  about  their  business  and  quit  the  con- 
nexion. But  their  being  received  in  any  way,  is  nothing  to  the  point 
in  hand.  It  is  indeed  manifest,  that  this  whole  affair,  from  first  to 
last,  bears  no  resemblance  to  the  mode  of  electing  and  ordaining  min- 
isters in  the  purer  ages  of  the  primitive  church. 

As  ordination  among  the  Methodists  forms  a  remarkable  era  in 
their  history,  it  deserves  to  be  fully  examined,  as  to  its  validity  and 
propriety.  But  before  we  proceed  any  further,  let  us  see  Avhat  Mr. 
Charles  Wesley  has  said  on  the  subject.  In  his  letter  to  Dr.  Chand- 
ler.=^  in  the  beginning  of  the  year  17S.5,  he  says,  "I  can  scarcely  yet 
believe  it,  that  in  his  eighty-second  year,  my  brother,  my  old  intimate 
friend  and  companion,  should  have  assumed  the  Episcopal  character  : 
ordained  elders,  consecrated  a  bishop,  and  sent  him  over  to  ordain  our 

*  One  of  the  American  bishops,  ordained  in  England. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


265 


lay-preachers  in  America  !  I  was  then  in  Bristol,  at  his  elbow :  yet 
he  never  gave  me  the  least  hint  of  his  intention.  How  was  he  sur- 
prized into  so  rash  an  action?  He  certainly  persuaded  himself  that 
it  was  right. 

"  Lord  Mansfield  told  me  last  year,  that  ordination  was  separation. 
This  my  brother  does  not,  and  will  not  see  :  or,  that  he  has  renounced 
the  principles,  and  practice  of  his  whole  life;  that  he  has  acted  con- 
trary to  all  his  declarations,  protestations,  and  writings ;  robbed  his 
friends  of  their  boastings;  realized  the  Nag's-head  ordination;  and 
left  an  indelible  blot  on  his  name,  as  long  as  it  shall  be  remembered. 

In  August,  Mr.  Charles  took  courage,  and  wrote  to  his  brother  on 
the  subject.  "  I  have  been  reading,"  says  he,  "  over  again  and  again, 
your  reasons  against  a  separation — and  entreat  you  in  the  name  of 
God,  and  for  Christ's  sake,  to  read  them  again  yourself  with  previous 
prayer ;  and  stop,  and  proceed  no  further  till  you  receive  an  answer 
to  your  inquiry,  'Lord,  what  Avouldest  Thou  have  me  to  do?' — 
Every  word  of  your  eleven  pages  deserves  the  deepest  consideration: 
not  to  mention  my  testimony  and  hymns.  Only  the  seventh,  I  could 
wish  you  to  read — as  a  prophecy,  which  I  pray  God  may  never  come 
to  pass. 

"  Near  thirty  3-ears  since  then,  you  have  stood  against  the  impor- 
tunate solicitations  of  your  preachers,  who  have  scarcely  at  last 
prevailed.  I  was  your  natural  ally,  and  your  faithful  friend  :  and  while 
you  continued  faithful  to  yourself  we  two  could  chase  a  thousand.  If 
they  hadnot  divided  us,  they  could  never  have  overcome  you.  But  when 
once  you  began  ordaining  for  America,  I  knew,  and  you  knew,  that 
your  preachers  here  would  never  rest,  till  you  ordained  them.  You 
told  me,  '  They  would  separate  by  and  by.'  The  doctor  tells  us  the 
same.  His  '  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  at  Baltimore,'  was  intended 
to  beget  a  '  Methodist  Episcopal  Church '  here.  You  know  he  comes 
armed  with  your  authority  to  make  us  all  Dissenters.  One  of  your 
sons  assured  me,  that  not  a  preacher  in  London  would  refuse 
orders  from  the  doctor.  It  is  evident,  that  all  seek  their  own,  and 
prefer  their  own  interest  to  your  honor ;  which  not  one  of  them  scru- 
ples to  sacrifice,  to  his  own  ambition.  Alas !  what  trouble  are  you 
preparing  for  yourself,  as  well  as  for  me,  and  for  your  oldest,  and? 
truest,  and  best  friends!  Before  you  have  quite  broken  down  the 
bridge,  stop,  and  consider  !  If  your  sons  have  no  regard  for  you, 
have  some  regard  for  yourself.  Go  to  your  grave  in  peace;  at  least 
suffer  me  to  go  first,  before  this  ruin  be  under  your  hand.  So  much, 
I  think,  you  owe  to  my  father,  to  my  brother,  and  to  me,  as  to  stay 
till  I  am  taken  from  the  evil.  I  am  on  the  brink  of  the  grave,  do  not 
push  me  in  ;  or  imbitter  my  last  moments.  Let  us  not  leave  an  indel- 
ible blot  upon  our  memory,  but  let  us  leave  behind  us,  the  name  and 
character  of  honest  men." 

Mr.  John  Wesley  immediately  answered  his  brother's  letter.  .  The 
VOL.  iL  23  34 


266 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


answer  is  dated  Plymouth,^  August  19;  in  which  he  says,  I  will 
tell  you  my  thoughts  with  all  simplicity,  and  wait  for  better  informa- 
tion. If  you  agree  with  me,  well :  if  not,  we  can,  as  Mr.  Whitefield 
used  to  say,  agree  to  disagree. 

"  For  these  forty  years  I  have  been  in  doubt  concerning  that  ques- 
tion, 'What  obedience  is  due  to  heathenish  priests,  and  mitred  infi- 
dels.' I  have  from  time  to  time  proposed  my  doubts  to  the  most 
pious  and  sensible  clergymen  I  knew.  But  they  gave  me  no  satisfac- 
tion :  rather  they  seemed  to  be  puzzled  as  well  as  me.  Some  obedi- 
ence I  always  paid  to  the  bishops,  in  obedience  to  the  laws  of  the 
land.  But  I  cannot  see,  that  I  am  under  any  obligation  to  obey  them, 
further  than  those  laws  require. 

It  is  in  obedience  to  those  laws,  that  I  have  never  exercised  in 
England,  the  power  which  I  believe  God  has  given  me.  I  firmly 
believe,  I  am  a  scriptural  Enlaxonog,  as  much  as  any  man  in  England, 
or  in  Europe :  for  the  uninterrupted  succession,  I  know  to  be  a  fable, 
which  no  man  ever  did  or  can  prove.  But  this  does  in  no  wise  inter- 
fere with  my  remaining  in  the  Church  of  England  :  from  which  I 
have  no  more  desire  to  separate,  than  I  had  fifty  years  ago.  I  still 
attend  all  the  ordinances  of  the  church,  at  all  opportunities.  And  I 
constantly  and  earnestly  desire  all  that  are  connected  with  me,  so  to 
do.  When  Mr.  Smyth  pressed  us  to  'separate  from  the  church,'  he 
meant,  go  to  church  no  more.  And  this  was  what  I  meant  seven  and 
twenty  years  ago,  when  I  persuaded  our  brethren,  'not  to  separate 
from  the  church.'  But  here  another  question  occurs,  'What  is  the 
Church  of  England?'  It  is  not  all  the  people  of  England.  Papists 
and  Dissenters  are  no  part  thereof.  It  is  not  all  the  people  of  Eng- 
land, except  Papists  and  Dissenters.  Then  we  should  have  a  glori- 
ous church  indeed?  'No:  according  to  our  twentieth  Article,  a  par- 
ticular church  is,  a  congregatiqn  of  faithful  people  {Coetiis  credentium^ 
the  words  of  our  Latin  edition)  among  whom  the  word  of  God  is 
preached,  and  the  sacraments  duly  administered.'  Here  is  a  true 
logical  definition,  containing  both  the  essence  and  the  properties  of  a 
church.  What  then,  according  to  this  definition,  is  the  Church  of 
England?  Does  it  mean,  'all  the  believers  in  England  (except 
Papists  and  Dissenters)  who  have  the  word  of  God,  and  the  sacra- 
ments duly  administered  among  them  ? '  I  fear  this  does  not  come  up 
to  your  idea  of  the  Church  of  England.  Well,  what  more  do  you 
include  in  that  phrase  ?  '  Why,  all  the  believers  that  adhere  to  the 
doctrine  and  discipline  established  by  the  convocation  under  Queen 
Elizabeth.'  Nay,  that  discipline  is  well  nigh  vanished  away,  and 
the  doctrine  both  you  and  I  adhere  to. 

"All  those  reasons,  against  a  separation  from  the  church  in  this 
sense,  I  subscribe  to  still.    What  then  are  you  frightened  at?   I  no 

*  The  printed  copy  of  this  letter  is  dated  Plymouth  Dock.  Arminian  Mag.  vol.  ix. 
page  50. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY.  2§f 

more  separate  from  it  now,  than  I  did  in  the  year  1758.  I  submit 
still,  though  sometimes  with  a  doubting  conscience,  to  mitred  infidels. 
I  do  indeed  vary  from  them  in  some  points  of  doctrine,  and  in  some 
points  of  discipline :  by  preaching  abroad,  for  instance,  by  praying 
extempore,  and  by  forming  societies.  Bnt  not  a  hair's  breadth  fur- 
ther than  I  believe  to  be  meet,  right,  and  my  bounden  duty.  T  walk 
still  by  the  same  rule  I  have  done  for  between  forty  and  fifty  years. 
I  do  nothing  rashly.  It  is  not  likely  I  should.  The  high-day  of  my 
blood  is  over.  If  you  will  go  hand  in  hand  with  me,  do.  But  do 
not  hinder  me,  if  you  will  not  help.  Perhaps,  if  you  had  kept  close 
to  me,  I  might  have  done  better.  However,  with  or  without  help  I 
creep  on.    And  as  I  have  been  hitherto,  so  I  trust  I  shall  always  be, 

Your  aff'ectionate  friend  and  brother." 

In  September  Mr.  Charles  Wesley  replied  to  his  brother's  letter. 
''I  will  tell  you  my  thoughts,"  says  he,  "with  the  same  simplicity. 
There  is  no  danger  of  our  quarrelling,  for  the  second  blow  makes 
the  quarrel ;  and  you  are  the  last  man  upon  earth  I  would  wish  to 
quarrel  with.  That  juvenile  line  of  mine,  '  Heathenish  priests  and 
mitred  infidels,'  I  disown,  renounce,  and  with  shame  recant.  I  never 
knew  of  more  than  one  mitred  infidel;  and  for  him  I  took  Mr.  Law's 
word. 

"I  do  not  understand  what  -'obedience  to  the  bishops'  you  dread. 
They  have  let  us  alone,  and  left  us  to  act  just  as  we  pleased  for  these 
fifty  years.  At  present,  some  of  them  are  quite  friendly  towards  us, 
particularly  towards  you.  The  churches  are  all  open  to  you :  and 
never  could  there  be  less  pretence  for  a  separation. 

"  That  you  are  a  scriptural  Emaxonog,  or  overseer,  I  do  not  dispute. 
And  so  is  every  minister  who  has  the  cure  of  souls.  Neither  need 
we  dispute  whether  the  uninterrupted  succession  be  a  fable,  as  you 
believe,  or  real,  as  I  believe?  or  whether  lord  King  be  right  or  wrong? 
Your  definition  of  the  Church  of  England,  is  the  same  in  prose,  with 
mine  in  verse. — You  write,  'AH  those  reasons  against  a  separation 
from  the  church,  I  subscribe  to  still.  What  then  are  you  frightened 
at?  I  no  more  separate  from  it,  than  I  did  in  the  year  1758.  I  sub- 
mit still  to  its  bishops.  I  do  indeed  vary  from  them  in  some  points 
of  discipline,  by  preaching  abroad,  by  praying  extempore,  and  by 
forming  societies,  (might  you  not  add,  and  by  ordaining?)  I  still 
walk  by  the  same  rule  I  have  done  for  between  forty  and  fifty  years. 
I  do  nothing  rashly.' — If  I  could  prove  your  actual  separation,  I 
would  not ;  neither  wish  to  see  it  proved  by  any  other.  But  do  you 
not  allow,  that  the  doctor  has  separated?  Do  you  not  know  and 
approve  of  his  avowed  design  and  resolution,  to  get  all  the  Metho- 
dists in  the  three  kingdoms,  formed  into  a  distinct  compact  body,  a 
new  Episcopal  church  of  his  own?  Have  you  seen  his  ordination 
sermon  ?    Is  the  high-day  of  his  blood  over  ?    Does  he  do  nothing 


268 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


rashly  7  Have  you  not  made  yourself  the  author  of  all  his  actions? 
I  need  not  remind  you,  Q^^^  fac'it  per  alium,  facit  per  se. 

"I  must  not  leave  unanswered  your  surprizing  question,  'What 
then  are  you  frightened  at 7'  At  the  doctor's  rashness;  and  your 
supporting  him  in  his  ambitious  pursuits — at  an  approaching  schism, 
as  causeless  and  unprovoked  as  the  American  rebellion — at  your  own 
eternal  disgrace,  and  all  those  frightful  evils  which  your  reasons 
describe. — 'If  you  will  go  hand  in  hand  with  me,  do' — I  do  go,  or 
rather  creep  on  in  the  old  way  in  which  we  set  out,  and  trust  to  con- 
tinue in  it  till  I  finish  my  course. — '  Perliaps,  if  you  had  kept  close  to 
me  I  might  have  done  better' — When  you  took  that  fatal  step  at 
Bristol,  I  kept  as  close  to  you  as  close  could  be ;  for  I  was  all  the  time 
at  your  elbow.  You  might  certainly  have  done  better,  if  you  had 
taken  me  in  to  be  one  of  your  council. 

"I  thank  you,  for  your  intention  to  remain  my  friend.  Herein  my 
heart  is,  as  your  heart.  Whom  God  hath  joined,  let  not  man  put 
asunder.  We  have  taken  each  other  for  better  for  worse,  till  death 
do  us — part  ?  no  :  but  eternally  unite.  Therefore,  in  the  love  which 
never  faileth,  I  am, 

Your  affectionate  friend  and  brother, 

C.  Wesley." 

Mr.  Charles  Wesley  has  spoken  chiefly  of  the  impropriety  of  the 
step  his  brother  had  taken  in  ordaining  Dr.  Coke  and  others  in  the 
character  of  a  bishop :  but  it  will  be  proper  to  make  an  observation 
or  two,  on  the  validity  of  his  proceeding.  The  general  position  he 
lays  down  in  justification  of  what  he  had  done,  is,  that  "l^ishops 
and  presbyters  were  the  same  order,  and  had  the  same  right  to 
ordain."  Upon  this  principle  he  ordained,  or  consecrated  Dr.  Coke. 
Now,  the  very  act  of  ordaining  implies  a  superior  right,  or  a  superior 
authority.  If  it  be  allowed,  that  Mr.  Wesley  had  a  superior  right  to 
ordain  the  doctor,  then  the  general  position  is  false:  if  it  be  said,  he 
had  a  superior  authority,  but  no  superior  right,  then  it  will  follow 
that  Mr.  Wesley  exercised  superior  authority  without  any  right  so  to 
do;  which  is  the  very  thing  for  which  he  is  blamed.  In  both  cases 
the  ordination  must  be  void,  and  of  no  effect. — But  according  to  lord 
King,  the  general  position  is  not  strictly  or  universally  true.  From 
a  comparison  of  various  testimonies  of  ancient  church  writers,  he 
draws  this  conclusion,  That  the  presbyters  were  different  from  the 
bishops  in  gradu^  or  in  degree:  but  they  v/ere  equal  to  them  in 
ordine^  or,  in  order."  ^  He  tells  us,  that  a  bishop  was  the  proper 
pastor  or  incumbent  of  the  church  over  which  he  presided;  and  that 
the  presbyters  in  that  church  were  only  his  assistants  or  curates,  and 
therefore  could  do  nothing  in  his  church  without  his  direction  or  per- 
mission— but  whatever  superiority  a  bishop  had  over  the  presbyters 
of  his  own  church,  it  was  solemnly  and  publicly  conferred  upon  him, 

*  Enquiry  into  the  Constitution,  &:c.  of  the  Primitive  Church,  page  54,  et  sequent. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  llEV.  JOHN  WESLEY.  269 

by  the  general  suffrage  of  the  presbyters  and  people  over  whom  he 
was  to  preside.  I  suppose,  if  any  presbyter  had  assumed  the  Epis- 
copal character  and  authority  without  such  choice  and  public  ordina- 
tion to  his  office,  he  would  have  been  excommunicated  by  the  other 
churches.  But  Mr.  Wesley  was  never  publicly  elected  by  any  pres- 
byters and  people  to  the  office  of  a  bishop ;  nor  ever  consecrated  to 
it :  which  made  his  brother  Charles  say, 

"  So  easily  are  Bishops  made, 
By  man's  or  woman's  whim ; 
Wesley  his  hands  on  Coke  hath  laid, 
But  who  laid  hands  on  him  ? " 

The  answer  is,  nobody.  His  Episcopal  authority,  was  a  mere  gra- 
tuitous assumption  of  power  to  himself,  contrary  to  the  usage  of 
every  church,  ancient  or  modern,  where  the  order  of  bishops  has  been 
admitted.  There  is  no  precedent  either  in  the  New  Testament,  or  in 
church-history,  that  can  justify  his  proceeding  in  this  affair.  And 
as  Mr.  Wesley  had  received  no  right  to  exercise  Episcopal  authority, 
either  from  any  bishops,  presbyters,  or  people,  he  certainly  could  not 
convey  any  right  to  others :  his  ordinations  therefore,  are  spurious, 
and  of  no  validity. 

Nor  can  Mr.  Wesley's  practice  of  ordaining  be  justified  by  those 
reasons  which  Presbyterians  adduce  in  favor  of  their  own  method  of 
ordaining  to  the  ministry :  for  Mr.  Wesley  ordained,  not  as  a  presby- 
ter, but  as  a  bishop  !  his  ordinations  therefore  were  not  Presbyterian, 
nor  will  the  arguments  for  Presbyterian  ordination  apply  to  them. 

Let  us  review  the  arguments  on  this  subject,  reduced  to  a  few 
propositions :  1.  Mr.  Wesley,  in  ordaining  or  consecrating  Dr.  Coke  a 
bishop,  acted  in  direct  contradiction  to  the  principle  on  which  he 
attempts  to  defend  his  practice  of  ordaining  at  all.  2.  As  Mr.  Wes- 
ley was  never  elected  or  chosen  by  any  church  to  be  a  bishop,  nor 
ever  consecrated  to  the  office,  either  by  bishops  or  presbyters,  he  had 
not  the  shadow  of  right  to  exercise  Episcopal  authority  in  ordaining 
others,  according  to  the  rules  of  any  church,  ancient  or  modern.  3. 
Had  he  possessed  the  proper  right  to  ordain,  either  as  a  bishop  or 
presbyter  (though  he  never  did  ordain  as  a  presbyter)  yet  his  ordina- 
tions being  done  in  secret,  were  rendered  thereby  invalid  and  of  no 
effect,  according  to  the  established  order  of  the  primitive  church,  and 
of  all  Protestant  churches.  4.  The  consequence  from  the  whole  is,  that 
the  persons  whom  Mr.  Wesley  ordained,  have  no  more  right  to  exer- 
cise the  ministerial  functions  than  they  had  before  he  laid  hands  upon 
them. 

A  scheme  of  ordination  so  full  of  confusion  and  absurdity,  as  that 
among  the  Methodists,  can  surely  never  filiate  itself  on  Mr.  Wesley : 
it  must  have  proceeded  from  some  mere  chaotic  brain,  where  wild  confu- 
sion reigns.   Nor  can  I  easily  believe,  that  Mr.  Wesley  would  ever  have 
23* 


270 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   JOHN  WESLEY. 


adopted  so  mis-shapen  a  brat,  had  not  his  clear  perception  of  things 
been  rendered  feeble  and  dim,  by  flattery,  persuasion,  and  age. 

But  I  willingly  quit  a  subject  which  is  very  unpleasant;  and  most 
sincerely  wish,  that  both  the  practice  of  ordaining  among  the  Metho- 
dists, and  the  memory  of  it  were  buried  in  oblivion.  And  were  the 
practice,  which  in  my  view  of  it  is  pregnant  with  mischief,  totally  to 
cease,  never  to  be  revived,  I  would  tear  the  memory  of  it  from  these 
pages,  as  soon  as  they  are  printed. 

The  following  letter  written  to  a  travelling  preacher  in  December, 
1786,  may  show  us  Mr.  Wesley's  fatherly  care  over  the  preachers; 
and  at  the  same  time  give  us  an  example  of  his  delicate  manner  of 
conveying  reproof  where  he  saw  it  necessary.  This  delicacy  will 
appear  the  more  honorable  to  him  when  we  consider,  that  he  was  in 
the  eighty-fourth  year  of  his  age :  a  period  when  those  who  arrive  at 
it,  commonly  lose  the  delicate  attention  to  the  feelings  of  others, 
which  they  possessed  in  middle  life ;  and  become  authoritative  and 
morose.  This  indeed  is  very  natural,  and  arises,  perhaps,  from  the 
difl!erence  of  their  situations.  A  man  of  eighty-four,  often  finds,  that 
he  is  considered  as  a  piece  of  old  worn-out  furniture,  thrown  by  as 
useless,  and  feels  his  own  personal  happiness  very  little  connected 
with  the  opinions  or  affairs  of  mankind :  whereas,  a  man  in  the 
midst  of  life  finds,  that  the  delicate  attention  he  pays  to  the  feelings 
of  others,  is  daily  reflected  back  upon  him  in  a  thousand  ways,  and 
contributes  largely  to  an  increase  of  his  personal  happiness.  Mr.  Wes- 
ley did  not  labor  under  this  infirmity  of  old  age. — "Dear  S — says 
he,  "you  know  I  love  you  :  ever  since  I  knew  you,  I  have  neglected 
no  way  of  showing  it,  that  was  in  my  power.  And  you  know  I 
esteem  you  for  your  zeal  and  activity,  for  your  love  of  discipline, 
and  for  your  gifts  Avhich  God  has  given  you:  particularly,  quick- 
ness of  apprehension,  and  readiness  of  utterance,  especially  in  preach- 
ing and  prayer. 

"  Therefore  I  am  jealous  over  you,  lest  you  should  lose  any  of  the 
things  you  have  gained,  and  not  receive  a  full  reward  :  and  the  more 
so,  because  I  fear  you  are  wanting  in  other  respects.  And  who  will 
venture  to  tell  you  so?  You  Avill  scarce  know  how  to  bear  it  from 
me.  unless  you  lift  up  your  heart  to  God.  If  you  do  this,  I  may  ven- 
ture to  tell  you  what  I  fear,  without  any  further  preface.  I  fear  you 
think  of  yourself  more  highly  than  you  ought  to  think.  Do  you  not 
think  too  highly  of  your  own  understanding?  of  your  gifts?  partic- 
ularly in  preaching,  as  if  you  were  the  very  best  preacher  in  the 
connexion  ?  of  your  own  importance  ?  as  if  the  work  of  God  here 
or  there,  depended  wholly  or  mainly  on  you  ?  and  of  your  popular- 
ity ?  which  I  have  found  to  my  surprise  far  less,  even  in  L  ,  than 

I  expected. 

"  May  not  this  be  much  owing  to  3"our  want  of  brotherly  love  ? 
With  what  measure  ^^ou  mete,  men  will  measure  to  you  again.  I 


THE  LIFK  OF  THE  REV.   JOHN  WESLEY.  27^ 
• 

fear  there  is  something  unloving  in  your  spirit:  sometliing  not  only 
of  roughness,  but  of  harshness,  yea  of  sourness !  Are  you  not  like- 
wise extremely  open  to  prejudice,  and  not  easy  to  be  cured  of  it?  So 
that  whenever  you  are  prejudiced,  you  commence  bitter,  implacable, 
unmerciful]  If  so,  that  people  are  prejudiced  against  you,  is  both 
the  natural  and  judicial  consequence. 

"  1  am  afraid  lest  your  want  of  love  to  your  neighbors,  should 
spring  from  your  Avant  of  love  to  God  :  from  want  of  thankfulness.  I 
have  sometimes  heard  you  speak,  in  a  manner  that  made  me  tremble : 
indeed,  in  terms  that  not  only  a  weak  Christian,  but  even  a  serious 
Deist  would  scruple  to  use. 

"I  fear,  you  greatly  want  evenness  of  temper.  Are  you  not  gen- 
erally too  high,  or  too  low?  Are  not  all  your  passions  too  lively? 
your  anger  in  particular?  Is  it  not  too  soon  raised:  and  is  it  not 
often  too  impetuous  ?  causing  you  to  be  violent,  boisterous — bearing 
down  all  before  you  ? 

"Now — lift  up  your  heart  to  God,  or  you  will  be  angry  at  me. 
But  I  must  go  a  little  farther.  I  fear  you  are  greatly  wanting  in  the 
government  of  your  tongue.  You  are  not  exact  in  relating  facts.  I 
have  observed  it  myself  You  are  apt  to  amplify  :  to  enlarge  a  little 
beyond  ihe  truth.  You  cannot  imagine,  if  others  observe  this,  how 
it  will  affect  your  reputation. 

"  But  I  fear  you  are  more  wanting  in  another  respect.  That  you 
give  a  loose  to  your  tongue  when  you  are  angry  :  that  your  language 
then,  is  not  only  sharp,  but  coarse,  and  ill-bred — If  this  be  so,  the 
people  will  not  bear  it.  They  will  not  take  it  either  from  you,  or 
me,"  &.C. 

Mr.  Wesley,  notwithstanding  his  advanced  age,  continued  his  jour- 
nies  and  labors  with  the  same  punctuality,  though  not  perhaps  with 
the  same  vigor  as  usual.  He  still  rose  at  four  in  the  morning,  and 
apportioned  his  employments  to  the  different  parts  of  the  day.  It 
was  a  fixed  practical  rule  with  him,  which  he  observed  to  the  very 
end  of  life,  that  a  man  who  wishes  to  avoid  temptation,  and  all  fool- 
ish and  hurtful  habits,  should  be  constantly  employed  :  and  generally, 
have  a  certain  portion  of  work  to  do  within  a  limited  time.  This, 
doubtless,  is  a  good  practical  rule,  and  will  save  those  whose  time  is 
at  their  own  disposal,  if  they  have  resolution  to  follow  it,  from  innu- 
merable inconveniences. — In  1787,  he  visited  Ireland :  and  passing 
through  the  north  of  that  kingdom,  called  upon  a  respectable  clergy- 
man, whose  kind  attentions  in  his  sickness  at  Tandragee  had  laid 
him  under  obligations.  After  he  had  quitted  this  agreeable  family, 
he  sent  the  clergyman  the  following  letter. 

"Rev.  and  dear  Sir, 
"I  have  obligations  to  you  on  many  accounts,  from  the  time  I  first 
saw  you :  particularly  for  the  kind  concern  you  showed,  when  I  was 
ill  at  Tandragee.    These  have  increased  upon  me  every  time  that  I 


272  THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 

have  since  had  the  pleasure  of  waiting  upon  you.  Permit  me,  sir, 
to  speak  without  reserve.  Esteem  was  added  to  my  affectionate 
regard,  when  I  saw  the  uncommon  pains  you  took  with  the  flock 
committed  to  your  care ;  as  also,  when  I  observed  the  remarkably 
serious  manner  wherein  you  read  prayers  in  your  family.  Many 
years  have  passed  since  that  time ;  many  more  than  I  am  likely  to 
see  under  the  sun.  But  before  I  go  hence,  I  would  fain  give  you  one 
instance  of  my  sincere  regard:  the  rather,  because  I  can  scarce 
expect  to  see  you  again  till  we  meet  in  a  better  world.  But  it  is  dif- 
ficult for  me  to  do  it,  as  I  feel  myself  inferior  to  you  in  so  many 
respects.  Yet  permit  me  to  ask  a  strange  question.  Is  your  soul  as 
much  alive  to  God  as  it  was  once  ?  Have  you  not  suffered  loss  from 
your  relations  or  acquaintance,  that  are  sensible  and  agreeable  men, 
but  not  incumbered  with  religion?  Some  of  them,  perhaps,  as  free 
from  the  very  form,  as  from  the  power  of  it  7  O  sir,  if  you  lose  any 
of  the  things  which  you  have  wrought,  who  can  make  you  amends 
for  that  loss?  If  you  do  not  receive  a  full  reward,  what  equivalent 
can  you  gain?  I  was  pained,  even  at  your  hospitable  table,  in  the 
midst  of  those  I  loved  so  well.  We  did  not  begin  and  close  the  meal, 
in  the  same  manner  you  did  ten  years  ago  !  You  was  then  contrary 
to  almost  universal  custom,  unfashionably  serious  in  asking  a  bles- 
sing and  returning  thanks.  I  know  many  would  blame  you  for  it: 
but  surely  the  Lord  said,  '  Servant  of  God,  well  done  ! '  Wishing  you, 
and  your  lovely  family  every  blessing, 

I  am, 

Rev.  and  dear  sir. 
Your  obliged  and  affectionate  brother  and  servant, 

J.  W." 

In  February,  1788,  Mr.  Wesley  observes,  "I  took  a  solemn  leave 
of  the  congregation  at  West  street,  by  applying  once  more  what  I 
had  enforced  fifty  years  before,  '  By  grace  ye  are  saved  through  faith.' 
The  next  evening  we  had  a  very  numerous  congregation  at  the  New 
Chapel,  to  whom  I  declared  the  whole  counsel  of  God.  I  seemed 
now  to  have  finished  my  work  in  London.  If  I  see  it  again,  well : 
if  not,  I  pray  God  to  raise  up  others,  that  will  be  more  faithful  and 
more  successful  in  his  work." 

On  his  birth-day  this  year,  he  makes  the  following  observations, 
"I  this  day  enter  on  my  eighty-fifth  year.  And  what  cause  have  I 
to  praise  God,  as  for  a  thousand  spiritual  blessings,  so  for  bodily  bles- 
sings also  !  How  little  have  I  suffered  yet,  by  the  rush  of  numerous 
years  !  It  is  true,  I  am  not  so  agile  as  I  was  in  times  past :  I  do  not 
run  or  walk  so  fast  as  I  did.  My  sight  is  a  little  decayed.  My  left 
eye  is  grown  dim,  and  hardly  serves  me  to  read.  I  have  daily  some 
pain  in  the  ball  of  my  right  eye,  as  also  in  my  right  temple  (occa- 
sioned by  a  blow  received  some  time  since)  and  in  my  right  shoulder 
and  arm,  which  I  impute  partly  to  a  sprain,  and  partly  to  the  rheu- 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


273 


matism.  I  find  likewise  some  decay  in  my  memory,  with  regard  to 
names  and  things  lately  past :  but  not  at  all  with  regard  to  what  I 
have  read  or  heard,  twenty,  forty,  or  sixty  years  ago.  Neither  do  I 
find  any  decay  in  my  hearing,  smell,  taste,  or  appetite  (though  I  want 
but  a  third  part  of  the  food  I  once  did,)  nor  do  I  feel  any  such  thing 
as  weariness,  either  in  travelling  or  preaching.  And  I  am  not  con- 
scious of  any  decay  in  writing  sermons,  which  1  do  as  readily,  and 
I  believe,  as  correctly  as  ever. 

"  To  what  can  I  impute  this,  that  I  am  as  I  am  7  First,  doubtless, 
to  the  power  of  God,  fitting  me  for  the  work  to  whicli  I  am  called, 
as  long  as  he  pleases  to  continue  me  therein :  and  next,  subordinately 
to  this,  to  the  prayers  of  his  children — May  we  not  impute  it,  as  infe- 
rior means,  1.  To  my  constant  exercise  and  change  of  air?  2.  To 
my  never  having  lost  a  night's  sleep,  sick  or  well,  at  land  or  sea, 
since  I  was  born?  •  3.  To  my  having  sleep  at  command,  so  that  when- 
ever I  feel  myself  almost  wore  out,  I  call  it,  and  it  comes  day  or 
night  ?  4.  To  my  having  constantly,  for  about  sixty  years,  risen  at 
four  in  the  morning?  5.  To  my  constant  preaching  at  five  in  the 
morning,  for  above  fifty  years  ?  6.  To  my  having  had  so  little  pain 
in  my  life,  and  so  little  sorrow  or  anxious  care  ? — Even  now,  though 
I  find  pain  daily  in  my  eye,  temple,  or  arm,  yet  it  is  never  violent, 
and  seldom  lasts  many  minutes  at  a  time. 

"  Whether  or  not  this  is  sent  to  give  me  warning,  that  I  am  shortly 
to  quit  this  tabernacle,  I  do  not  know :  but  be  it  one  way  or  the 
other,  I  have  only  to  say. 

My  remnant  of  days 

I  spend  to  his  praise, 
Who  died  the  whole  world  to  redeem  : 

Be  they  many  or  few, 

My  days  are  his  due, 
And  they  all  are  devoted  to  Him !  " 

December  31,  1788,  Mr.  Wesley  makes  the  following  remarks. 
"  A  numerous  company  concluded  the  old  year  with  a  very  solemn 
watch-night.  Hitherto  God  hath  helped  us  :  and  we  neither  see  nor 
feel  any  of  those  terrible  judgments,  w^hich  it  was  said,  God  would 
pour  out  upon  the  nation,  about  the  conclusion  of  the  year — For 
near  seventy  years  I  have  observed,  that  before  any  war  or  public 
calamity  England  abounds  with  prophets,  who  confidently  foretell 
many  terrible  things.  They  generally  believe  themselves;  but  are 
carried  away  with  a  vain  imagination.  And  they  are  seldom  unde- 
ceived even  by  the  failure  of  their  predictions,  but  still  believe  they 
Avill  be  fulfilled  some  time  or  other." 

January  1,  1789.  He  says,  If  this  is  to  be  the  last  year  of  my 
life,  according  to  some  of  those  prophecies,  I  hope  it  will  be  the  best. 
1  am  not  careful  about  it,  but  heartily  receive  the  advice  of  the  Angel 
in  Milton,  '  How  well  is  thine;  how  long  permit  to  Heaven." 

VOL.  n.  35 


274 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


Notwithstanding  his  advanced  age,  and  increasing  infirmities,  Mr. 
Wesley  this  year  visited  Ireland;  and  travelled  through  various  parts 
of  that  kingdom,  preaching  and  meeting  the  societies  as  usual. 

The  following  paper  is  without  date;  and  though  I  suppose  it  was 
written  a  few  years  before  this  period,  yet  I  shall  here  insert  it,  omit- 
ting an  observation  or  two  on  the  Hutchinsonian  philosophy. 

To  THE  Reverend  Dean  D  . 

'•Rev.  Sir, 

"When  Dr.  Bentley  published  his  Greek  Testament  one  remarked, 

*  Pity  but  he  would  publish  the  Old :  then  we  should  have  two  New 
Testaments.' — It  is  done :  those  who  receive  Mr.  Hutchinson's  emen- 
dations, certainly  have  two  New  Testaments  !  But  I  stumble  at  the 
threshold.  Can  we  believe,  that  God  left  his  whole  Church  so  igno- 
rant of  the  Scripture  till  yesterday?  And  if  He  was  pleased  to  reveal 
the  sense  of  it  now^  to  whom  may  we  suppose  He  would  reveal  it? 

*  All  Scripture,'  says  Kempis,  '  must  be  understood  by  the  same  spirit 
whereby  it  was  written.'  And  a  greater  than  he  says,  '  Them  that 
are  meek  will  He  guide  in  judgment,  and  them  that  are  gentle  will  He 
learn  his  way.'    But  was  Mr.  H  eminently  meek  and  gentle ! 

"  However,  in  order  to  learn  all  I  could  from  his  works,  after  first 
consulting  them,  I  carefully  read  over  Mr.  Spearman,  Mr.  Jones'  in- 
genious book,  and  the  Glasgow  Abridgment.  I  read  the  last  with 
Mr.  Thomas  Walsh, ^  the  best  Hebrgean  I  ever  knew.  I  never  asked 
him  the  meaning  of  an  Hebrew  word,  but  he  would  immediately  tell 
me,  how  often  it  occurred  in  the  Bible,  and  what  it  meant  in  each 
place  !  We  then  both  observed,  that  Mr.  Hutchinson's  whole  scheme 
is  built  upon  etymologies :  the  most  uncertain  foundation  in  the 
world,  and  the  least  to  be  depended  upon  :  we  observed,  secondly, 
that  if  the  points  be  allowed,  all  his  building  sinks  at  once:  and 
thirdly,  that  setting  them  aside,  many  of  his  etymologies  are  forced, 
and  unnatural.  He  frequently,  to  find  the  etymology  of  one  word, 
squeezes  two  radices  together :  a  liberty  never  to  be  taken,  where  a 
word  may  fairly  be  derived  from  a  single  radix. 

"  But  may  I  hazard  a  few  words  on  the  points.    Mr.  H  affirms, 

they  were  invented  by  the  Masorites,+  only  thirteen  or  fourteen  hun- 

*  Mr,  Thomas  Walsh  was  one  of  the  lay-preachers  :  an  itinerant, 

f  Masora,  is  a  term  in  the  Jewish  theology,  signifying  a  work  on  the  Bible ;  performed 
by  several  learned  Rabbins,  to  secure  it  from  any  alterations  which  might  otherwise  hap- 
pen. In  order  to  this,  the  Jews  had  recourse  to  a  canon,  which  they  judged  infallible  5 
which  was,  tradition.  Accordingly  they  say,  that  when  God  gave  the  Law  to  Moses,  he 
taught  him  first,  the  true  reading  of  it ;  and  secondly,  its  true  interpretation ;  and  that 
both  these  were  handed  down  by  ojal  tradition,  from  generation  to  generation,  till  at  length 
they  were  committed  to  writing.  The  former  of  these,  that  is,  the  true  reading,  is  the 
subject  of  the  Masora  ;  the  latter,  or  true  interpretation,  that  of  the  Mishna  and  Gemara. 

According  to  Elias  Levita,  the  authors  of  the  Masora  were  the  Jews  of  a  famous  school 
at  Tiberias,  about  five  hundred  years  after  Christ,  who  composed,  or  at  least  began  the 
Masora ;  whence  they  are  called  Masorites  and  Masoretic  Doctors.   Aben  Ezra  make^ 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


275 


dred  years  ago,  in  order  to  destroy  the  sense  of  Scripture.  I  doubt 
this;  who  can  prove  it?  Who  can  prove  they  were  not  as  old  as 
Ezra;  if  not  co-eval  with  the  language?  Let  anyone  give  a  fair 
reading,  only  to  what  Dr.  Cornelius  Bayley  has  offered,  in  the  pre- 
face to  his  Hebrew  Grammar,  and  he  will  be  as  sick  of  reading 
without  points,  as  I  am ;  at  least,  till  he  can  answer  the  doctor's  ar- 
guments, he  Avill  not  be  so  positive  upon  the  question. 

"As  to  his  Theology,  I  first  stumble  at  his  profuse  encomiums  on 
the  Hebrew  language.  But  is  it  not  the  language  which  God  him- 
self used?  And  is  not  Greek  too,  the  language  which  God  himself 
used?  And  did  He  not  use  it  in  delivering  to  man  a  far  more  perfect 
dispensation  than  that  He  delivered  in  Hebrew?  Who  can  deny  it? 
And  does  not  even  this  consideration  give  us  reason  at  least  to  sus- 
pect, that  the  Greek  language  is  as  far  superior  to  the  Hebrew,  as 
the  New  Testament  is  to  the  Old  ?  And  indeed,  if  we  set  prejudice 
aside,  and  consider  both,  with  attention  and  candor,  can  we  help 
seeing,  that  the  Greek  excels  the  Hebrew,  as  much  in  beauty  and 
strength,  as  it  does  in  copiousness  ?  I  suppose  no  one  from  the  begin- 
ning of  the  world  wrote  better  Hebrew  than  Moses.  But  does  not 
the  language  of  St.  Paul  excel  the  language  of  Moses,  as  much  as 
the  knowledge  of  St.  Paul  excelled  his. 

"  I  speak  this,  even  on  supposition  that  you  read  the  Hebrew,  as  I 
believe  Ezra,  if  not  Moses  did,  with  points.  For  if  we  read  it  in  the 
modern  way  without  points,  I  appeal  to  every  competent  judge, 
whether  it  be  not  the  most  equivocal." — The  rest  1  have  not  been 
able  to  find." 

About  this  time,  one  or  two  of  the  preachers,  and  a  few  societies, 
were  harassed  by  justices  of  the  peace,  under  a  pretence  entirely  new. 

The  Methodists  were  told,  "You  profess  yourselves  members  of 
the  Church  of  England ;  therefore  your  licenses  are  good  for  nothing; 
nor  can  you  as  members  of  the  church  receive  any  benefit  from  the 
Act  of  Toleration."  Mr.  Wesley  saw,  that  if  the  proceedings  on  this 
subtle  distinction  were  extended  over  the  nation,  the  Methodists  must 
either  profess  themselves  Dissenters,  or  suffer  infinite  trouble.  Not- 
withstanding his  ordinations,  he  has  borne  ample  testimony,  that  he 
did  not  wish  the  people  to  alter  their  relative  situation  to  the  national 

them  the  authors  of  the  accents  and  points  which  serve  for  vowels  in  the  Hebrew  text,  as 
we  now  find  it. 

The  age  of  the  Masorites  has  been  much  disputed.  Archbishop  Usher  places  them 
before  Jerom  ;  Capel,  at  the  end  of  the  fifth  century  ;  father  Morin,  in  the  tenth  century. 
Basnage  says,  that  they  were  not  a  society,  but  a  succession  of  men.  It  is  urged  that  there 
were  Masorites  from  the  time  of  Ezra  and  the  men  of  the  great  Synagogue,  to  about  the 
year  of  Christ  1030  ;  and  that  Ben  Asher,  and  Ben  Naphtali,  who  were  the  best  of  the  pro- 
fession,  and  who,  according  to  Basnage,  were  the  inventors  of  the  Masora,  flourished  at 
this  time.  Each  of  these  published  a  copy  of  the  Hebrew  text,  as  correct,  says  Dr.  Pri- 
deaux,  as  they  could  make  it.  The  Eastern  Jews  have  followed  that  of  Ben  Naphtali,  and 
the  Western,  that  of  Ben  Asher ;  and  all  that  has  been  done  since  is  to  copy  after  them, 
without  making  any  more  corrections,  or  Masoretical  criticisms. 


276 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


church,  &c.  and  yet  he  wished  them  to  be  effectually  relieved  from 
this  embarrassment.  He  stated  the  case  to  a  member  of  parliament, 
a  real  friend  to  liberty,  hoping  the  legislature  might  be  prevailed 
upon  to  interpose,  and  free  the  Methodists  from  the  penalties  of  the 
Conventicle  Act.  There  is  not  much  reason  to  doubt  but  this  privilege 
would  have  been  obtained,  with  a  little  perseverance,  had  not  the  new 
arrangements  in  the  economy  of  Methodism  so  manifestly  tended  to 
draw  the  whole  body  of  preachers  and  people  into  a  new  and  power- 
ful party  in  the  nation,  the  consequences  of  which  appear  to  many  of 
a  very  doubtful  complexion.  Mr.  Wesley  states  the  case  thus — "  Last 
month  a  few  poor  people  met  together  in  Lincolnshire,  to  pray,  and  to 
praise  God,  in  a  friend's  house  :  there  was  no  preaching  at  all.  Two 
neighboring  justices  fined  the  man  of  the  house  twenty  pounds.  I 
suppose  he  was  not  worth  twenty  shillings. — Upon  this,  his  household 
goods  were  distrained  and  sold  to  pay  the  fine.  He  appealed  to  the 
Quarter-Sessions  :  but  all  the  justices  averred,  '  The  Methodists  could 
have  no  relief  from  the  Act  of  Toleration,  because  they  went  to  church ; 
and  that  so  long  as  they  did  so,  the  Conventicle  Act  should  be  exe- 
cuted upon  them.' 

Last  Sunday,  when  one  of  our  preachers  was  beginning  to  speak 
to  a  quiet  congregation,  a  neighboring  justice  sent  a  constable  to  seize 
him,  though  he  was  licensed;  and  would  not  release  him  till  he  had 
paid  twenty  pounds — telling  him,  his  license  was  good  for  nothing, 
'  because  he  was  a  Churchman.' 

''Now,  sir,  what  can  the  Methodists  do  ?  They  are  liable  to  be 
ruined  by  the  Conventicle  Act,  and  they  have  no  relief  from  the  Act 
of  Toleration  !  If  this  is  not  oppression,  what  is?  Where  then  is 
English  liberty?  The  liberty  of  Christians,  yea  of  every  rational 
creature?  who  as  such,  has  a  right  to  worship  God  according  to  his 
own  conscience.  But  waving  the  question  of  right  and  wrong,  what 
prudence  is  there  in  oppressing  such  a  body  of  loyal  subjects  ?  If  these 
good  magistrates  could  drive  them,  not  only  out  of  Somersetshire,  but 
out  of  England,  who  would  be  gainers  thereby  ?  Not  his  Majesty, 
whom  we  honor  and  love  ;  not  his  ministers,  whom  we  love  and  serve 
for  his  sake.  Do  they  Avish  to  throw  away  so  many  thousand  friends? 
who  are  now  bound  to  them  by  stronger  ties  than  that  of  interest — If 
you  will  speak  a  word  to  Mr.  Pitt  on  that  head,  you  will  oblige,"  &c. 

The  paper  from  which  the  above  is  taken,  is  only  a  copy :  and  I 
have  some  doubt,  whether  Somersetshire  be  not  inserted  for  Lincoln- 
shire before  mentioned  in  the  same  paper.    However  this  may  be,  Mr. 

Wesley  wrote  to  the  bishop  of  the  following  letter  a  few 

months  before  the  above  was  written. 

"  My  Lord, 

''I  am  a  dying  man,  having  already  one  foot  in  the  grave.  Hu- 
manly speaking,  I  cannot  long  creep  upon  the  earth,  being  now  nearer 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


277 


ninety  than  eighty  years  of  age.  But  I  cannot  die  in  peace,  before  I 
have  discharged  this  office  of  christian  love  to  your  lordship.  I 
write  without  ceremony,  as  neither  hoping  nor  fearing  any  thing  from 
your  lordship,  or  from  any  man  living.  And  I  ask,  in  the  name  and 
in  the  presence  of  him,  to  whom  both  you  and  I  are  shortly  to  give 
an  account,  Avhy  do  you  trouble  those  that  are  quiet  in  the  land? 
Those  that  fear  God  and  work  righteousness  7  Does  your  lordship 
know  what  the  Methodists  are?  That  many  thousands  of  them  are 
zealous  members  of  the  Church  of  England?  and  strongly  attached, 
not  only  to  his  Majesty,  but  to  his  present  ministry?  Why  should 
your  lordship,  setting  religion  out  of  the  question,  throw  away  such 
a  body  of  respectable  friends?  Is  it  for  their  religious  sentiments? 
Alas  my  lord,  is  this  a  time  to  persecute  any  man  for  conscience-sake  ? 
I  beseech  you,  my  lord,  do  as  you  would  be  done  to.  You  are  a 
man  of  sense  :  y^u  are  a  man  of  learning :  nay,  I  verily  beheve  (what 
is  of  infinitely  more  value)  you  are  a  man  of  piety.  Then  think, 
and  let  think — I  pray  God  to  bless  you  with  the  choicest  of  his 
blessings — 

I  am,  my  lord,"  &c. 

To  another  bishop,  who,  I  suppose,  had  forbidden  his  clergy  to  let 
Mr.  Wesley  preach  in  their  churches^  he  wrote  in  his  own  laconic 
way  as  follows : 

"My  Lord, 

"  Several  years  ago,  the  church- wardens  of  St.  Bartholomew's  in- 
formed Dr.  Gibson,  then  Lord  Bishop  of  London,  'My  Lord,  Mr. 
Bateman,  our  Rector,  invites  Mr.  Wesley  very  frequently  to  preach 
in  his  church.'  The  bishop  replied,  '  And  what  would  you  have  me 
do?  I  have  no  right  to  hinder  him.  Mr.  Wesley  is  a  clergyman 
regularly  ordained,  and  under  no  ecclesiastical  censure.' 
I  am,  my  lord. 

Your  lordship's  obedient  servant, 

John  Wesley." 

Mr.  Wesley  began  now  to  feel  the  infirmities  of  age  increase  fast 
upon  him,  though  he  continued  his  usual  labors  without  complaint. 
But  in  January,  1790,  he  observes,  "  I  am  now  an  old  man,  decayed 
from  head  to  foot.  My  eyes  are  dim  :  my  right  hand  shakes  much  r 
my  mouth  is  hot  and  dry  every  morning :  I  have  a  lingering  fever 
almost  every  day :  and  my  motion  is  weak  and  slow.  However, 
blessed  be  God,  I  do  not  slack  my  labor.  I  can  preach  and  write 
still."  And  on  June  28,  his  birth-day,  he  further  observes,  "This 
day  I  enter  into  my  eighty-eighth  year.  For  above  eighty-six  years, 
I  found  none  of  the  infirmities  of  old  age :  my  eyes  did  not  wax  dim, 
neither  was  my  natural  strength  abated.  But  last  August,  I  found 
almost  a  sudden  change ;  my  eyes  were  so  dim,  that  no  glasses  would 
help  me :  my  strength  likewise  quite  forsook  me,  and  probably  will 

VOL.  u.  24 


278 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


not  return  in  this  world.  But  I  feel  no  pain  from  head  to  foot,  only 
it  seems  nature  is  exhausted,  and  humanly  speaking,  will  sink  more 
and  more,  till, 

"  The  weary  springs  of  life  stand  still  at  last." 

This,  at  length,  was  literally  the  case:  the  death  of  Mr.  Wesley, 
like  that  of  his  brother  Charles,  being  one  of  those  rare  instances  in 
which  nature,  drooping  under  the  load  of  years,  sinks  by  a  gentle 
deca^^  For  several  years  preceding  his  death,  this  decay  was,  per- 
haps, more  visible  to  others  than  to  himself:  particularly  by  a  more 
frequent  disposition  to  sleep  during  the  day ;  by  a  growing  defect  in 
meATiory.  a  facult)'-  he  once  possessed  in  a  high  degree  of  perfection ; 
and  by  a  general  diminution  of  the  vigor  and  agility  he  had  so  long 
enjoyed.  His  labors,  however,  suffered  little  interruption  :  and  when 
the  summons  came,  it  found  him,  as  he  always  wi^ed  it  should,  in 
the  harness,  still  occupied  in  his  Master's  work ! 

Thursday,  the  17th  of  February,  1791,  Mr.  Wesley  preached  at 
I^ambeth  :  but  on  his  return  home,  seemed  much  indisposed,  and 
supposed  he  had  taken  cold. — The  next  day,  he  read  and  wrote  as 
usual;  and  in  the  evening  preached  at  Chelsea  with  some  difficulty, 
having  a  high  degree  of  fever.  Saturday  he  still  persevered  in  his 
usual  employments,  though  to  those  about  him,  his  complaints 
seemed  evidently  increasing.  He  dined  at  Islington,  and  desired  a 
friend  to  read  to  him  from  the  fourth  to  the  seventh  chapter  of  Job, 
inclusive.  On  Sunday  he  rose  early,  according  to  custom,  but  quite 
unfit  for  the  exercises  of  the  day.  He  was  obliged  to  lie  down  about 
seven  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  slept  several  hours.  In  the  course 
of  the  day,  two  of  his  own  discourses  on  the  Sermon  on  the  mount, 
were  read  to  him;  and  in  the  evening  he  came  down  to  supper. 
Monday,  the  21st,  he  seemed  much  better,  and  visited  a  friend  at 
Twickenham.  Tuesday,  he  went  on  with  his  usual  work,  preached 
at  the  City-Road,  and  seemed  better  than  he  had  been  for  some  days. 
Wednesday  he  went  to  Leatherhead,  where  he  delivered  his  last  ser- 
mon, from  '-Seek  ye  the  Lord  while  he  may  be  found;  call  ye  upon 
him  while  he  is  near."  Thursday  he  paid  a  visit  to  Mr.  Wolff's 
lovely  family  at  Balaam,  from  whence  he  returned,  on  Friday  the 
25th,  extremely  ill.  His  friends  were  struck  with  the  manner  of  his 
getting  out  of  the  carriage,  and  still  more  when  he  went  up  stairs, 
and  sat  down  in 'his  chair.  He  sent  every  one  out  of  the  room,  and 
desired  not  to  be  interrupted  for  half  an  hour.  When  that  time  was 
expired,  some  mulled  wine  was  brought  him,  of  which  he  drank  a 
little.  In  a  few  minutes  he  threw  it  up,  and  said,  "I  must  lie  down." 
His  friends  were  now  alarmed,  and  I  was  immediately  sent  for,  to 
visit  him.  On  entering  the  room,  he  said  in  a  cheerful  voice,  "Doc- 
tor, they  are  more  afraid  than  hurt."  Most  of  this  day  he  lay  in 
bed,  had  a  quick  pulse,  with  a  considerable  degree  of  fever  and  stu- 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


279 


per.  Saturday,  the  26th,  he  continued  mncli  in  the  same  state ;  tak- 
ing very  httle,  either  of  medicine  or  nourishment.  Sunday  morning, 
he  seemed  better,  got  up,  and  took  a  cup  of  tea.  Sitting  in  his  chair, 
he  looked  quite  cheerful,  and  repeated  these  words  of  his  brother 
Charles, 

"Till  glad  I  lay  this  body  down, 
Thy  servant,  Lord,  attend  ; 
And  O !  my  life  of  mercy  crown 
With  a  triumphant  end !  " 

Soon  after  he  emphatically  said,  "Our  friend  Lazarus  slcepeth." 
Exerting  himself  to  converse  Avith  some  friends,  he  was  soon  fatigued, 
and  obliged  to  lie  down.  After  lying  some  time  quiet,  he  looked  up, 
and  said,  "Speak  to  me,  I  cannot  speak."  The  persons  present 
kneeled  do^vn  to  pray  with  him,  and  his  hearty  iVmen,  showed  he 
was  perfectly  sensible  of  what  was  said.  Some  time  after  he  said, 
"There  is  no  need  of  more ;  when  at  Bristol  my  words  were, 

"  I  the  chief  of  sinners  am, 
But  Jesus  died  for  me."  * 

Monday,  the  28th,  his  weakness  increased.  He  slept  most  of  the 
day,  and  spoke  but  little;  yet  that  little  testified  how  much  his  whole 
heart  was  taken  up  in  the  care  of  the  societies,  the  glory  of  God,  and 
the  promotion  of  the  things  pertaining  to  that  kingdom,  to  which  he 
was  hastening.  Once  he  said,  in  a  low  but  distinct  manner,  "  There 
is  no  way  into  the  holiest,  but  by  the  blood  of  Jesus."  He  asked 
what  the  words  were,  from  which  he  had  preached  a  little  before  at 
Hampstead.  Being  told  they  were  these:  "Brethren,  ye  know  the 
grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who,  though  he  was  rich,  yet  for 
your  sakes  became  poor,  that  ye  through  his  poverty  might  become 
rich,"  he  replied,  "That  is  the  foundation,  the  only  foundation, 
and  there  is  no  other." — This  day  I  desired  he  might  be  asked,  if  he 
would  have  any  other  physician  called  in  to  attend  him  7  but  this  he 
absolutely  refused. — It  is  remarkable,  that  he  suffered  so  little  pain, 
never  complaining  of  any  during  his  illness,  but  once  of  a  pain  in  his 
breast.  This  was  a  restless  night — Tuesday  morning,  he  sang  two 
verses  of  an  hymn  :  then  lying  still,  as  if  to  recover  strength,  he  called 
for  pen  and  ink;  but  when  it  was  brought  he  could  not  write.  A 

*  At  the  Bristol  Conference,  in  1783,  Mr.  Wesley  was  taken  very  ill :  neither  he,  nor  his 
friends  thought  he  could  recover.  From  the  nature  of  his  complaint,  he  supposed  a  spasm 
would  seize  his  stomach  and  probably  occasion  sudden  death.  Under  these  views  of  his 
situation,  he  said  to  Mr.  Bradford,  "  I  have  been  reflecting  on  my  past  life  :  I  have  been 
wandering  up  and  down,  between  fifty  and  sixty  years,  endeavoring  in  my  poor  way,  to 
do  a  little  good  to  my  fellow  creatures  :  and  now  it  is  probable,  that  there  are  but  a  few 
steps  between  me  and  death ;  and  what  have  I  to  trust  to  for  salvation  ?  I  can  see  nothing 
which  I  have  done  or  suffered,  that  wall  bear  looking  at.  I  have  no  other  plea  than  this  : 
'  I  the  chief  of  sinners  am,  but  Jesus  died  for  me.'  "  The  sentiment  here  expressed,  and 
his  reference  to  it  in  his  last  sickness,  plainly  shows  how  steadily  he  had  persevered  in  the 
same  views  of  the  gospel,  with  which  he  set  out  to  preach  it. 


280 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


person  said,  "  Let  me  write  for  you,  sir :  tell  me  what  you  would 
say."  He  replied,  "  Nothing,  but  that  God  is  with  us."  In  the 
forenoon,  he  said,  "I  will  get  up."  While  they  were  preparing  his 
clothes,  he  broke  out,  in  a  manner  that  astonished  all  who  were 
about  him,  in  singing, 

"  I  '11  praise  my  Maker  while  I 've  breath, 
And  when  ray  voice  is  lost  in  death, 

Praise  shall  employ  my  nobler  powers  : 
My  days  of  praise  shall  ne'er  be  past, 
While  life,  and  thought,  and  being  last, 

Or  immortality  endures  1" 

Having  got  him  into  his  chair,  they  observed  him  change  for  death. 
But  he,  regardless  of  his  dying  body,  said  with  a  weak  voice,  "  Lord, 
Thou  givest  strength  to  those  who  can  speak,  and  to  those  who  can- 
not. Speak,  Lord,  to  all  our  hearts,  and  let  them  know  that  Thou 
loosest  tongues."    He  then  sung, 

"  To  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost, 
Who  sweetly  all  agree" — 

Here  his  voice  failed.  After  gasping  for  breath  he  said,  "  Now  we 
have  done  all  "  He  was  then  laid  on  the  bed,  from  whence  he  rose 
no  more.  After  resting  a  little,  he  called  to  those  who  were  with 
him,  "to  pray  and  praise."  Soon  after  he  said,  "Let  me  be  buried 
in  nothing  but  what  is  woollen,  and  let  my  corpse  be  carried  in  my 
coffin,  into  the  chapel."  And  again  called  upon  them  to  "pray  and 
praise,"  and  taking  each  by  the  hand,  and  affectionately  saluting 
them,  bade  them  farewell.  Attempting  afterwards  to  say  something 
which  they  could  not  understand,  he  paused  a  little,  and  then  with 
all  the  remaining  strength  he  had,  said,  "  The  best  of  all  is,  God  is 
with  us."  And  again,  lifting  his  hand,  he  repeated  the  same  words 
in  a  holy  triumph,  "  The  best  of  all  is,  God  is  with  us."  Something 
being  given  him  to  moisten  his  lips,  he  said,  "It  will  not  do;  we 
must  take  the  consequence.  Never  mind  the  poor  carcase."  Being 
told  that  his  brother's  widow  was  come,  he  said,  "  He  giveth  his 
servants  rest;"  thanked  her  as  she  pressed  his  hand,  and  affec- 
tionately endeavored  to  kiss  her.  His  lips  being  again  wet,  he  re- 
peated his  usual  grace  after  a  meal;  "We  thank  Thee,  O  Lord,  for 
these  and  all  thy  mercies :  bless  the  church  and  king,  grant  us  truth 
and  peace,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord."  After  some  pause,  he 
said,  "The  clouds  drop  fatness.  The  Lord  is  with  us;  the  God  of 
Jacob  is  our  refuge."  He  again  called  them  to  prayer,  and  appeared 
fervently  to  join  in  their  petitions. 

Most  of  the  following  night,  he  often  attempted  to  repeat  the  psalm 
before  mentioned;  but  could  only  get  out,  "I'll  praise,  I'll  praise." 
On  Wednesday  morning,  his  end  drew  near.  Mr.  Bradford,  his  old 
and  faithful  friend,  who,  with  the  affection  of  a  son,  had  attended 
him  for  many  years,  now  prayed  with  him ;  and  the  last  word  he 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   JOHN  WESLEY. 


281 


was  heard  to  articulate  was  "Farewell."  —  A  few  minutes  before 
ten,  on  the  second  day  of  March,  while  a  number  of  friends  were 
kneeling  around  his  bed,  died  Mr.  John  Wesley,  without  a  groan. 
He  was  in  the  eighty-eighth  year  of  his  age,  had  been  sixty-five 
years  in  the  ministry;  and  the  preceding  pages  will  be  a  lasting 
memorial  of  his  uncommon  zeal,  diligence,  and  usefulness  in  his 
Master's  work,  for  more  than  half  a  century. — His  death  was  an 
admirable  close  of  so  laborious  and  useful  a  life. 

March  the  9th,  was  the  day  appointed  for  his  interment.  The 
preachers  then  in  liOndon,  to  my  utter  astonishment,  insisted  that  I 
should  deliver  the  funeral  discourse :  and  the  executors  afterwards 
approved  of  the  appomtment.  The  intention  was,  to  carry  the 
corpse  into  the  chapel,  and  place  it  in  a  raised  situation  before  the 
pulpit  during  the  service.  But  the  crowds  which  came  to  see  the 
body  while  it  lay  in  the  coffin,  both  in  the  private  house,  and  espe- 
cially in  the  chapel  the  day  before  the  funeral,  were  so  great,  that 
his  friends  were  apprehensive  of  a  tumult,  if  they  should  proceed  on 
the  plan  first  intended.  It  was  therefore  resolved,  the  evening  before, 
to  bury  him  between  five  and  six  in  the  morning.  Though  the  time 
of  notice  to  his  friends  v/as  short,  and  the  design  itself  was  spoken  of 
with  great  caution,  yet  a  considerable  number  of  persons  attended  at 
that  early  hour.  The  late  Rev.  Mr.  Richardson,  who  now  lies  with 
him  in  the  same  vault,  read  the  funeral  service  in  a  manner  that 
made  it  peculiarly  affecting.  The  discourse,  which  was  afterwards 
printed,  was  delivered  in  the  chapel  at  the  hour  appointed  in  the 
forenoon,  to  an  astonishing  multitude  of  people ;  among  whom  were 
many  ministers  of  the  gospel,  both  of  the  establishment,  and  the  Dis- 
senters. The  audience  was  still  and  solemn  as  night;  and  all 
seemed  to  carry  away  with  them,  enlarged  views, of  Mr.  Wesley's 
character,  and  serious  impressions  of  the  importance  of  religion,  and 
the  utility  of  Methodism. 

The  death  of  Mr.  Wesley,  attracted  the  public  notice  beyond  any 
former  example,  perhaps,  of  a  clergyman  however  dignified.  It 
being  generally  known,  that  he  died  as  he  had  lived  ;  and  evinced  in 
death,  the  uprightness  and  integrity  of  his  life,  the  impression  on  the 
public  mind  in  favor  of  his  character  and  of  Methodism,  was  almost 
universal ;  so  that  some  persons  said,  Mr.  Wesley  will  do  more  good 
by  his  death  than  he  did  in  his  whole  life.  This,  however,  is  cer- 
tain, that  a  door  of  usefulness  was  now  opened  to  the  Methodist 
preachers,  unknown  at  any  former  period.  And  had  they  strictly 
adhered  to  the  old  disinterested  plan  of  Methodism,  it  is  probable  they 
would  in  the  end,  have  been  more  extensively  useful  to  the  whole 
nation.    But  this  opportunity  is  past,  and  will  never  return. 

The  following  inscription,  though  in  my  judgment  not  worthy  of 
Mr.  Wesley,  has  since  his  interment  been  put  on  his  tomb. 

VOL.  iL  24^  36 


282 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


'•'To  the  Memory  of 
The  Venerable  John  Wesley,  A.  M. 
Late  Fellow  of  Lincoln  College,  Oxford. 

This  Great  Light  arose 
(By  the  singular  Providence  of  God) 

To  enlighten  these  Nations, 
And  to  revive^  enforce^  and  defend^ 
The  Pure,  Apostolical  Doctrines  and  Practices  of 

The  PRLMITIVE  CHURCH: 
Which  he  continued  to  do,  by  his  Writings  and  his 
Labors, 

For  more  than  Half  a  Century  : 
And,  to  his  inexpressible  Joy, 
Not  only^  beheld  their  Influence  extending. 

And  their  Efficacy  witnessed. 
In  the  Hearts  and  Lives  of  Many  Thousands, 
As  well  in  the  Western  World,  as  in  these 
Kingdoms  : 

But  also,  far  above  all  human  Power  or  Expectation, 
Lived  to  see  Provision  made,  by  the  singular  Grace 
of  God, 

For  their  Continuance  and  Establishment, 
To  the  Joy  of  future  Generations  ! 
Reader,  If  thou  art  constrained  to  bless  the  Instrument, 
Give  God  the  Glory  ! 

After  having  languished  a  few  days,  He  at  length  finished 
his  Course  and  his  Life  together :  gloriously 
triumphing  over  Death.  March  2,  An. 
Dom.  1791,  m  the  eighty-eighth  Year 
of  his  Age.''^ 


A  copy  of  the  late  Mr.  John  Wesley^ s  Will. 
"In  the  name  of  God.    Amen  ! 
^'I  John  Wesley,  Clerk,  some  time  Fellow  of  Lincoln-College, 
Oxford,  revoking  all  others,  appoint  this  to  be  my  last  Will  and  Tes- 
tament. 

"I  give  all  my  books  now  on  sale,  and  the  copies  of  them  (only 
subject  to  a  rent  charge  of  £85  a  year  to  the  widow  and  children  of 
my  brother)  to  my  faithful  friends,  John  Horton,  merchant,  George 
Wolff,  merchant,  and  William  Marriott,  stock-broker,  all  of  London, 
in  trust  for  the  general  fund  of  the  Methodist  Conference  in  carrying 
on  the  work  of  God,  by  itinerant  preachers,  on  condition  that  they 
permit  the  following  committee,  Thomas  Coke,  James  Creighton, 


I 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  KEV.   JOHN  WESLEY. 


283 


Peard  Dickenson,  Thomas  Rankin,  George  Whitefield,  and  the  Lon- 
don Assistant  for  the  time  being,  still  to  superintend  the  printing- 
press,  and  to  employ  Hannah  Paramorc  and  George  Paramore,  as 
heretofore,  unless  four  of  the  committee  judge  a  change  to  be  needful. 

"I  give  the  books,  furniture,  and  whatever  else  belongs  to  me  in 
the  three  houses  at  Kingswood,  in  trust  to  Thomas  Coke,  Alexander 
Mather,  and  Henry  Moore,  to  be  still  employed  in  teaching  and  main- 
taining the  children  of  poor  travelling  preachers. 

"  I  give  to  Thomas  Coke,  Doctor  John  Whitehead,  and  Henry 
Moore,  all  the  books  which  are  in  my  study  and  bed-chamber  at 
London,  and  in  my  studies  elsewhere,  in  trust  for  the  use  of  the 
preachers  who  shall  labor  here  from  time  to  time. 

''I  give  the  coins,  and  whatever  else  is  found  in  the  drawer  of  my 
bureau  at  London,  to  my  dear  grand-daughters  Mary  and  Jane  Smith. 

"I  give  all  my  manuscripts  to  Thomas  Coke,  Doctor  Whitehead, 
and  Henry  Moore,  to  be  burnt  or  published  as  they  see  good. 

"  I  give  whatever  money  remains  in  my  bureau  and  pockets  at  my 
decease  to  be  equally  divided  between  Thomas  Briscoe,  William  Col- 
lins, John  Easton,  and  Isaac  Brown. 

''I  desire  my  gowns,  cassocks,  sashes,  and  bands,  may  remain  at 
the  chapel  for  the  use  of  the  clergymen  attending  there. 

''I  desire  the  London  Assistant  for  the  time  being  to  divide  the  rest 
of  my  wearing  apparel  between  those  four  of  the  travelling  preachers 
that  want  it  most ;  only  my  pelisse  I  give  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Creigh- 
ton  ;  my  watch  to  my  friend  Joseph  Bradford  ;  my  gold  seal  to  Eliza- 
beth Ritchie. 

"  I  give  my  chaise  and  horses  to  James  Ward  and  Charles  Wheeler, 
in  trust,  to  be  sold,  and  the  money  to  be  divided,  one  half  to  Hannah 
Abbott,  and  the  other  to  the  poor  members  of  the  Select  society. 

"Out  of  the  first  money  which  arises  from  the  sale  of  books,  I 
bequeath  to  my  dear  sister  Martha  Hall  (if  alive)  £40,  to  Mr.  Creigh- 
ton  aforesaid  £40,  and  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Heath  £60. 

"  And  whereas  I  am  empowered  by  a  late  Deed  to  name  the  persons 
who  are  to  preach  in  the  New  Chapel  at  London  (the  clergymen  for 
a  continuance,)  and  by  another  Deed  to  name  a  committee  for  ap- 
pointing preachers  in  the  New  Chapel  at  Bath,  I  do  hereby  appoint 
John  Richardson,  Thomas  Coke,  James  Creighton,  Peard  Dickenson, 
clerks,  Alexander  Mather,  William  Thompson,  Henry  Moore,  An- 
drew Blair,  John  Valton,  Joseph  Bradford,  James  Rogers,  and  Wil- 
liam Myles,  to  preach  in  the  New  Chapel  at  London,  and  to  be  the 
committee  for  appointing  preachers  in  the  New  Chapel  at  Bath. 

"  I  likewise  appoint  Henry  Brooke,  painter,  Arthur  Keen,  gent,  and 
William  Whitestone,  stationer,  all  of  Dublin,  to  receive  the  annuity 
of  £5,  (English,)  left  to  Kingswood  School  by  the  late  Roger  Shiel, 
Esq. 

"  I  give  £6,  to  be  divided  among  the  six  poor  men,  named  by  the 


284 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


Assistant,  who  shall  carry  my  body  to  the  grave ;  for  T  particularly 
desire  there  may  be  no  hearse,  no  coach,  no  escutcheon,  no  pomp,  except 
the  tears  of  them  that  loved  me,  and  are  following  me  to  Abraham's 
bosom.  I  solemnly  adjure  my  executors  in  the  name  of  God,  punc- 
tually to  observe  this. 

"  Lastly,  I  give  to  each  of  those  travelling  preachers  who  shall 
remain  in  the  connexion  six  months  after  my  decease,  as  a  little  token 
of  my  love,  the  eight  volumes  of  Sermons. 

''I  appoint  John  Horton,  George  Wolff,  and  William  Marriott, 
aforesaid,  to  be  Executors  of  this  my  last  Will  and  Testament,  for 
which  trouble  they  will  receive  no  recompense  till  the  resurrection  of 
the  just. 

"  Witness  my  hand  and  seal  the  20th  day  of  February,  1789. 

John  Wesley.  (Seal.) 
"Signed,  sealed,  and  delivered,  by  the  said  Testator  as  and  for  his 
last  Will  and  Testament,  in  the  presence  of  us, 

William  Clulow. 
Elizabeth  Clulow. 
"Should  there  be  any  part  of  my  personal  estate  undisposed  of  by 
this  my  last  Will :  I  give  the  same  unto  my  two  nieces  E.  Ellison, 
and  S.  Collet,  equally. 

John  W esley. 
William  Clulow. 
Feb.  25,  1789.  EyzAEETH  Clulow. 

"  I  give  my  Types,  Printing-presses,  and  everything  pertaining 
thereto,  to  Mr.  Thomas  Rankin,  and  Mr.  George  Whitefield,  in  trust 
for  the  use  of  the  Conference. 

John  Wesley." 

In  the  latter  end  of  the  summer  preceding  Mr.  Wesley's  death  a 
certain  person,  who  had  long  been  trying  various  schemes  to  acquire 
a  superior  influence  over  both  preachers  and  people,  endeavored  to 
persuade  Mr.  Wesley,  that  if  he  disposed  of  his  literary  property  by 
his  Will  only,  his  next  of  kin  would  claim  it;  that  a  deed  of  assign- 
ment was  necessary  to  prevent  their  claims.  Mr.  Wesley  denied  that 
this  would  be  the  case,  and  resisted  the  proposition  of  making  a  deed 
of  assignment.  Being  however,  frequently,  worried  on  the  occasion, 
he  at  length,  in  company  with  this  same  person,  applied  to  his  confi- 
dential solicitor  on  the  question ;  who  told  them,  that  as  his  literary 
property  was  personal  estate,  his  Will  was  a  competent  instrument 
to  convey  it,  and  that  no  deed  of  assignment  was  necessary.  The 
party  who  wished  for  a  deed  of  assignment  that  might  answer  his 
purpose,  was  not  discouraged  by  this  repulse,  but  afterwards  wrote 
to  the  same  solicitor  for  his  further  opinion  on  the  subject;  and 
received  the  same  answer  in  writing.  Finding  Mr.  Wesley's  solici- 
tor not  of  an  accommodating  disposition  where  integrity  must  be  sacri- 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY.  285 

ficed,  he  applied  to  another,  a  total  stranger  to  the  Methodist  economy, 
and  therefore  more  under  his  direction.  A  deed  of  assignment  was 
drawn  up,  to  answer  the  purpose  intended,  conveying  Mr.  Wesley's 
literary  property  to  seven  persons  therein  named  (among  whom  the 
executors  of  Mr.  Wesley's  Will  were  not  included)  upon  special  trust, 
that  they  should  apply  all  the  profits  of  the  books,  (fee.  to  the  sole 
use  and  benefit  of  the  Conference,  in  such  manner  as  to  them  should 
seem  most  proper  and  expedient.  Things  being  thus  prepared,  the 
old  gentleman  was  carried  privately  to  a  friend's  house,  to  execute 
this  deed,  five  months  before  he  died ;  a  time  when  his  weakness  was 
so  great,  that  we  may  venture  to  say,  he  could  not  sit  five  minutes  to 
hear  any  thing  read,  especially  in  the  forms  of  law,  without  falling 
into  a  doze :  so  that  there  is  not  the  least  probabihty  that  Mr.  Wes- 
ley knew  the  contents  of  the  deed  he  executed,  or  had  any  suspicion 
of  its  tendency  or  the  design  of  its  author.  It  is  very  certain  the 
body  of  the  preachers  were  ignorant  of  this  scandalous  transaction ; 
in  which  an  advantage  was  taken  of  age  and  infirmities,  by  one  or 
two  individuals,  to  gain  the  management  of  a  large  and  increasing 
annual  revenue,  to  serve  the  purposes  of  their  own  influence  and 
ambition.  I  mention  one  or  two  individuals,  because  it  has  been  said, 
that  one  of  the  preachers  named  in  this  deed,  was  in  league  with  him 
who  ought  to  be  considered  as  the  author  of  it.  But  I  say  no  more 
on  a  subject  that  will  not  bear  to  be  fully  examined. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


SECTION  I. 
A  REVIEW  OF  MR.  WESLEY's  CHARACTER. 

Many  particulars  of  Mr.  Wesley's  life,  both  of  a  public  and  private 
nature,  have  already  been  detailed ;  and  I  hope  in  such  a  manner  as 
to  enable  the  intelligent  reader,  by  this  time,  to  form  an  opinion  of 
his  character  upon  good  evidence.  But  we  must  remember  that  some 
particular  circumstances,  or  a  few  occasional  acts  in  a  man's  life,  do 
not  form  his  character,  but  the  general  tenor  of  his  conduct.  Because 
this  shows  some  fixed  principle  that  uniformly  operates  upon  him, 
which,  with  a  correspondent  practice,  forms  his  character.  And  when 
a  long,  virtuous,  and  useful  life,  is  crowned  with  an  end  suitable  to 
it,  death  puts  a  stamp  upon  his  virtues,  which  shows  us  they  are  not 
counterfeit,  but  genuine.  If  the  candid  reader  will  review  Mr.  Wes- 
ley's whole  life,  and  judge  of  him  by  this  rule,  I  am  persuaded  he 


286 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


will  think  with  me,  that,  whatever  faiUngs  as  a  man  he  might  have, 
he  had  a  degree  of  excellence  in  his  character  to  which  few  men 
have  attained. 

But,  to  complete  the  picture  which  I  have  attempted  to  draw,  it  is 
necessary  that  some  features  in  it  should  be  more  strongly  marked. 
Some  persons  have  affected  to  insinuate  that  Mr.  Wesley  was  a  man 
of  slender  capacity ;  but  certainly  with  great  injustice.  His  appre- 
hension was  clear,  his  penetration  quick,  and  his  judgment  discrim- 
mative  and  sound  :  of  which  his  controversial  writings,  and  his  celeb- 
rity in  the  office  he  held  at  Oxford,  when  young,  are  sufficient  proofs. 
In  governing  a  large  body  of  preachers  and  people,  of  various  habits, 
interests,  and  principles,  with  astonishing  calmness  and  regularity  for 
many  years ;  he  showed  a  strong  capacious  mind,  that  could  compre- 
hend and  combine  together  a  vast  variety  of  circumstances,  and  direct 
their  influence  through  the  great  body  he  governed.  As  a  scholar,  he 
certainly  held  a  conspicuous  rank.  He  was  a  critic  in  the  Latin  and 
Greek  classics;  and  was  well  acquainted  with  the  Hebrew,  as  well 
as  with  most  of  the  European  languages  now  in  use.  But  the  Greek 
was  his  favorite  language,  in  which  his  knowledge  was  extensive  and 
accurate.  At  College,  he  had  studied  with  a  good  deal  of  care,  Euclid, 
Keil,  Sir  Isaac  Newton's  Optics,  &c.  &c.  but  he  never  entered  far 
into  the  more  abstruse  parts,  or  the  higher  branches  of  the  mathe- 
matics ;  finding  they  would  fascinate  his  mind,  absorb  all  his  atten- 
tion, and  divert  him  from  the  pursuit  of  the  more  important  objects 
of  his  own  profession.  He  was  no  great  friend  to  metaphysical  dis- 
quisitions :  and  I  must  own,  that  I  always  thought  he  held  meta- 
physical reasoning,  even  when  properly  and  modestly  conducted,  in 
too  low  estimation.  But  this,  I  apprehend,  proceeded  chiefly  from 
the  incompetency  of  most  of  those  who  have  entered  upon  these  kinds 
of  speculations,  and  the  mischief  which  he  observed  their  writings 
had  done,  both  in  the  afi'airs  of  civil  life,  and  also  in  religion.  He 
was  a  most  determined  opposer  of  those  systems  of  natural  philoso- 
phy, which  represent  the  powers  of  matter  as  the  efficient  causes  of 
all  the  phenomena  of  nature ;  whereby  God  is  banished  out  of  the 
world,  and  all  things,  even  the  actions  of  men.  are  supposed  to  be 
determined  by  laws  unalterably  fixed,  no  place  being  left  for  the  inter- 
positions of  superintending  providence.  He  doubted,  but  did  not 
deny,  the  truth  of  the  calculations  of  the  planetary  distances,  and 
some  other  parts  of  modern  Astronomy.  Natural' history  was  a  field 
in  Avhich  he  walked  at  every  opportunity,  and  contemplated  with 
infinite  pleasure,  the  wisdom,  the  power,  and  goodness  of  God,  in 
the  structure  of  natural  bodies,  and  in  the  various  instincts  and  habits 
of  the  animal  creation.  But  he  was  obliged  to  view  these  wonderful 
works  of  God,  in  the  labors  and  records  of  others;  his  various  and 
continual  employments  of  a  higher  nature,  not  permitting  him  to 
make  experiments  and  observations  for  himself. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


287 


As  a  writer,  he  certainly  possessed  talents,  both  from  nature  and 
education,  suflicient  to  procure  him  considerable  reputation."  But 
Mr.  Wesley  did  not  write  for  fame;  his  object  was  to  instruct  and 
benefit  that  numerous  class  of  people,  who  have  a  plain  understand- 
ing, with  plain  common  sense,  little  learning,  little  money,  and  but  little 
time  to  spare  for  reading.  In  all  his  writings  he  constantly  kept  these 
circumstances  in  view.  Content  with  doing  good,  he  used  no  trap- 
pings merely  to  please,  or  to  gain  applause.  The  distinguishing 
character  of  his  style  is,  brevity  and  perspicuity.  He  never  lost  sight 
of  the  rule  which  Horace  gives, 

Est  brevitate  opus,  ut  cnrrat  sententia,  neu  se 
Impediat  verbis  lassas  onerantibus  aurts. 

"  Concise  your  diction,  let  your  sense  be  clear. 
Nor  with  a  weight  of  words  fatigue  the  ear." 

In  many  of  his  works  we  may  observe,  his  words  are  well  chosen, 
being /?2/r€,  proper  to  his  subject,  and  precise  in  their  meaning.  His 
sentences  commonly  have  clearness,  unity,  and  strength  :  yet  he  some- 
times closes  a  sentence  in  a  manner  which  destroys  its  harmony,  and 
subtracts  much  from  its  beauty.  But  whenever  he  took  time,  and 
gave  the  necessary  attention  to  his  subject,  both  his  manner  of  treat- 
ing it,  and  his  style,  show  the  hand  of  a  master. 

The  following  is  a  just  character  of  Mr.  Wesley  as  a  preacher. 
"  His  attitude  in  the  pulpit  was  graceful  and  easy;  his  action  calm 
and  natural,  yet  pleasing  and  expressive:  his  voice  not  loud,  but  clear 
and  manly;  his  style  neat,  simple,  and  perspicuous;  and  admirably 
adapted  to  the  capacity  of  his  hearers.  His  discourses,  in  point  of 
composition,  were  extremely  different  on  different  occasions.  When 
he  gave  himself  sufficient  time  for  study,  he  succeeded  ;  but  when  he 
did  not,  he  frequently  failed." — It  Avas  indeed  manifest  to  his  friends 
for  many  years  before  he  died,  that  his  employments  were  too  many, 
and  he  preached  too  often,  to  appear  with  the  same  advantage  at  all 
times  in  the  pulpit.  His  sermons  were  always  short :  he  was  sel- 
dom more  than  half  an  hour  in  delivering  a  discourse,  sometimes  not 
so  long.  His  subjects  were  judiciously  chosen  ;  instructive  and  inter- 
esting to  the  audience,  and  well  adapted  to  gain  attention  and  warm 
the  heart. 

The  travels  of  Mr.  Wesley  in  the  work  of  the  ministry,  for  fifty 
years  together,  are,  I  apprehend,  without  precedent.  During  this 
period,  he  travelled  about  four  thousand  five  hundred  miles  every 
year,  one  year  with  another ;  which  give  two  hundred  and  twenty- 
five  thousand  miles,  that  he  travelled  after  he  became  an  itinerant 
preacher  !  It  had  been  impossible  for  him  to  perform  this  almost 
incredible  degree  of  labor,  without  great  punctuality  and  care  in  the 
management  of  his  time.  He  had  stated  hours  for  every  purpose : 
and  his  only  relaxation  was  a  change  of  employment.    His  rules 


288 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  KEY.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


were  like  the  laws  of  the  Medes  and  Persians,  absolute  and  irrevoca- 
ble. He  had  a  peculiar  pleasure  in  reading  and  study:  and  every 
literary  man  knows  the  force  of  this  passion,  how  apt  it  is  to  make 
him  encroach  on  the  time  which  ought  to  be  employed  in  other  duties  : 
he  had  a  high  relish  for  polite  conversation,  especially  with  pious, 
learned,  and  sensible  men ;  but  Avhenever  the  hour  came  he  was  to 
set  out  on  a  journey,  he  instantly  quitted  any  subject  or  any  company 
in  which  he  might  be  engaged,  without  any  apparent  reluctance. — 
For  fifty-two  years,  or  upwards,  he  generally  delivered  two,  frequenth^ 
three  or  four  sermons  in  a  day.  But  calculating  at  two  sermons  a 
day,  and  allowing,  as  a  writer  of  his  life  has  done,  fifty  annually  for 
extraordinary  occasions,  the  whole  number  during  this  period  will  be, 
forty  thousand  five  hundred  and  sixty.  To  these  may  be  added,  as 
the  same  writer  justly  observes,  an  infinite  number  of  exhortations  to. 
the  societies  after  preaching,  and  in  other  occasional  meetings  at  which 
he  assisted. 

"  In  social  life,  Mr.  Wesley  was  lively  and  conversible."  He  had 
most  exquisite  talents  to  make  himself  agreeable  in  company :  and 
having  been  much  accustomed  to  society,  the  rules  of  good  breeding 
were  habitual  to  him.  The  abstraction  of  a  scholar  did  not  appear 
in  his  behavior ;  he  was  attentive  and  polite.  He  spoke  a  good  deal 
where  he  saw  it  was  expected,  which  was  almost  always  the  case 
wherever  he  visited :  his  invitations  to  the  best  families  being  gen- 
erally given  to  show  him  respect,  and  hear  him  converse  on  the  diflfer- 
ent  subjects  proposed.  Having  seen  much  of  the  world  in  his  travels, 
and  read  more,  his  mind  was  well  stored  with  an  infinite  number  of 
anecdotes  and  observations ;  and  the  manner  in  which  he  related  them, 
was  no  inconsiderable  addition  to  the  entertainment  they  aflx)rded. — 
And  in  private  life  among  his  friends,  his  manner  was  equally  sprightly 
and  pleasant.  It  was  impossible  to  be  long  in  his  company,  either  in 
public  or  private,  without  partaking  of  his  placid  cheerfulness;  which 
was  not  abated  by  the  infirmities  of  age,  or  the  approach  of  death: 
but  was  as  conspicuous  at  fourscore  and  seven,  as  at  one  and 
twenty. 

This  part  of  Mr.  Wesley's  character  is  genuine,  being  drawn  from 
a  view  of  his  life  and  manners.  But  how  difierent  from  an  observa- 
tion made  upon  him,  by  Dr.  Thomas  Herring,  Archbishop  of  Canter- 
bury: in  a  letter  dated  January,  17.56.*  The  archbishop  says 
"  Whitefield  is  Daniel  Burges  redivivus  ;  and  to  be  sure,  he  finds  his 
account  in  his  joco-serious  addresses.  The  other  author  (Mr.  John 
Wesley)  in  my  opinion,  with  good  parts  and  more  learning,  is  a  most 
dark  and  saturnine  creature."  As  it  is  evident  the  archbishop  knew 
nothing  of  either  of  these  gentlemen,  but  by  the  report  of  those  as 
ignorant  of  them  as  himself,  or  from  some  uncertain  conjecture,  this 
censure  shows  great  want  of  liberality  :  and  the  editor  of  these  letters 

*  See  the  Archbishop's  letters  to  William  Duncombe,  Esq.  printed  in  1777,  page  171.  V 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


289 


would  have  done  more  credit  to  his  friend's  memory  if  he  had  sup- 
pressed it. 

The  late  celebrated  Dr.  Johnson,  was  remarkably  fond  of  sprightly, 
rational,  polite  conversation.  And,  I  apprehend,  there  was  no  better 
judge  in  England  of  a  man's  talents  in  this  way,  than  the  Doctor.— 
He  was  personally  acquainted  with  Mr.  Wesley,  and  his  judgment 
of  Mr.  Wesley's  manner  of  conversation  is  left  on  record.  He  said, 
"  Mr.  Wesley's  conversation  is  good ;  he  talks  well  on  any  subject;  I 
could  converse  with  him  all  night."  But  Dr.  Johnson,  would  cer- 
tainly not  have  expressed  himself  in  this  strong  language  of  appro- 
bation, had  Mr.  Wesley  been  that  dark^  saturnine  cieatme.  represented 
by  Archbishop  Herring. 

"  A  remarkable  feature  in  Mr.  Wesley's  character,  was  his  placa- 
bility." Having  an  active  penetrating  mind,  his  temper  was  naturally 
quick,  and  even  tending  to  sharpness.  The  influence  of  religion,  and 
the  constant  habit  of  close  thinking,  had  in  a  great  measure  corrected 
this  disposition.  "  In  general  he  preserved  an  air  of  sedateness  and 
tranquillity,  which  formed  a  striking  contrast  to  the  liveliness  conspic- 
uous in  all  his  actions."  Persecution,  abuse,  or  injury,  he  bore  from 
strangers,  not  only  without  anger,  but  without  any  apparent  emotion. 
But  in  contests  of  another  kind,  this  was  not  the  case.  Opposition 
from  his  preachers,  or  people,  he  could  not  so  easily  brook ;  and  on 
some  of  these  occasions  he  would  speak  with  a  degree  of  warmth 
which  cannot  be  defended.  But  this  was  only  for  a  moment ;  and  he 
was  very  sensible  of  the  impropriety  of  it.  What  he  said  of  himself 
was  strictly  true :  that  he  had  a  great  facility  in  forgiving  injuries. — 
Submission  on  the  part  of  the  offender,  presently  disarmed  his  resent- 
ment, and  he  would  treat  him  with  great  kindness  and  cordiality." — 
No  man  was  ever  more  free  from  jealousy  or  suspicion  than  Mr.  Wes- 
ley, or  laid  himself  more  open  to  the  impositions  of  others.  Though 
his  confidence  was  often  abused,  and  circumstances  sometimes  took 
pjace,  which  would  have  made  almost  any  other  man  suspect  every 
body  about  him,  yet  he  suspected  no  one  ;  nor  was  it  easy  to  convince 
him,  that  any  one  had  intentionally  deceived  him.  And  when  facts 
had  demonstrated  that  this  was  actually  the  case,  he  would  allow  no 
more,  than  that  it  was  so  in  that  single  instance.  And  if  the  person 
acknowledged  his  fault,  he  believed  him  sincere,  and  would  trust  him 
again.  If  we  view  this  temper  of  his  mind  in  connexion  with  a  cir- 
cumstance before  mentioned,  that  his  most  private  concerns  lay  open 
to  the  inspection  of  those  constantly  about  him,  it  will  afford  as  strong  • 
a  proof  as  can  well  be  given,  of  the  integrity  of  his  own  mind;  and' 
that  he  was  at  the  furthest  distance  from  any  intention  to  deceive,  or 
impose  upon  others. 

"The  temperance  of  Mr.  Wesley  was  extraordinary."  When  at 
college  he  carried  it  so  far,  that  his  friends  thought  him  blamable. 
But  he  never  imposed  upon  others,  the  same  degree  of  rigor  he  ex- 

voL.  n.  25  37 


290 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


ercised  upon  himself.  He  only  said,  "  I  must  be  the  best  judge  of  what 
is  hurtful,  or  beneficial  to  me."  Among  other  things,  he  wasremark- 
able  in  the  article  of  sleep ;  and  his  notion  of  it  cannot  be  better 
explained,  than  in  his  own  words.  "  Healthy  men,"  says  he,  "re- 
quire above  six  hours  sleep ;  healthy  women,  a  little  above  seven,  in 
four  and  twenty.  If  any  one  desires  to  know  exactly  what  quantity 
of  sleep  his  own  constitution  requires,  he  may  very  easily  make  the 
experiment,  which  I  made  about  sixty  years  ago.  I  then  waked 
every  night  about  twelve  or  one,  and  lay  awake  for  some  time.  I 
readily  concluded,  that  this  arose  from  my  being  in  bed  longer  than 
nature  required.  To  be  satisfied,  I  procured  an  alarum^  which 
waked  me  the  next  morning  at  seven  (near  an  hour  earlier  than  I  rose 
the  day  before,)  yet  I  lay  awake  again  at  night.  The  second  morning 
I  rose  at  six ;  but  notwithstanding  this,  I  lay  awake  the  second  night. 
The  third  morning  I  rose  at  five;  but  nevertheless  I  lay  awake  the 
third  night.  The  fourth  morning  I  rose  at  four,  as,  by  the  grace  of 
God,  I  have  done  ever  since  :  and  I  lay  awake  no  more.  And  I  do 
not  now  lie  awake,  taking  the  year  round,  a  quarter  of  an  hour  to- 
gether in  a  month.  By  the  same  experiment,  rising  earlier  and  earlier 
every  morning,  may  any  one  find  how  much  sleep  he  wants." 

It  must,  however,  be  observed,  that  for  many  years  before  his  death, 
Mr.  Wesley  slept  more  or  less  every  day.  And  his  great  readiness  to 
fall  asleep  at  any  time  when  fatigued,  was  a  considerable  means  of 
keeping  up  his  strength,  and  enabling  him  to  go  through  so  much 
labor.  I  have  known  him,  near  thirty  years  ago,  come  to  the  place 
where  he  had  to  preach  at  noon  after  a  long  wearisome  ride  in  a  hot 
day,  and  without  any  refreshment  lie  down  and  immediately  fall  fast 
asleep.  After  sleeping  ten  minutes  or  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  he  would 
get  up  refreshed  and  fit  for  his  work.  He  never  could  endure  to  sleep 
on  a  soft  bed.  I  have  seen  him  at  night,  when  he  thought  the  bed  too 
soft  to  sleep  upon,  lay  himself  across  it,  and  roll  two  or  three  times 
backward  and  forward,  till  it  was  sufficiently  flattened,  and  then  get 
into  it.  Even  in  the  latter  part  of  life,  when  the  infirmities  of  age 
pressed  upon  him,  his  whole  conduct  was  at  the  greatest  distance 
from  softness  or  effeminacy. 

A  writer  of  Mr.  Wesley's  life,  from  whom  some  observations  re- 
specting his  general  character,  have  already  been  taken,  has  further 
observed,  "  Perhaps  the  most  charitable  man  in  England,  was  Mr. 
Wesley."  His  liberality  to  the  poor,  knew  no  bounds  but  an  empty 
pocket.  He  gave  away,  not  merely  a  certain  part  of  his  income,  but 
all  that  he  had  :  his  own  wants  provided  for,  he  devoted  all  the  rest 
to  the  necessities  of  others.  He  entered  upon  this  good  work  at  a 
very  early  period.  We  are  told,  that,  "  When  he  had  thirty  pounds 
a  year,  he  lived  on  twenty-eight,  and  gave  away  forty  shillings.  The 
next  year,  receiving  sixty  pounds,  he  still  lived  on  twenty-eight,  and 
gave  away  two  and  thirty.    The  third  year  he  received  ninety  pounds, 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


291 


and  gave  away  sixty-two.  The  fourth  year  he  receivcfl  one  hundred 
and  twenty  pounds.  Still  he  lived  on  twenty-eight,  and  gave  to  the 
poor  ninety-two."  In  this  ratio  he  proceeded  during  the  rest  of  his 
Ufe;  and  in  the  course  of  fifty  years,  it  has  been  supposed,  he  gave 
away  between  twenty  and  thirty  thousand  pounds;  a  great  part  of 
which,  almost  any  other  man  than  himself  would  have  put  out  at 
interest,  upon  good  security. 

Mr.  Wesley's  charitable  donations,  Avere  often  misrepresented. — 
Envy  will  never  want  a  pretext,  to  put  the  worst  construction  on  the 
best  and  most  generous  actions.  Some  years  ago,  Pirasmus,  Bishop 
of  Crete,  visited  London.  It  has  been  said,  that  his  Episcopal  char- 
acter was  authenticated  by  a  letter  from  the  Patriarch  of  Smyrna ; 
who  added,  that  the  Turks  had  driven  him  from  his  see,  for  baptiz- 
ing a  Mussulman  into  the  faith  of  Christ.  That  the  known  liberality 
of  Mr.  Wesley,  should  induce  him  to  be  kind  to  such  a  stranger  in 
distress,  is  not  to  be  wondered  at ;  but  the  report  circulated  in  some 
periodical  publications  of  that  time,  that  Mr.  Charles  Wesley  had  offered 
him  forty  guineas  to  consecrate  his  brother  a  bishop,  is  totally  without 
foundation,  and  has  not  even  the  shadow  of  probability  to  give  it 
credit. 

In  the  distribution  of  his  money,  Mr.  Wesley  was  as  disinterested, 
as  he  was  charitable.  He  had  no  regard  to  family  connexions,  nor 
even  to  the  wants  of  the  preachers  who  labored  with  him,  in  pref- 
erence to  strangers.  He  knew  that  these  had  some  friends ;  and  he 
thought  the  poor  destitute  stranger  might  have  none,  and  therefore 
had  the  first  claim  on  his  liberality.  When  a  trifling  legacy  has  been 
paid  him,  he  has  been  known  to  dispose  of  it  in  some  charitable  way 
before  he  slept,  that  it  might  not  remain  his  own  property  for  one 
night.  "  Every  one  knows  the  apostrophes  in  which  he  addressed 
the  public,  more  than  once,  on  this  subject,  declaring,  that  his  own 
hands  should  be  his  executors."  And  though  he  gained  all  he  could 
by  his  publications,  and  saved  all  he  could,  not  wasting  so  much  as  a 
sheet  of  paper;  yet  by  giving  all  he  could,  he  was  preserved  from 
'laying  up  treasures  upon  earth.'  He  had  declared  in  print,  that,  if 
he  died  worth  more  than  ten  pounds,  independent  of  his  books,  and 
the  arrears  of  his  fellowship,  which  he  then  held,  he  would  give  the 
world  leave  to  call  him,  "a  thief  and  a  robber."  This  declaration, 
made  in  the  integrity  of  his  heart,  and  height  of  his  zeal,  laid  him 
under  some  inconveniences  afterwards,  from  circumstances  which  he 
could  not  at  that  time  foresee.  Yet  in  this,  as  all  his  friends  expected, 
he  literally  kept  his  word,  as  far  as  human  foresight  could  reach. — 
His  chaise  and  horses,  his  clothes,  and  a  few  trifles  of  that  kind,  were 
all,  his  books  excepted,  that  he  left  at  his  death.  Whatever  might  be 
the  value  of  his  books,  is  of  no  consequence,  as  they  were  placed  in 
the  hands  of  trustees  (though  the  trust  has  been  violated)  and  the 
profits  arising  from  the  sale  of  them  to  be  applied  to  the  use  and 


292 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


benefit  of  the  Conference;  reserving  only  a  few  legacies  which  Mr. 
Wesley  left,  and  a  rent-charge  of  eighty-five  pounds  a  year  to  be  paid 
to  his  brother's  widow ;  which  was  not  a  legacy  but  a  debt,  as  a  con- 
sideration for  the  copy-right  of  his  brother's  hyrnns. 

Among  the  other  excellences  of  Mr.  Wesley,  his  moderation  in  con- 
troversy deserves  to  be  noticed.  Writers  of  controversy  too  often 
forget,  that  their  own  character  is  intimately  connected  with  the 
manner  in  which  they  treat  others  :  and  if  they  have  no  regard  for 
their  opponents,  they  should  have  some  for  themselves.  When  a 
writer  becomes  personal  and  abusive,  it  affords  a  fair  presumption 
against  his  arguments,  and  ought  to  put  us  on  our  guard  against  de- 
ception. Most  of  Mr.  Wesley's  opponents  were  of  this  description ; 
their  railing  v/as  much  more  violent,  than  their  reasons  were  cogent. 
Mr.  Wesley  kept  his  temper,  and  wrote  like  a  Christian,  a  gentleman, 
and  a  scholar.  He  might  have  taken  the  words  of  the  excellent 
Hooker  as  a  motto  to  his  polemical  tracts,  "  To  your  railing  I  say 
nothing,  to  your  reasons  I  say  what  follows."  He  admired  the  tem- 
per in  which  Mr.  Law  wrote  controversy :  only  in  some  instances  Mr. 
Law  shows  a  contempt  for  his  opponent,  which  Mr.  Wesley  thought 
was  highly  improper. 

Daring  the  time  that  Mr.  Wesley  strictly  and  properly  speaking, 
governed  the  societies,  his  power  was  absolute.  There  were  no  rights, 
or  privileges  ;  no  officers  of  power  or  influence ;  but  what  were  cre- 
ated or  sanctioned  by  him :  nor  could  any  persons  hold  them,  but 
during  his  pleasure.  The  whole  system  of  Methodism,  like  a  great 
and  complicated  machine,  was  formed  under  his  direction,  and  his 
v/ill  give  motion  to  all  its  parts,  and  turned  it  this  way  or  that,  as  he 
thought  proper.  His  influence,  like  a  mighty  torrent,  gathered 
strength  in  its  progress,  at  every  intermediate  step  between  him  and 
the  great  body  of  the  people.  Let  us  suppose,  for  instance,  that  on 
some  important  matter  which  concerned  all  the  societies,  or  the  nation 
at  large,  Mr.  W^esley  gave  his  orders  to  the  assistants,  dispersed 
through  the  three  kingdoms :  these  would  impress  them  on  the  other 
itinerants,  in  number  together,  let  us  suppose  three  hundred.  With 
the  influence  of  this  body,  these  orders  would  pass  on,  to  about  twelve 
hundred  local  preachers  in  a  vast  variety  of  situations ;  who,  in  con- 
junction with  the  itinerants,  would  impress  them  on  about  four  thou- 
sand stewards  and  class  leaders ;  and  these,  by  personal  application, 
might,  in  a  short  time,  enforce  them  on  about  seventy  thousand  indi- 
viduals, members  of  the  societies.  In  addition  to  this,  we  may  suppose, 
the  itinerant  and  local  preachers  in  the  course  of  ten  days  or  a  fortnight, 
publicly  address  between  three  and  four  hundred  thousand  people, 
when  the  same  matter  might  be  further  urged  upon  them.  Now, 
what  could  stand  against  such  influence  as  this?  so  combined,  diffu- 
sive, and  rapid  in  its  progress,  when  once  put  in  motion  7  If  directed 
against  any  individuals  in  the  societies,  whatever  might  be  their 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   JOHN  WESLEY. 


293 


character  or  influence,  their  opposition  could  only  be  like  pebbles 
before  a  torrent  rolling  down  the  side  of  a  mountain ;  it  would  be 
swept  away  without  being  perceived. 

I  do  not  say,  that  Mr.  Wesley  ever  exercised  his  authority  on  so 
extensive  a  scale,  as  here  represented :  all  I  mean  to  show  the  reader 
is,  that,  had  any  occasion  of  sufficient  importance  required  it,  he  had 
the  power  of  doing  so  :  and  that,  in  the  Methodist  economy,  the  influ- 
ence of  the  ruling  preachers  operates  in  this  way,  and  has  actually 
been  exerted  since  the  death  of  Mr.  Wesley,  on  a  larger  scale  than 
here  mentioned. 

It  is  natural  to  suppose,  that  some  persons  would  be  offended  with 
Mr.  Wesley's  power  over  the  whole  connexion ;  as  thinking  they  had 
some  right  to  share  it  with  him.  He  has,  accordingly,  been  charged 
with  the  love  of  power,  even  so  far  as  to  be  a  blemish  in  his  charac- 
ter. But  he  always  denied  the  charge.  This  however  is  certain, 
that  he  always  considered  his  power,  as  inseparably  connected  with 
the  unity  and  prosperity  of  the  societies  over  which  he  presided : 
and,  whether  mistaken  or  not,  it  is  probable,  that  on  this  account 
only  he  was  so  tenacious  of  it.  This  may  certainly  be  said  to  his 
praise,  that  no  man  ever  used  his  power  with  more  moderation  than 
Mr.  Wesley.  He  never  sought  his  own  ease  or  advantage  in  the  use 
of  it :  the  societies  labored  under  no  inconvenience  from  it,  but  pros- 
pered under  his  government.  They  derived  this  benefit  from  his 
supreme  power,  that  if  any  were  injured  or  oppressed  by  the  ignor- 
ance or  rashness  of  a  preacher,  they  obtained  immediate  redress  by 
applying  to  him.  Having  known  him  for  twenty-five  years,  and  hav- 
ing examined  his  private  papers,  I  have  no  hesitation  in  declaring, 
that  I  am  fully  convinced  he  used  all  his  influence  and  power  to  the 
best  of  his  judgment,  on  every  occasion,  to  promote  the  interests  of 
Christianity,  the  prosperity  of  the  people  he  governed,  and  the  peace 
and  welfare  of  his  country,  disregarding  any  private  concern,  or 
attachment  whatever,  when  it  stood  in  the  way  of  his  general  purpose 
of  doing  good. 

Hitherto  I  have  spoken  of  Mr.  Wesley's  power  only  in  relation  to 
kis  personal  character.  But  I  readily  acknowledge,  that  his  absolute 
unlimited  power,  has  in  its  consequences,  since  his  death,  been  a  great 
injury  to  the  societies.  It  has  been  the  parent  of  a  system  of  govern- 
ment, highly  oppressive  to  many  individuals,  and  much  more  injuri- 
ous to  the  rights  of  the  people,  than  his  own.  He  constantly  acted 
as  a  middle  person,  between  the  preachers  and  people  :  and  was  ready 
to  protect  the  people,  the  poor  as  well  as  the  rich,  against  any  insult 
or  oppression  they  might  receive.  At  present,  the  preachers  claim 
unlimited  powers,  both  to  make  laws  and  execute  them,  by  them- 
selves or  their  deputies,  without  any  intermediate  authority  existing, 
to  act  as  a  check  in  favor  of  the  people.  But  what  is  still  much 
worse  than  all  the  rest,  is,  that  the  present  system  of  government 


294 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   JOHN  WESLEY. 


among  the  Methodists,  requires  such  arts  of  human  poHcy  and  chica- 
nery to  carry  it  on,  as  in  my  opinion,  are  totally  inconsistent  with  the 
openness  of  gospel  simplicity.  It  is  happy  that  the  great  body  of  the 
preachers  do  not  enter  into  the  spirit  of  it,  and  indeed  know  little 
about  it :  being  content  with  doing  their  duty  on  the  circuits  to  which 
they  are  appointed,  and  promoting  the  spiritual  welfare  of  the  peo- 
ple. And  the  hope  is,  that  this  mode  of  government  will  soon  be 
altered. 

I  shall  finish  this  review  of  Mr.  Wesley's  character,  with  two  or 
three  sketches  of  it  drawn  up  by  different  persons,  and  printed  soon 
after  his  death ;  being  persuaded  they  will  be  highly  acceptable  to  the 
candid  reader. 

"Now  that  Mr.  John  Wesley  has  finished  his  course  upon  earth,  I 
may  be  allowed  to  estimate  his  character,  and  the  loss  the  world  has 
sustained  by  his  death.  Upon  a  fair  account,  it  appears  to  be  such, 
as  not  only  annihilates  all  the  reproaches  that  have  been  cast  upon 
him ;  but  such  as  does  honor  to  mankind,  at  the  same  time  it  reproach- 
es them.  His  natural  and  acquired  abilities,  were^both  of  the  high- 
est rank.  His  apprehension  was  lively  and  distinct;  his  learning 
extensive.  His  judgment,  though  not  infallible,  was  in  most  cases 
excellent.  His  mind  was  steadfast  and  resolved.  His  elocution  was 
ready  and  clear,  graceful  and  easy,  accurate  and  unaffected.  As  a 
writer,  his  style,  though  unstudied  and  flowing  with  natural  ease,  yet 
for  accuracy  and  perspicuity,  was  such  as  may  vie  v/ith  the  best 
writers  in  the  English  language.  Though  his  temper  was  naturally 
warm,  his  manners  were  gentle,  simple,  and  uniform.  Never  were 
such  happy  talents  better  seconded  by  an  unrelenting  perseverance 
in  those  courses,  which  his  singular  endowments,  and  his  zealous 
love  to  the  interests  of  mankind,  marked  oat  for  him.  His  constitu- 
tion was  excellent :  and  never  was  a  constitution  less  abused,  less 
spared,  or  more  excellently  applied,  in  an  exact  subservience  to  the 
faculties  of  his  mind.  His  labors  and  studies  were  \vonderful.  The 
latter  were  not  confined  to  theology  only,  but  extended  to  every  sub- 
ject that  tended,  either  to  the  improvement,  or  the  rational  entertain- 
ment of  the  mind.  If  we  consider  the  reading  he  discovers  by  itself^ 
his  writings  and  his  other  labors  by  themselves,  any  one  of  them  will 
appear  sufficient  to  have  kept  a  person  of  ordinary  application,  busy 
during  his  whole  life.  In  short,  the  transactions  of  his  life  could 
never  have  been  performed,  without  the  utmost  exertion  of  two  quali- 
ties ;  which  depended,  not  upon  his  capacity,  but  on  the  uniform  stead- 
fastness of  his  resolution.  These  were,  inflexible  temperance,  and 
unexampled  economy  of  time.  In  these  he  was  a  pattern  to  the  age 
he  lived  in ;  and  an  example,  to  what  a  surprising  extent  a  man  may 
render  himself  useful  in  his  generation,  by  temperance  and  punctual- 
ity. His  friends  and  followers  have  no  reason  to  be  ashamed  of  the 
name  of  Methodist,  he  has  entailed  upon  them :  as,  for  an  uninter- 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


295 


rupted  course  of  years,  lie  has  given  the  world  an  instance  of  the 
possibility  of  living  without  wasting  a  single  hour;  and  of  the  advan- 
tage of  a  regular  distribution  of  time,  in  discharging  the  important 
duties  and  purposes  of  life.  Few  ages  have  more  needed  such  a  pub- 
lic testimony  to  the  value  of  time ;  and  perhaps  none  have  had  a 
more  conspicuous  example  of  the  perfection,  to  which  the  improve- 
ment of  it  may  be  carried. 

"As  a  minister,  his  labors  were  unparalleled,  and  such  as  nothing 
could  have  supported  him  under,  but  the  warmest  zeal  for  the  doc- 
trine he  taught,  and  for  the  eternal  interests  of  mankind.  He  studied 
to  be  gentle,  yet  vigilant  and  faithful  towards  all.  He  possessed 
himself  in  patience,  and  preserved  himself  unprovoked,  nay,  even 
unruffled  in  the  midst  of  persecution,  reproach,  and  all  manner  of 
abuse,  both  of  his  person  and  name.  Bat  let  his  own  works  praise 
him.  He  now  enjoys  the  fruits  of  his  labors,  and  that  praise  which 
he  sought  not  of  men,  but  of  God. 

"To  finish  the  portrait.  Examine  the  general  tenor  of  his  life, 
and  it  will  be  found  self-evidently  inconsistent  with  his  being  a  slave 
to  any  one  passion  or  pursuit,  that  can  fix  a  blemish  on  his  character. 
Of  what  use  were  the  accumulation  of  wealth  to  him,  who,  through 
his  whole  course,  never  allowed  himself  to  taste  the  repose  of  indo- 
lence, or  even  of  the  common  indulgence  in  the  use  of  the  neces- 
saries of  life.  Free  from  the  partiality  of  any  party,  the  sketcher  of 
this  excellent  character,  with  a  friendly  tear,  pays  it  as  a  just  tribute 
to  the  memory  of  so  great  and  good  a  man,  who,  when  alive,  was  his 
friend." 

The  following,  so  far  as  it  goes,  is  an  accurate  and  beautiful  pic- 
ture of  this  extraordinary  man. 

"Very  lately,  I  had  an  opportunity,  for  some  days  together,  of 
observing  Mr.  Wesley  with  attention.  I  endeavored  to  consider  him, 
not  so  much  with  the  eye  of  a  friend,  as  with  the  impartiality  of  a 
philosopher :  and  I  must  declare,  every  hour  I  spent  in  his  company, 
aflforded  me  fresh  reasons  for  esteem  and  veneration.  So  fine  an  old 
man  I  never  saw.  The  happiness  of  his  mind,  beamed  forth  in  his 
countenance.  Every  look  showed  how  fully  he  enjoyed  '  The  gay 
remembrance  of  a  life  well  spent : '  and  wherever  he  went,  he  dif- 
fused a  portion  of  his  own  felicity.  Easy  and  affable  in  his  demean- 
or, he  accommodated  himself  to  every  sort  of  company,  and  showed 
how  happily  the  most  finished  courtesy  may  be  blended  with  the 
most  perfect  piety.  In  his  conversation,  we  might  be  at  a  loss  whether 
to  admire  most,  his  fine  classical  taste,  his  extensive  knowledge  of 
men  and  things,  or  his  overflowing  goodness  of  heart.  While  the 
grave  and  serious  were  charmed  with  his  wisdom,  his  sportive  sallies 
of  innocent  mirth  delighted  even  the  young  and  thoughtless;  and 
both  saw  in  his  uninterrupted  cheerfulness,  the  excellency  of  true 
religion.    No  cynical  remarks  on  the  levity  of  youth,  embittered  his 


296  THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 

discourse :  no  applausive  retrospect  to  past  times,  marked  his  present 
discontent.  In  him,  even  old  age  appeared  delightful,  like  an  even- 
ing without  a  cloud ;  and  it  was  impossible  to  observe  him  without 
wishing  fervently,  '  May  my  latter  end  be  like  his  ! ' 

"  But  I  find  myself  unequal  to  the  task  of  delineating  such  a  char- 
acter. What  I  have  said,  may  to  some  appear  as  panegyric;  but 
there  are  numbers,  and  those  of  taste  and  discernment  too,  who  can 
bear  witness  to  the  truth,  though  by  no  means  to  the  perfectness  of 
the  sketch  I  have  attempted.  With  such  I  have  been  frequently  in 
his  company;  and  every  one  of  them,  I  am  persuaded,  would  sub- 
scribe to  all  I  have  said.  For  my  own  part,  I  never  was  so  happy 
as  while  with  him,  and  scarcely  ever  felt  more  poignant  regret  than 
at  parting  from  him ;  for  well  I  knew,  '  I  ne'er  should  look  upon  his 
like  again.'" 

The  following  beautiful  portrait  of  Mr.  Wesley  was  drawn  by  a 
masterly  hand.  It  appeared  soon  after  his  death,  in  a  very  respecta- 
ble publication;  and  was  afterwards  inserted  in  Woodfall's  Diary, 
June  17,  1791;  from 'whence  I  have  taken  it;  having  made  one  or 
two  trifling  alterations. 

"  His  indefatigable  zeal  in  the  discharge  of  his  duty  has  been  long 
witnessed  by  the  world ;  but  as  mankind  are  not  always  inclined  to 
put  a  generous  construction  on  the  exertion  of  singular  talents,  his 
motives  were  imputed  to  the  love  of  popularity,  ambition,  and  lucre. 
It  now  appears  that  he  was  actuated  by  a  disinterested  regard  to  the 
immortal  interest  of  mankind.  He  labored,  and  studied,  and  preached, 
and  wrote  to  propagate,  what  he  believed  to  be  the  gospel  of  Christ. 
The  intervals  of  these  engagements  were  employed  in  governing  and 
regulating  the  concerns  of  his  numerous  societies ;  assisting  the  neces- 
sities, solving  the  difliculties,  and  soothing  the  afflictions  of  his  hear- 
ers. He  observed  so  rigid  a  temperance,  and  allowed  himself  so  little 
repose,  that  he  seemed  to  be  above  the  infirmities  of  nature,  and  to 
act  independent  of  the  earthly  tenement  he  occupied.  The  recital 
of  the  occurrences  of  every  day  of  his  life  would  be  the  greatest  enco- 
mium. 

"  Had  he  loved  wealth,  he  might  have  accumulated  without  bounds. 
Had  he  been  fond  of  power,  his  influence  would  have  been  worth 
courting  by  any  party.  I  do  not  say  he  was  without  ambition  ;  he 
had  that  which  Christianity  need  not  blush  at,  and  which  virtue  is 
proud  to  confess.  I  do  not  mean,  that  which  is  gratified  by  splendor 
and  large  possessions;  but  that  which  commands  the  hearts  and 
aflections,  the  homage  and  gratitude,  of  thousands.  For  him  they 
felt  sentiments  of  veneration,  only  inferior  to  those  which  they  paid 
to  heaven :  to  him  they  looked  as  their  father,  their  benefactor,  their 
guide  to  glory  and  immortality:  for  him  they  fell  prostrate  before 
God,  with  prayers  and  tears,  to  spare  his  doom,  and  prolong  his  stay. 
Such  a  recompense  as  this,  is  sufficient  to  repay  the  toils  of  the  long- 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


297 


est  life.  Short  of  this,  greatness  is  contemptible  impotence.  Before 
this,  lofty  prelates  bow,  and  princes  hide  their  diminished  heads. 

"His  zeal  was  not  a  transient  blaze,  but  a  steady  and  constant 
flame.  The  ardor  of  his  spirit  was  neither  damped  by  dilliculty,  nor 
subdued  by  age.  This  was  ascribed  by  himself,  to  the  power  of 
Divine  grace;  by  the  world  to  enthusiasm.  Be  it  what  it  will,  it  is 
what  philosophers  must  envy,  and  infidels  respect :  it  is  that  which 
gives  energy  to  the  soul,  and  without  which  there  can  be  no  greatness 
or  heroism. 

"  Why  should  we  condemn  that  in  religion,  which  we  applaud  in 
every  other  profession  and  pursuit?  He  had  a  vigor  and  elevation  of 
mind,  which  nothing  but  the  belief  of  the  Divine  favor  and  presence 
could  inspire.  This  threw  a  lustre  round  his  infirmities,  changed  his 
bed  of  sickness  into  a  triumphal  car,  and  made  his  exit  resemble  an 
apotheosis  rather  than  a  dissolution. 

"  He  was  qualified  to  excel  in  every  branch  of  literature  :  he  was 
well  versed  in  the  learned  tongues,  in  metaphysics,  in  oratory,  in 
logic,  in  criticism,  and  every  requisite  of  a  christian  minister.  His 
style  was  nervous,  clear,  and  manly ;  his  preaching  was  pathetic  and 
persuasive ;  his  Journals  are  artless  and  interesting ;  and  his  compo- 
sitions and  compilations  to  promote  knowledge  and  piety,  were  almost 
innumerable. 

"  I  do  not  say  he  was  Avithout  faults,  or  above  mistakes ;  but  they 
were  lost  in  the  multitude  of  his  excellences  and  virtues. 

"  To  gain  the  admiration  of  an  ignorant  and  superstitious  age, 
requires  only  a  little  artifice  and  address ;  to  stand  the  test  of  these 
times,  when  all  pretensions  to  sanctity  are  stigmatized  as  hypocrisy, 
is  a  proof  of  genuine  piety,  and  real  usefulness.  His  great  object 
was,  to  revive  the  obsolete  doctrines,  and  extinguished  spirit  of  the 
Church  of  England ;  and  they  who  are  its  friends,  cannot  be  his  ene- 
mies. Yet  for  this  he  was  treated  as  a  fanatic  and  impostor,  and 
exposed  to  every  species  of  slander  and  persecution.  Even  bishops 
and  dignitaries  entered  the  lists  against  him ;  but  he  never  declined 
the  combat,  and  generally  proved  victorious.  He  appealed  to  the 
Homilies,  the  Articles,  and  the  Scriptures,  as  vouchers  for  his  doc- 
trine ;  and  they  who  could  not  decide  upon  the  merits  of  the  contro- 
versy, were  witnesses  of  the  effects  of  his  labors ;  and  they  judged 
of  the  tree  by  its  fruit.  It  is  true,  he  did  not  succeed  much  in  the 
higher  walks  of  life ;  but  that  impeached  his  cause  no  more,  than  it 
did  the  first  planters  of  the  gospel.  However,  if  he  had  been  capa- 
ble of  assuming  vanity  on  that  score,  he  might  rank  among  his  friends 
some  persons  of  the  first  distinction,  who  would  have  done  honor  to 
any  party.  After  surviving  almost  all  his  adversaries,  and  acquiring 
respect  among  those  who  were  the  most  distant  from  his  principles, 
he  lived  to  see  the  plant  he  had  reared,  spreading  its  branches  far  and 
wide,  and  inviting  not  only  these  kingdoms,  but  the  Western  world, 

VOL.  n.  38 


298 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


to  repose  under  its  shade.  No  sect,  since  the  first  ages  of  Christian- 
ity, could  boast  a  founder  of  such  extensive  talents  and  endowments. 
If  he  had  been  a  candidate  for  literary  fame,  he  might  have  succeeded 
to  his  utmost  wishes ;  but  he  sought  not  the  praise  of  man ;  he  re- 
garded learning  only  as  the  instrument  of  usefulness.  The  great 
purpose  of  his  life  was  doing  good.  For  this  he  relinquished  all 
honor  and  preferment ;  to  this  he  dedicated  all  the  powers  of  body 
and  mind;  at  all  times  and  in  all  places,  in  season  and  out  of  season, 
by  gentleness,  by  terror,  by  argument,  by  persuasion,  by  reason,  by 
interest,  by  every  motive  and  every  inducement,  he  strove  with  un- 
wearied assiduity,  to  turn  men  from  the  error  of  their  ways,  and 
awaken  them  to  virtue  and  religion.  To  the  bed  of  sickness,  or  the 
couch  of  prosperity ;  to  the  prison,  the  hospital,  the  house  of  mourning, 
or  the  house  of  feasting,  wherever  there  was  a  friend  to  serve,  or  a 
soul  to  save,  he  readily  repaired :  to  administer  assistance  or  advice, 
reproof  or  consolation.  He  thought  no  office  too  humiliating,  no  con- 
descension too  low,  no  undertaking  too  arduous,  to  reclaim  the  mean- 
est of  God's  off"spring.  The  souls  of  all  men  were  equally  precious  in 
his  sight,  and  the  value  of  an  immortal  creature  beyond  all  estimation. 
He  penetrated  the  abodes  of  wretchedness  and  ignorance,  to  rescue 
the  profligate  from  perdition ;  and  he  communicated  the  light  of  life 
to  those  who  sat  in  darkness  and  the  shadow  of  death.  He  changed 
the  outcasts  of  society,  into  useful  members ;  civilized  even  savages, 
and  filled  those  lips  with  prayer  and  praise,  that  had  been  accustom- 
ed only  to  oaths  and  imprecations.  But  as  the  strongest  religious 
impressions  are  apt  to  become  languid,  without  discipline  and  prac- 
tice, he  divided  his  people  into  classes  and  bands,  according  to  their 
attainments.  He  appointed  frequent  meetings  for  prayer  and  conver- 
sation, where  they  gave  an  account  of  their  experience,  their  hopes 
and  fears,  their  joys  and  troubles :  by  which  means  they  were  united 
to  each  other,  and  to  their  common  profession.  They  became  senti- 
nels upon  each  other's  conduct,  and  securities  for  each  other's  charac- 
ter. Thus  the  seeds  he  sowed  sprang  up  and  flourished,  bearing  the 
rich  fruits  of  every  grace  and  virtue.  Thus  he  governed  and 
preserved  his  numerous  societies,  watching  their  improvement  with  a 
paternal  care,  and  encouraging  them  to  be  faithful  to  the  end. 

But  I  will  not  attempt  to  draw  his  full  character,  nor  to  estimate 
the  extent  of  his  labors  and  services.  They  will  be  best  known 
when  he  shall  deliver  up  his  commission  into  the  hand  of  his  great 
Master." 

The  following  description  of  Mr.  Wesley's  person,  will  be  agreeable 
to  most  readers  now ;  and  certainly  will  be  more  so,  when  those  ^vho 
personally  knew  him  are  removed  to  their  eternal  habitations. 

"  The  figure  of  Mr.  Wesley  was  remarkable.  His  stature  was  low: 
his  habit  of  body  in  every  period  of  life,  the  reverse  of  corpulent,  and 
expressive  of  strict  temperance,  and  continual  exercise  :  and  notwith- 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


299 


standing  his  small  size,  his  step  was  firm,  and  his  appearance,  till 
within  a  few  years  of  his  death,  vigorous  and  muscnlar.  His  face, 
for  an  old  man,  was  one  of  the  finest  we  have  seen.  A  clear,  smooth 
forehead,  an  aquiline  nose,  an  eye  the  brightest  and  most  piercing  that 
can  be  conceived,  and  a  freshness  of  complexion  scarcely  ever  to  be 
found  at  his  years,  and  impressive  of  the  most  perfect  health,  con- 
spired to  render  him  a  venerable  and  interesting  figure.  Few  have 
seen  him  without  being  struck  with  his  appearance :  and  many,  who 
had  been  greatly  prejudiced  against  him,  have  been  known  to  change 
their  opinion  the  moment  they  were  introduced  into  his  presence.  In 
his  countenance  and  demeanor,  there  was  a  cheerfulness  mingled 
with  gravity ;  a  sprighthness,  which  was  the  natural  result  of  an 
unusual  flow  of  spirits,  and  yet  was  accompanied  with  every  mark 
of  the  most  serene  tranquillity.  His  aspect,  particularly  in  profile, 
had  a  strong  character  of  astuteness  and  penetration. 

"  In  dress,  he  was  a  pattern  of  neatness  and  simplicity.  A  narrow 
plaited  stock,  a  coat  with  a  small  upright  collar,  no  buckles  at  his 
knees,  no  silk  or  velvet  in  any  part  of  his  apparel,  and  a  head  as 
white  as  snow  gave  an  idea  of  something  primitive  and  apostolic : 
while  an  air  of  neatness  and  cleanliness  was  diff'used  over  his  whole 
person." 


SECTION  II. 
A  SHORT  VIEW  OF  MR.  WESLEY's  WRITINGS  AND  CONTROVERSIES. 

Mr.  Wesley's  writings,  like  his  other  labors,  in  the  design  and  exe- 
cution correspond  with  the  general  review  of  his  character  before 
given.  He  never  wrote  merely  to  please,  or  to  get  money.  His  object 
constantly  was,  to  inform  the  understanding,  and  mend  the  heart : 
to  discourage  vice,  and  promote  virtue.  He  never  published  any- 
thing with  a  view  to  promote  a  party-spirit.  A  great  degree  of  can- 
dor and  liberality  runs  through  all  his  publications  ;  and  in  matters 
of  mere  speculation,  he  endeavored  to  show  the  necessity  of  christian 
love,  and  mutual  forbearance  among  those  who  differ  in  opinion.  In 
his  controversies,  he  combated  opinions,  not  men.  And  this  he  did, 
in  general,  with  great  moderation.  He  maintained,  that  even  right 
opinions,  make  but  a  small  part  of  religion :  that,  a  man  may  hold  the 
truth  in  unrighteousness,  and  therefore  perish  with  the  greater  con- 
demnation. But,  a  man  whose  heart,  from  a  living  faith  in  Christ 
operating  as  a  practical  principle,  is  influenced  to  the  love  of  God  and 
man,  and  whose  life  is  correspondent  to  it,  cannot  err  dangerously, 
though  he  may  hold  some  erroneous  opinions.  And  he  thought,  that 
we  ought  to  contend  for  this  christian  temper  and  practice,  much  more 
earnestly,  than  for  any  speculative  notions,  not  essentially  necessary 


300  THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 

to  obtain  them.  This  made  him  earnest  to  contend  for  practical 
truth ;  and  had  a  happy  influence  on  all  his  writings. 

I  do  not  mean  to  enter  into  a  critical  review  of  Mr.  Wesley's  writ- 
ings; this  would  far  exceed  my  present  limits.  I  intend  only  to  point 
out  the  chief  of  his  own  works,  show  his  design  in  publishing  them, 
and  how  far  the  execution  corresponds  with  the  design.  For  if  an 
author  well  and  duly  accomplishes  all  he  undertakes,  it  is  the  utmost 
that  ought  to  be  expected  from  him. 

The  following  is  an  abridgment  of  his  own  words,  in  explaining 
the  general  design  he  had  in  publishing  his  Notes  on  the  New  Testa- 
ment. "It  will  be  easily  discerned — from  the  Notes  themselves,  that 
they  were  not  principally  designed  for  men  of  learning,  who  are  pro- 
vided with  many  other  helps  ;  but  I  write  chiefly  for  plain  unlettered 
men,  who  understand  only  their  mother-tongue,  and  yet  reverence 
and  love  the  word  of  God,  and  have  a  desire  to  save  their  souls. 

"I  have  endeavored  to  make  the  Notes  as  short  as  possible,  that 
the  Comment  may  not  obscure  or  swallow  up  the  Text :  and  as  plain 
as  possible  in  pursuance  of  my  main  design,  to  assist  unlearned  read- 
ers. For  this  reason  I  have  studiously  avoided  not  only  all  curious 
and  critical  inquiries,  and  all  use  of  the  learned  languages,  but  all 
such  methods  of  reasoning  and  modes  of  expression,  as  people  in 
common  life  are  unacquainted  with.  For  the  same  reason,  as  I  rather 
endeavor  to  obviate  than  to  propose  and  answer  objections,  so  I  pur- 
posely decline  going  deep  into  many  difficulties,  lest  I  should  leave 
the  ordinary  reader  behind  me, 

"  I  once  designed  to  write  down,  barely  what  occurred  to  my  own 
mind — But  no  sooner  was  I  acquainted  with  that  great  light  of  the 
christian  world,  Bengeliiis.  than  I  entirely  changed  my  design,  being 
thoroughly  convinced,  it  might  be  of  more  service  to  the  cause  of 
religion,  were  I  barely  to  translate  his  Gnomon  Novi  Testarnenti.  than 
to  write  many  volumes  upon  it.  Many  of  his  excellent  Notes  I  have 
therefore  translated ;  many  more  I  have  abridged.  Those  various 
readings  which  he  has  shown  to  have  a  vast  majority  of  ancient  copies 
and  translations  on  their  side,  I  have  without  scruple  incorporated 
with  the  text ;  which  after  his  manner,  I  have  divided  (though  not 
omitting  the  common  division  into  the  chapters  and  verses)  according 
to  the  matter  it  contains,  making  a  larger  or  smaller  pause,  just  as 
the  sense  requires.  And  even  this,  is  such  an  help  in  many  places,  as 
one  who  has  not  tried  it  can  scarcely  conceive. — I  am  likewise  in- 
debted for  some  useful  observations  to  Dr.  Heylin's  TIjeological  Lec- 
tures :  and  for  many  more  to  Dr.  Guyse,  and  to  the  Family  Expositor 
of  the  late  pious  and  learned  Dr.  Doddridge. — I  cannot  flatter  myself 
so  far  as  to  imagine  that  I  have  fallen  into  no  mistakes  in  a  work  of 
so  great  difficulty.  But  my  own  conscience  acquits  me  of  having 
designedly  misrepresented  any  single  passage  of  Scripture,  or  of  hav- 
ing written  one  line  with  a  purpose  of  inflaming  the  hearts  of  Chris- 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


301 


iians  against  each  other.  Would  to  God,  that  all  party  names,  and 
unscriptural  phrases  and  forms,  which  have  divided  the  christian 
world,  were  forgot :  and  that  we  might  all  agree  to  sit  down  together, 
as  humble,  loving  disciples,  at  the  feet  of  our  common  Master,  to  hear 
his  word,  to  imbibe  his  Spirit,  and  to  transcribe  his  life  in  onr  own." 

After  such  a  declaration  as  this  in  the  Preface,  the  readcronght  not  to 
feel  himself  disappointed,  if  he  find  no  deep  and  learned  discussions 
of  abstruse  subjects  in  Mr.  Wesley's  Notes  on  the  New  Testament. 
They  are  what  he  intended  they  should  be,  briefly  explanatory  and 
practical :  but,  at  the  same  time,  judicious  and  pertinent.  I  have 
sometimes  thought,  that  if  most  of  the  very  short  Notes  were  inserted 
in  the  text  by  some  judicious  hand  so  as  to  form  a  paraphrase,  and 
the  rest  be  retained,  the  work  would  be  more  useful  to  common  read- 
ers than  in  its  present  form. — Mr.  Wesley's  Notes  on  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, taken  chiefly  from  Henry,  and  Poole,  are  not  held  in  the  same 
degree  of  estimation,  as  those  on  the  New  Testament. 

Mr.  Wesley's  sermons  in  eight  volumes,  were  written  in  the  same 
spirit,  and  with  the  same  benevolent  design  as  the  Notes  just  men- 
tioned. He  tells  us  in  the  Preface,  "I  design  plain  truth  for  plain 
people.  Therefore,  of  set  purpose  1  abstain  from  all  nice  and  philo- 
sophical speculations,  from  all  perplexed  and  intricate  reasonings  ;  and 
as  far  as  possible  from  even  the  show  of  learning,  unless  in  sometimes 
citing  the  original  Scripture.  Nothing  appears  here  in  an  elaborate, 
elegant,  or  rhetorical  dress.  I  mention  this,  that  curious  readers  may 
spare  themselves  the  labor  of  seeking  for  what  they  will  not  find." — 
The  first  four  volumes  were  written  in  the  early  part  of  Methodism : 
several  of  the  sermons  being  preached  before  the  University  of  Ox- 
ford, while  he  held  his  Fellowship.  The  subjects  are  important,  and 
the  discourses  written  with  great  animation  and  strength  of  language. 

The  last  four  volumes  were  written  chiefly  for  the  Arminian  Mag- 
azine, and  collected  and  republished  in  1788.  These  are  generally 
more  practical  than  the  others;  and  have  been  admired  for  their 
composition,  and  for  the  simplicity,  accuracy,  and  ease,  of  the  style 
in  which  they  are  written. 

His  "Appeals  to  Men  of  Reason  and  Religion,"  have  great  merit. 
The  pious  and  learned  Dr.  Doddridge  intimates,  that  he  read  them 
with  great  emotion  ;  and  tells  us,  that  having  gone  through  them,  h& 
wrote  on  the  back,  "  How  forcible  are  Right  Words."  Mr.  Wesley 
wrote  them  in  the  fulness  of  his  heart,  viewing  and  lamenting  the 
wretched  state  of  the  world  with  regard  to  religion  and  morality. 
It  is  almost  impossible  for  any  well-disposed,  unprejudiced  person  to  . 
read  them,  without  strongly  feeling  the  force  and  justness  of  the 
observations  they  contain  :  and  they  have  been  the  means  of  con- 
vincing some,  even  men  of  learning,  who  before  were  utterly  opposed  ! 
to  the  Methodists. 

Mr.  Wesley's  treatise  on  "Original  Sin,"  is,  perhaps,  the  most 

VOL.  n.  26 


302 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   JOHN  WESLEY. 


labored  performance  that  he  published.  He  knew,  and  respected 
the  abilities  and  character  of  Dr.  Taylor,  his  opponent.  He  bestowed 
much  time  and  attention  in  a  careful  investigation  of  the  subject  ; 
but  avoided  entering  into  minute  metaphysical  disquisitions.  He 
knew  that  nothing  could  be  affirmed  in  this  way  of  reasoning,  how- 
ever true,  but  what  another  might  deny  with  some  degree  of  plausi- 
bility. His  treatise  therefore  is,  an  animated  defence  of  the  ortho- 
dox doctrine,  in  a  deduction  from  the  actual  state  of  morality  in  all 
ages,  and  under  every  kind  of  restraint  from  evil  that  has  been  im- 
posed on  mankind:  or,  as  he  expresses  it,  "from  Scripture,  reason, 
and  experience."  And  if  we  may  be  allowed  the  same  mode  of  rea- 
soning in  morals,  which  the  most  approved  philosophers  have  adopted 
in  explaining  the  system  of  the  world ;  if,  from  an  uniform  series  of 
facts,  we  may  deduce  a  certain  principle  sufficient  to  account  for 
them,  then  Mr.  Wesley  has  proved  his  point  beyond  contradiction. 
It  seems  as  if  Dr.  Taylor  had  felt  the  full  force  of  this  way  of  reason- 
ing, as  he  never  would  answer  Mr.  Wesley,  and  always  spoke  of 
him  with  respect. 

In  historical  compositions  Mr.  Wesley  did  not  excel.  His  general 
habit  of  generalizing  and  reducing  to  a  few  heads,  every  subject  of 
which  he  treated ;  and  the  too  great  confidence  he  had,  in  the  author- 
ity of  his  own  assertions  when  he  himself  was  convinced,  in  some 
degree  indisposed  him  to  enter  into  that  detail  of  evidence  from  facts, 
so  highly  necessary  to  establish  a  general  principle  in  history  and 
biography.  His  works,  therefore,  of  this  kind,  have  not  the  same 
merit  as  his  other  compositions. 

In  none  of  his  publications,  are  instruction  and  entertainment  more 
happily  combined,  than  in  the  work  entitled,  "  A  Survey  of  the  Wis- 
dom and  Goodness  of  God  in  the  Creation."  This  was  first  pub- 
lished in  two  volumes ;  and  a  gentleman,  then  a  student  at  Oxford, 
informed  me,  that  taking  a  few  copies  with  him,  as  presents  to  some 
of  the  principal  persons  in  the  University,  they  expressed  a  high 
degree  of  satisfaction  in  the  work :  and  Mr.  Wesley  received  letters 
from  them  to  the  same  purpose.  This  work  was  afterwards  en- 
larged, and  published  in  five  volumes,  in  1784.  In  the  fourth  vol- 
ume is  a  translation  of  Bonnet's  "  Contemplations  de  la  Nature.^''  a 
work  highly  elegant  and  instructive.  Mr.  Wesley  could  not  have 
made  a  better  choice,  as  it  perfectly  corresponds  with  the  general 
design  of  his  own  publication.  In  the  fifth  volume.  Mr.  Wesley  has 
given  an  extract  of  Mr.  Deuten's  '■^Enquiry  mto  the  Origin  of  the 
Discoveries  attributed  to  the  Modernsy  This  work  was  scarcely 
known  in  England,  even  to  the  learned,  when  Mr.  Wesley  published 
this  extract  from  it :  and  is  but  little  known  at  present.  It  is  cer- 
tainly ingenious,  and  contains  a  great  deal  of  curious  matter.  But 
I  am  astonished  that  Mr.  Wesley  could  think  Mr.  Deuten's  reason- 
ings and  deductions  from  many  passages  of  the  ancients,  are  at  all 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


303 


admissible.  In  what  relates  to  my  own  profession,  I  must  acknowl- 
edge, that  I  find  some  degree  of  resolution  necessary  to  read  some  of 
them  with  patience.  This  extract  might  have  been  well  spared,  as 
it  is  not  very  interesting  to  common  readers;  and  but  ill  accords  with 
the  design  and  title  of  his  publication. 

Mr.  Wesley's  Survey  ojf  the  Wisdom  of  God  in  the  Creation,  was 
not  intended  as  a  history  of  the  present  state  of  philosophy;  nor  as 
an  introduction  to  the  philosophical  systems  that  have  prevailed,  or 
do  now  prevail,  though  he  gives  a  little  sketch  of  them :  but  as  a 
general  view  of  the  most  useful  and  remarkable  things  in  natural 
history,  and  an  illustration,  for  common  use,  of  the  wisdom  and 
goodness  of  the  Creator.  "Considered  in  this  light,  it  is  well  entitled 
to  public  approbation :  and  the  moral  reflections  it  contains,  are  as 
much  distinguished  by  their  justness  and  elegance,  as  by  their  util- 
ity." Upon  the  whole,  it  is  the  most  useful  christian  compendium 
of  philosophy  in  the  English  language. 

He  wrote  a  very  great  number  of  pamphlets  on  various  subjects : 
among  the  rest  was  one  entitled,  "  Thoughts  on  Slavery."  He  was 
one  of  the  earliest  writers  on  this  subject,  which  has  since  undergone 
so  complete  an  investigation ;  without,  as  yet,  obtaining  for  the 
slaves  that  redress  which  justice  and  mercy  demand.  He  has  treated 
it,  as  might  be  expected  from  his  general  character,  in  a  moral  and 
religious  view;  but  with  great  spirit  and  impartiality,  and  the 
pamphlet  does  him  great  credit.  It  has  been  supposed,  that  this 
tract  had  a  powerful  influence  on  some  of  the  American  States,  in 
their  late  regulations  concerning  the  trade  to  Africa. 

In  controversy,  Mr.  Wesley  did  certainly  excel.  Few  have  equal- 
led him,  either  in  skill,  freedom  from  logomachy,  or  in  the  moderation 
and  christian  temper  which  every  where  appeared  on  these  occa- 
sions. It  does  not  seem,  that  he  was  fond  of  controversy,  at  least  for 
more  than  thirty  years  before  his  death.  He  calls  it  in  one  place,  if  I 
rightly  recollect,  "heavy  work,  yet  sometimes  necessary  to  be  done." 
Among  his  controversial  pieces,  his  "Predestination  calmly  consid- 
ered," is  of  distinguished  excellence.  "It  is  a  model  of  controvers^^ 
clear  and  cogent ;  concise  and  argumentative  ;  and  the  most  convin- 
cing, because  the  spirit  in  which  it  is  written,  is  as  amiable  as  the 
reasoning  is  unanswerable.  Perhaps  there  is  not  in  the  English  lan- 
guage, a  treatise  which  contains  in  so  small  a  compass,  so  full  and 
masterly  a  refutation  of  the  principle  it  opposes.  It  does  great  credii 
to  his  judgment,  that  he  so  eagerly  espoused,  and  so  ably  defended 
the  mild  and  moderate  system  of  Arminius."=* 

*  Few  persons  among  the  Calvinists,  seem  to  have  any  just  notion  of  the  opmion  oi 
Arminius,  on  the  subject  of  Free  Grace  ;  and  therefore  continually  misrepresent  it.  Mr 
Wesley  was  a  true  Arminian  ;  and  I  have  shown  in  the  Discourse  delivered  at  his  Funera; 
that  he  held  the  doctrine  of  Free  Grace,  as  fully  as  any  Calvinist,  though  in  a  mor 
rational  and  scriptural  sense. 


304 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


Mr.  Wesley  entered  the  list  of  controversy  against  Dr.  Lavington^ 
bishop  of  Exeter,  Dr.  Warbnrton,  bishop  of  Gloucester,  Dr.  Middle- 
ton,  Dr.  Free,  Dr.  Taylor,  of  Norwich ;  and  several  others :  in  all  of 
which  he  acquitted  himself  with  honor,  and  gained  credit  to  his 
cause.  But  the  most  virulent,  vulgar,  and  abusive  of  his  opponents, 
were  some  of  the  defenders  of  Calvinism :  at  the  head  of  whom  stood 
Mr.  Toplady :  a  man,  not  wholly  destitute  of  abilities,  but,  in  his 
opposition  to  Mr.  Wesley,  greatly  deficient  in  the  christian  temper, 
and  the  manners  of  a  gentleman.  Not  content  with  writing  against 
him  in  the  most  scurrilous  language,  he  assiduously  collected  anec- 
dotes and  stories  to  the  prejudice  of  Mr.  Wesley's  character:  and  not 
only  mentioned  them  in  private,  but  committed  them  to  paper,  and 
circulated  them  among  his  friends.  I  am  informed,  there  are  letters 
now  in  the  hands  of  his  friends  in  London,  Avhich  contain  some  of 
these  s%ceet  morsels  of  scandal,  and  that  his  friends  intend  to  publish 
them.  But  if  the  public  consider  the  bitterness  with  which  Mr. 
Toplady  collected  these  stories,  and  how  easy  it  is  for  a  man  of  his 
temper  to  collect  as  many  as  he  wants,  manufactured  according  to 
his  own  taste,  against  any  man  living  (when  the  authors  are  secure 
against  any  legal  prosecution.)  they  certainly  will  not  think  that  any 
charges  coming  from  so  suspicious  a  quarter  and  in  so  questionable  a 
shape,  against  a  man  who  lived  and  died  as  Mr.  Wesley  did,  deserve 
the  least  degree  of  credit.  I  understand,  indeed,  that  some  charges 
in  these  letters,  are  as  improbable  on  the  face  of  them,  as  they  are 
false  in  fact :  and  if  Mr.  Toplady's  friends  have  any  regard  for  his 
memory,  they  will  totally  suppress  them;  as  it  surely  is  sufficient 
for  a  man  to  propagate  slander  with  zeal  and  diligence  while  he 
lives,  without  his  friends,  by  a  mistaken  zeal,  making  him  do  so  after 
he  is  dead. 

After  Mr.  Toplady's  death,  a  woman  came  to  Mr.  Wesley,  and 
related  several  things,  as  from  her  own  personal  knowledge,  injurious 
to  his  character;  she  said  some  unpleasant  things  concerning  the 
manner  of  his  death,  which,  as  appears  since  on  good  authority,  were 
false.  Mr.  Wesley,  very  imprudently,  related  in  private  conversa- 
tion some  things  she  had  told  him,  supposing  them  to  be  true.  What 
he  had  said,  was  soon  reported  to  Mr.  Toplady's  friends,  who  pub- 
licly called  on  Mr.  Wesley  for  the  proof  of  his  assertions.  Mr.  Wes- 
ley made  no  reply:  and  the  Calvinists  immediately  charged  him 
with  inventing  the  story,  as  Avell  as  propagating  it.  But  of  this  Mr. 
Wesley  was  incapable.  Mr.  Pawson,  the  present  Assistant  in  Lon- 
don, was  with  Mr.  Wesley  when  the  woman  came  and  told  him 
what  he  afterwards  imprudently  related.  Mr.  Pawson's  public  and 
private  character  for  more  than  thirty  years,  will  not  admit  a  doubt 
concerning  the  truth  of  his  testimony.  Mr.  Wesley  is  not  to  be  jus- 
tified in  reporting  to  others,  the  story  he  was  told:  but  he  was  not  so 
guilty  as  the  Calvinists  wished  him  to  appear  to  the  world.  This 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


30 


affair  shows  us,  how  easily  stories  injurious  to  public  characters  ma; 
be  propagated;  and  should  lessen  our  confidence  in  them.  Let  u 
suppose  that  Mr.  Wesley  and  JMr.  Toplady,  have  both  obtaine( 
mercy :  and  let  us  not  keep  alive  their  differences  here ;  whil< 
we  may  charitably  hope,  that  they,  now  above,  are  both  praising  an( 
adoring  their  Creator  and  Redeemer  together  in  harmony  and  love  ! 

Mr.  Wesley  as  an  author,  has  been  blamed  for  his  numerous  ex 
tracts  from  the  writings  of  others.    The  fact  is  true:  but  the  blami 
supposed,  does  not,  I  apprehend,  attach  to  it.    He  supposed  that  th( 
works  from  which  he  made  extracts  were  the  property  of  the  public 
and  that  the  extracts  he  made  might  be  useful  to  the  Methodists,  wh 
probably  would  never  see  the  originals.    And  further,  he  did  no 
make  his  extracts  in  any  clandestine  way,  or  for  the  sake  of  lucre 
All  the  profits  of  his  books  only  passed  through  his  hands  to  the  relief 
of  the  poor.    The  Rev.  Mr.  Jones,  in  his  memoirs  of  the  late  piou; 
and  excellent  Dr.  Home,  has  charged  Mr.  Wesley  with  selling  i 
work  of  his  :  I  suppose  he  means  his  tract  on  the  Trinity.    But  thi: 
is  a  mistake.    Mr.  Wesley  recommended  that  tract,  because  he  ap- 
proved of  it ;  but  he  never  reprinted,  or  sold  it  in  any  form.  Mr. 
Charles  Wesley  composed  some  hymns  on  the  Trinity,  in  which  he 
made  use  of  some  texts  of  Scripture  quoted  by  Mr.  Jones  in  the  work 
above  mentioned  :  but  surely  this  was  not  reprinting  his  pamphlet, 
in  any  sense  whatever.    I  was  sorry  to  see  in  so  respectable  a  writer 
as  Mr.  Jones,  a  sourness  and  disposition  to  find  fault,  every  now  and 
then  break  out,  in  spite  of  all  his  endeavors  to  appear  candid  and 
liberal. 

Mr.  Wesley's  works  were  printed  together  in  1774,  in  thirty-two 
volumes,"^  but  very  incorrectly.  He  was  a  laborious  and  useful  wri- 
ter ;  and  his  name  will  descend  to  posterity,  with  no  small  share  of 
respectability  and  applause.  I  shall  conclude  this  section  in  the  words 
of  a  writer  of  his  life  ;  "If  usefulness  be  excellence ;  if  public  good 
is  the  chief  object  of  attention  in  public  characters  ;  and  if  the  great- 
est benefactors  to  mankind  are  most  estimable,  Mr.  John  Wesley  will 
long  be  remembered  as  one  of  the  best  of  men,  as  he  was  for  more 
than  fifty  years,  the  most  diligent  and  indefatigable." 

*  Not  including  his  Philosophy,  or  Notes  on  the  Old  and  New  Testament. 

VOL.  n.  26=*  39 


306 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


SECTION  III. 

STATING  MR.  WESLEy's  NOTIONS  OF  THE  RELATIVE  SITUATION  OF  HIS  SOCIE- 
TIES, TO  OTHER  RELIGIOUS  BODIES  OF  PEOPLE  IN  THIS  KINGDOM  ;  AND  OP 
THE  TRUE  CHARACTER  AND  OFFICE  OF  THE  METHODIST  PREACHERS. 

No  man  could  understand  the  nature  and  design  of  the  Methodist 
societies  so  well  as  Mr.  Wesley ;  as  he  was  the  chief  instrument  in 
raising  them,  and  governed  them  for  more  than  forty  years  by  rules 
which  he  himself  made  for  that  purpose.  He  has  declared  again  and 
again,  in  the  most  express  terms,  that  the  design  was  not  to  form  a 
new  party  in  the  nation;  not  to  form  the  societies  into  independent 
churches,  or  to  draw  away  those  who  became  Methodists,  from  their 
former  religious  connexions.  The  only  intention  was,  to  rouse  all 
parties,  the  members  of  the  church  in  particular,  to  an  holy  jealousy 
and  a  spiritual  emulation ;  and  to  assist  them  as  far  as  possible,  in 
promoting  christian  experience,  and  practical  religion  through  the 
land.  The  design  was  disinterested  and  noble ;  and  every  part  of 
the  Methodist  economy  exactly  corresponded  with  the  professed  de- 
sign, which  showed  the  sincerity  of  Mr.  Wesley's  declarations.  The 
preachers  were  itinerant,  which  rendered  them  incapable,  had  they 
been  otherwise  qualified,  of  performing  the  duties  of  settled  pastors 
to  the  societies :  the  times  of  preaching,  and  of  other  meetings,  were 
so  ordered,  as  not  to  interfere  with  the  times  of  public  worship  in  the 
church,  or  among  the  Dissenters.  The  whole  economy  was  formed, 
with  wonderful  consistency  in  all  its  parts,  to  be  a  blessing  indiscrim- 
inately to  all  parties.  While  this  economy  remained  inviolate,  it  was 
of  wonderful  use.  It  was  highly  pleasing  to  see  rigid  Churchmen, 
and  equally  rigid  Disseniers  of  all  denominations,  assembled  together 
in  a  Methodist  preaching-house;  hearing  the  truths  of  the  gospel 
preached,  and  each  feeling  the  beneficial  influence  of  them  on  their 
own  hearts.  This  tended  gradually  to  lessen  their  prejudices  against 
each  other;  and  however  they  might  still  differ,  as  to  modes  of  wor- 
ship, it  brought  them  nearer  together  in  christian  charity  and  broth- 
erly love.  And  every  candid  man  must  acknowledge,  that  since  the 
Methodists  have  generally  prevailed,  the  violence  of  party  spirit,  in 
matters  of  religion,  has,  in  equal  proportion,  been  diminished.  I  sin- 
cerely pray  God.  that  the  Methodists  may  continue  in  their  original 
situation,  and  never  become  the  means  of  re-kindling  the  flame  of 
.party  zeal.  This  relative  situation  of  the  societies,  the  members  of 
which  still  held  their  former  religious  connexions,  Mr.  Wesley  calls 
their  peculiar  glory.  "It  is  a  new  thing,"  says  he,  "upon  the  earth. 
.  Revolve  all  the  histories  of  the  church  from  the  earliest  ages,  and 
-you  will  find,  whenever  there  was  a  great  work  of  God  in  any  par- 
i  ticuiar  city  or  nation,  the  subjects  of  that  work,  soon  said  to  their 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  KEV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


307 


neighbors,  '  Stand  by  yourselves,  for  we  are  holier  than  you.'  As 
soon  as  ever  they  separated  tliemselves,  either  they  retired  into  deserts, 
or  at  least  formed  parties,  into  which  none  were  admitted  but  such 
as  subscribed  both  to  their  judgment  and  practice.  But  with  the  Meth- 
odists, it  is  quite  otherwise.  They  are  not  a  sect  or  party.  They  do 
not  separate  from  the  religious  community  to  which  they  at  first 
belonged.  And  I  believe  one  reason  why  God  is  pleased  to  continue 
my  life  so  long,  is  to  confirm  them  in  their  present  purpose;  not  to 
separate  from  the  Church."    See  the  Arminian  Magazine  for  1790. 

Mr.  Wesley  has  very  explicitly  described,  both  the  character  and 
office  of  a  Methodist  preacher,  in  a  sermon  which  he  sometimes 
preached  at  the  Conference,  before  the  preachers  then  assembled.  His 
text  was  Hebrews  V.  iv.  "No  man  taketh  this  honor  unto  himself, 
but  he  that  is  called  of  God,  as  was  Aaron."  In  this  discourse  he 
has  clearly  shown,  that  the  office  of  a  priest,  was  totally  distinct  and 
separate  from  the  office  of  a  preacher  or  expounder  of  God's  word  and 
will,  sometimes  called  a  prophet.  That  from  Adam  to  Noah,  and 
from  Noah  to  Moses,  the  first-born  in  every  family  was  the  priest,  by 
virtue  of  his  primogeniture :  but  any  other  of  the  family  might  be  a 
prophet,  or  expounder  of  God's  will  to  the  people.  In  the  time  of 
Moses,  the  priesthood  was  restricted  to  the  tribe  of  Levi ;  while  the 
preachers  or  expounders  of  God's  law  might  be,  and  afterwards  were 
of  different  tribes.  In  the  New  Testament,  these  expounders  of  the 
law,  are  called  voiiixol^  or  scribes :  but  few,  if  any  of  them,  were 
priests. 

The  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  great  High  Priest  of  our  profession, 
sent  out  Apostles  and  Evangelists,  to  proclaim  the  glad-tidings  of 
peace  to  all  the  world.  Afterwards,  pastors  were  appointed  to  preside 
over,  and  to  build  up  in  the  faith,  the  churches  that  were  formed. 
"But,"  says  Mr.  Wesley,  "I  do  not  find,  that  ever  the  office  of  an 
evangelist,  was  the  same  with  that  of  a  pastor  frequently  called  a 
bishop.  I  cannot  prove  from  any  part  of  the  New  Testament,  or 
from  any  author  of  the  three  first  centuries,  that  the  office  of  an 
evangelist,  gave  any  man  a  right  to  act  as  a  pastor  or  bishop.  I 
believe  these  offices  were  considered  as  quite  distinct  from  each  other, 
till  the  time  of  Constantine." 

Mr.  Wesley  then  goes  on  to  observe,  that  among  the  Presbyterians; 
in  the  Church  of  England,  and  even  among  the  Roman  Catholics, 
the  office  of  an  evangelist  or  teacher,  does  not  imply  that  of  a  pas- 
tor, to  whom  peculiarly  belongs  the  administration  of  the  sacraments. 
All  Presbyterian  churches,  that  of  Scotland  in  particular,  license  men 
to  preach  throughout  the  whole  kingdom,  before  they  are  ordained. 
And  it  is  never  understood  that  this  appointment  to  preach,  gives 
them  any  right  to  administer  the  sacraments.  "  Likewise,"  says  he, 
"  in  our  own  church,  persons  may  be  authorized  to  preach,  yea,  may 
be  Doctors  in  Divinity,  as  Dr.  A  twood,  at  Oxford,  was  when  I  resided 


308 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.   JOHN  WESLEY. 


there,  who  are  not  ordained  at  all :  and  consequently  have  no  right 
to  administer  the  Lord's  supper.  Yea,  even  in  the  Church  of  Rome 
itself,  if  a  lay-brother  believes  he  is  called  to  go  a  m^ission,  as  it  is 
termed,  he  is  sent  out,  though  neither  priest  nor  deacon,  to  execute 
tJiat  office,  and  not  the  other.'"  And  Mr.  Wesley  declares  that  he 
and  his  brother  considered  the  lay-preachers  in  the  light  of  evangel- 
ists, or  preachers  only,  when  they  received  them  as  helpers  in  the 
work,  or  they  never  should  have  admitted  them. 

That  there  were  itinerant  preachers  in  the  primitive  church,  who 
travelled  from  place  to  place  preaching  the  gospel  without  interfering 
with  the  duties  of  the  established  pastors,  does  not  admit  of  much 
doubt.  We  may  venture  to  say,  that  one  part  of  the  Methodist  econ- 
omy approached  nearer  to  this  primitive  practice,  than  any  thing 
which  has  taken  place  in  the  christian  church  since  the  days  of  the 
Apostles.  I  have  long  been  persuaded,  that  no  religious  establish- 
ment, whether  national  or  otherwise,  ever  did,  or  ever  will,  keep  up 
the  original  spirit  of  its  institution  without  an  itinerant  ministry  con- 
nected with  it.  This  however  is  certain,  that  the  Church  of  England, 
of  which  most  of  the  Methodists  are  members,  might  have  received 
a  vast  accession  of  strength  from  the  labors  of  the  Methodist  preach- 
ers among  the  middling  and  lower  orders  of  the  people,  had  the 
rulers  of  that  church  understood  in  time,  how  to  have  estimated  them. 
At  present  it  is  not  probable,  that  either  the  bishops,  or  the  clerg\^  in 
general,  will  know  or  believe  what  advantages  they  might  have  gained 
from  the  labors  of  the  Methodist  preachers  (if  numbers  of  pious  peo- 
ple be  an  advantage)  till  their  losses  have  fully  convinced  them. 

Notwithstanding  Mr.  Wesley's  ordinations,  it  is  manifest  that  he 
had  no  intention  or  wish,  that  the  great  body  of  the  people  should 
separate  from  the  church  or  change  their  relative  situation  to  other 
denominations  of  Christians  in  the  land.  This  appears  evident  from 
the  following  paper  which  he  wrote  in  December,  1789 ;  and  from  the 
extracts  from  his  last  Journal,  which  I  shall  subjoin. 

'•'1.  From  a  child  I  was  taught  to  love  and  reverence  the  Scripture, 
the  oracles  of  God  :  and  next  to  these,  to  esteem  the  primitive  fathers, 
the  writers  of  the  three  first  centuries.  Next  after  the  primitive 
church,  I  esteemed  our  own,  the  Church  of  England,  as  the  most 
scriptural  national  church  in  the  world.  I  therefore,  not  onl}^  assent- 
ed to  all  the  doctrines,  but  observed  all  the  rubric  in  the  liturgy  :  and 
that  with  all  possible  exactness,  even  at  the  peril  of  my  life. 

''2.  In  this  judgment,  and  with  this  spirit,  I  went  to  America, 
strongly  attached  to  the  Bible,  the  primitive  church,  and  the  Church 
of  England,  from  which  I  would  not  van^  in  one  jot  or  tittle  on  any 
account  whatever.  In  this  spirit  I  returned  as  regular  a  clergyman 
as  any  in  the  three  kingdoms  :  till  after  not  being  permitted  to  preach 
in  the  churches,  I  was  constrained  to  preach  in  the  open  air. 

3.  Here  was  my  first  irregularity.    And  it  was  not  voluntary, 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


but  constrained.  The  second  was  extemporary  prayer.  This  hke- 
wise  I  beUeved  to  be  my  bounden  duty,  for  the  sake  of  tliosc  who 
desired  me  to  watch  over  their  souls.  I  could  not  in  conscience 
refrain  from  it :  neither  from  accepting  those,  who  desired  to  serve 
me  as  sons  in  the  gospel. 

"  4.  When  the  people  joined  together,  simply  to  help  each  other  to 
heaven,  increased  by  hundreds  and  thousands,  still  they  had  no  more 
thought  of  leaving  the  Church  than  of  leaving  the  kingdom.  Nay, 
I  continually  and  earnestly  cautioned  them  against  it:  reminding 
them,  that  we  were  a  part  of  the  Church  of  England,  whom  God  had 
raised  up,  not  only  to  save  our  own  souls,  but  to  enliven  our  neigh- 
bors, those  of  the  Church  in  particular.  And  at  the  first  meeting  of 
all  our  preachers  in  Conference,  in  June,  1744, 1  exhorted  them  to  keep 
to  the  Church,  observing,  that  this  was  our  peculiar  glory,  not  to  form 
any  new  sect,  but  abiding  in  our  own  Church,  to  do  to  all  men  all 
the  good  we  possibly  could. 

''  5.  But  as  more  Dissenters  joined  with  us,  many  of  whom  were 
much  prejudiced  against  the  Church,  these,  with  or  without  design, 
were  continually  infusing  their  own  prejudices  into  their  brethren.  I 
saw  this,  and  gave  warning  of  it  from  time  to  time,  both  in  private 
and  in  public.  And  in  the  year  1758,  I  resolved  to  bring  the  matter 
to  a  fair  issue.  So  I  desired  the  point  might  be  considered  at  large 
whether  it  was  expedient  for  the  Methodists  to  leave  the  Church? 
The  arguments  on  both  sides  were  discussed  for  several  days ;  and  at 
length  we  agreed,  without  a  dissenting  voice,  '  It  is  by  no  means  ex- 
pedient, that  the  Methodists  should  leave  the  Church  of  England." 

"6.  Nevertheless,  the  same  leaven  continued  to  work  in  various 
parts  of  the  kingdom.  The  grand  argument  (which  in  some  partic- 
ular cases  must  be  acknowledged  to  have  weight)  was  this :  '  The 
minister  of  the  parish  wherein  we  dwell,  neither  lives  nor  preaches 
the  gospel.  He  walks  in  the  way  to  hell  himself,  and  teaches  his 
flock  to  do  the  same.  Can  you  advise  them  to  attend  his  preaching  7' 
I  cannot  advise  them  to  it.  '  What  then  can  they  do,  on  the  Lord's 
day,  suppose  no  other  Church  be  near?  Do  you  advise  them  to  go  to 
a  Dissenting  meeting?  or  to  meet  in  their  own  preaching-house?' 
Where  this  is  really  the  case,  I  cannot  blame  them  if  they  do.  Al- 
though therefore  I  earnestly  oppose  the  general  separation  of  the 
Methodists  from  the  Church,  yet  I  cannot  condemn  such  a  partial 
separation,  in  this  particular  case.  I  believe  to  separate  thus  far  from 
these  miserable  wretches,  who  are  the  scandal  of  our  Church  and  na- 
tion, would  be  for  the  honor  of  our  Church,  as  well  as  to  the  glory 
of  God. 

7.  And  this  is  no  way  contrary  to  the  profession  which  I  have 
made  above  these  fifty  years.  I  never  had  any  design  of  separating 
from  the  Church.  I  have  no  such  design  now.  I  do  not  believe  the 
Methodists  in  general  design  it,  when  I  am  no  more  seen.    I  do  and 


310 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


will  do  all  that  is  in  my  power  to  prevent  such  an  event.  Neverthe- 
less, in  spite  of  all  I  can  do,  many  of  them  will  separate  from  it : 
(although  I  am  apt  to  think  not  one  half,  perhaps  not  a  third  of  them.) 
These  will  be  so  bold  and  injudicious  as  to  form  a  separate  party, 
which  consequently  will  dwindle  away  into  a  dry,  dull,  separate  party. 
In  flat  opposition  to  these,  I  declare  once  more,  that  I  live  and  die  a 
member  of  the  Church  of  England :  and  that  none  who  regard  my 
judgment  or  advice  will  ever  separate  from  it. 

John  Wesley." 
Extracts  from  the  late  Reverend  John  Wesley^ s  last  Journal. 

1786 — July  25 — Page  9.  "  Our  Conference  began  at  Bristol ;  about 
eighty  preachers  attended.  On  Tuesday,  in  the  afternoon,  we  per- 
mitted any  of  the  society  to  be  present :  and  weighed  what  was  said 
about  separating  from  the  Church.  But  we  all  determined  to  continue 
therein,  without  one  dissenting  voice.  And  I  doubt  not  but  this  de- 
termination will  stand,  at  least  till  I  am  removed  into  a  better  world. 

1786 —  August  25 — Page  21.  "I  went  to  Brentford,  but  had  little 
comfort  there.  The  society  is  almost  dwindled  to  nothing.  What 
have  we  gained  by  separating  from  the  Church  here?  Is  not  this  a 
good  lesson  for  others  ? 

1787 —  January  2 — Page  26.  "I  went  over  to  Deptford;  but,  it 
seemed,  I  was  got  into  a  den  of  lions.  Most  of  the  leading  men  of 
the  society  were  mad  for  separating  from  the  Church.  I  endeavored 
to  reason  with  them,  but  in  vain ;  they  had  neither  sense  nor  even 
good  manners  left.  At  length,  after  meeting  the  whole  society,  I  told 
them,  '  If  you  are  resolved,  you  may  have  your  services  in  Church 
hours.  But  remember !  From  that  time  you  will  see  my  face  no 
more.'  This  struck  deep;  and  from  that  hour  I  have  heard  no  more 
of  separating  from  the  Church. 

1787 —  November  4 — Page  85.  "  London  :  The  congregation  was, 
as  usual,  large  and  serious.  But  there  is  no  increase  in  the  society. 
So  that  we  have  profited  nothing  by  having  our  services  in  Church 
hours ;  which  some  imagined  would  have  done  wonders.  I  do  not 
know  that  it  has  done  more  good  any  where  in  England.  In  Scotland, 
I  believe  it  has. 

1788 —  August  4 — Page  122.  London.  One  of  the  most  impor- 
tant points  considered'  at  this  Conference  was,  that  of  leaving  the 
Church.  The  sum  of  a  long  conversation  was,  That,  in  a  course  of 
fifty  years,  we  had,  neither  premeditately  nor  willingly,  varied  from 
it  in  one  article,  either  of  doctrine  or  discipline.  2d.  That  we  were 
not  yet  conscious  of  varying  from  it  in  any  point  of  doctrine.  3d. 
That  we  have,  in  a  course  of  years,  out  of  necessity,  not  choice, 
slowly  and  warily  varied  in  some  points  of  discipline,  by  preaching 
in  the  fields,  by  extempore  prayer,  by  employing  lay-preachers,  by 
forming  and  regulating  societies,  and  by  holding  yearly  Conferences. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


311 


But  we  did  none  of  these  things  till  we  were  convinced  we  could  no 
longer  omit  them  but  at  the  peril  of  our  souls. 

1789— July  3— Page  162.  "  Our  little  Conference  began  in  Dub- 
lin,  and  ended  Tuesday  the  7th.  On  this  I  observe,  1st.  I  never  had 
between  forty  and  fifty  such  preachers  together  in  Ireland  before  :  all 
of  them  we  had  reason  to  hope  alive  to  God,  and  earnestly  devoted  to 
his  service.  2d.  I  never  saw  such  a  number  of  preachers  before,  so 
unanimous  in  all  points,  particularly  as  to  leaving  the  Church,  which 
none  of  them  had  the  least  thought  of  It  is  no  wonder  that  there 
has  been  this  year  so  large  an  increase  of  the  society." 


SECTION  IV. 

A  VIEW  OF  THE  INCREASE  OF  THE  METHODISTS  IN  GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  IRE- 
LAND, FOR  THE  LAST  THIRTY  YEARS  I  WITH  A  FEW  OBSERVATIONS  ON  THE 
INFLUENCE  OF  METHODISiM. 

It  has  already  been  observed,  that  the  minutes  of  Conference  have 
been  printed  every  year  :  but  it  was  not,  so  far  as  I  can  find,  till  1765. 
that  the  stations  of  the  preachers  were  inserted  in  them.  And  it  does 
not  appear,  that  any  regular  account  of  the  number  of  people  in  the 
societies  through  the  three  kingdoms,  was  obtained  till  1767.  From 
the  Minutes  of  the  yearly  Conference  since  these  dates,  I  have  been 
enabled  to  draw  up  the  following  table;  showing  the  increase  of  the 
itinerant  preachers,  and  of  the  members  of  the  Methodist  societies,  till 
the  last  Conference  in  1795. 


Years.  No.  of  itinerant  Preachers.  People  in  the  Societies. 

1765    92   

1767  .....    ...     104    25,911. 

1770   122    29,046. 

1775    138    38,150. 

1780    172    43,830. 

1785    206    52,433. 

1790    293  .    .    r   .    .    .  71,568. 

1795    357    83,368. 


This  increase  of  the  Methodists,  is,  I  apprehend,  much  beyond  the 
increase  of  any  other  denomination  of  Christians,  which  have  ever 
appeared  in  this  or  any  other  country,  since  the  days  of  the  Apostles, 
not  immediately  supported  by  the  state  or  civil  power.  Prudence 
would  direct,  that  in  every  large  associated  body  of  Christians,  the 
number  of  people  should  increase  in  a  greater  proportion  than  the 
preachers  among  them  :  because  one  man  may  preach  to  a  congre- 
gation of  a  thousand  persons,  as  well,  or  better,  than  if  it  consisted 
only  of  one  hundred.    But  we  may  observe  among  the  Methodists, 


312 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY. 


that  the  preachers  have  increased  in  a  greater  proportion  than  the 
people.  The  reason  of  this  is  evident  enough,  to  those  who  have 
carefully  attended  to  the  governing  principles  of  the  ruling  preachers 
among  them.  They  have  been  afraid  lest  the  local  preachers  should 
acquire  any  great  degree  of  influence  in  the  societies  where  they  re- 
side; and  have  increased  the  number  of  itinerants,  that  the  local 
preachers  might  be  thrown  into  the  shade,  and  be  kept  as  much  as 
possible  from  preaching  in  the  principal  congregations.  This,  in  my 
opinion,  is  both  unjust,  and  bad  policy.  The  local  preachers  are  a 
useful  body  of  people:  the  work  could  never  have  been  carried  on 
among  the  Methodists  to  the  extent  it  has,  without  them.  Nor  could 
the  societies  at  present,  be  regularly  supplied  with  preaching  without 
their  assistance ,  not  to  mention,  that  the  itinerants  themselves  are 
taken  from  this  body.  And  if  any  of  the  local  preachers  have  supe- 
rior talents  to  command  a  congregation,  or  to  acquire  influence  by 
their  usefulness,  who  receives  the  benefit  ?  Certainly  not  the  local 
preachers,  whose  labor  is  gratis  ;  but  the  itinerants.  It  is  indeed  evi- 
dent, that  if  this  practice  of  the  itinerants  be  pushed  much  further, 
the  head  will  become  too  heavy  for  the  body  to  carry. 

Curiosity  has  led  many  persons  to  conjecture,  what  could  be  the 
reasons  of  the  rapid  increase  of  Methodism.  No  doubt  but  several 
circumstances,  by  which  the  Methodists  have  been  peculiarly  distin- 
guished from  all  other  denominations  of  Christians,  have  had  a 
considerable  influence  on  their  increase.  Their  being  of  no  party,  but 
holding  a  friendly  relation  to  all :  the  itinerancy  of  the  preachers :  their 
times  of  preaching  :  their  class  and  band  meetings,  (fee.  (fcc.  But  the 
artless  simplicity,  the  zeal  and  integrity,  of  the  preachers  at  their 
setting  out  to  travel  ;  and  their  manner  of  preaching,  have,  under  the 
blessing  of  God,  had  the  most  extensive  influence  on  their  aflfairs. — 
They  not  only  preached  the  grand  truths  of  the  gospel,  but  they 
brought  them  home  to  every  man's  actual  state  and  condition,  liow- 
ever  ignorant  or  wretched.  They  showed  the  necessity  of  repentance 
to  prepare  the  heart  for  Christ ;  the  necessity  of  faith  in  him,  to  be 
personally  interested  in  the  benefits  of  his  death ;  and  then  urge  the 
necessity  of  going  on  to  purity  of  heart,  and  holiness  in  all  manner 
of  conversation.  Th^y  constantly  spoke  of  these  things  in  this  order, 
and  almost  in  every  discourse.  The  people  rapidly  emerged  out  of 
darkness  into  light,  learned  how  to  judge  of  their  own  spiritual  state, 
and  of  the  degrees  of  christian  experience  ;  and  by  the  influence  of 
Divine  grace,  were  happily  led  on  through  the  diflferent  stages  of  the 
christian  life. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  add  much  on  the  general  tendency  of  Method- 
ism. This  will  appear  evident,  from  what  has  already  been  said  in 
this  volume.  Methodism  has  had  some  influence  in  mehorating  the 
spirit  of  controversy ;  it  has  diffused  knowledge,  and  promoted  in- 
dustry and  good  order  among  the  lower  classes  of  the  people  :  it  has 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REV.  JOHN  WESLEY.  31^ 

enlightened  the  most  ignorant,  and  reformed  the  most  wicked.  These 
effects,  through  the  blessing  of  God  on  the  labors  of  the  preachers, 
have  been  so  conspicuous  in  many  parts  of  the  kingdom,  that  the 
bitterest  enemies  of  Methodism,  have  been  forced  to  acknowledge  them. 
It  has  had  a  happy  influence  on  the  temporal  concerns  of  the  Metho- 
dists themselves ;  many,  who  before  were  in  want,  can  now  afford  to 
contribute  liberally  for  the  relief  of  others.  In  judging  of  the  ten- 
dency of  Methodism,  we  are  not  to  look  at  the  conduct  of  two  or  three 
preachers,  or  of  a  few  individuals  in  the  societies,  but  at  its  general 
influence  on  the  great  body  of  the  people.  Thousands  and  tens  of  thou- 
sands of  these,  have  been  ornaments  of  their  christian  profession: 
and  have  died  rejoicing  in  God  their  Saviour :  many  tens  of  thousands 
are  now  running  the  christian  race  set  before  them,  endeavoring  to 
be  followers  of  the  humble,  holy  Jesus.  The  Methodists  are  not 
angels,  but  they  are  in  general  what  they  profess  to  be,  pious  Chris- 
tians, striving  to  escape  the  pollutions  that  are  in  the  world,  and  ta 
save  their  own  souls. — May  Methodism  be  preserved  in  its  original 
integrity  :  may  what  is  wrong  in  the  general  system,  be  corrected ; 
and  what  is  praiseworthy  be  established  and  improved  :  and  may  its 
beneficial  influence  on  the  people,  extend  wider  and  wider,  till,  "  the 
whole  earth  be  filled  with  His  glory,"  who  is  the  Author  of  all  our 
mercies.  Amen. 


THE  END. 


VOL.  n.  27  40 


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ii^i'm  i'mi  i[mi°'°^"^^'  5eminary-Speer  Library 


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